Navigating New Horizons: Tony Sterns and the Intersection of Technology and Aging
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Anthony Sterns, Associate Research Scientist at Scripps Gerontology Center. "I keep my love of boats alive as a member of the crew of Phrfection, a J35 racing out of Cleveland's Edgewater Yatch Club."
Navigating New Horizons: Tony Sterns and the Intersection of Technology and Aging
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Published
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Originally trained as an engineer in ship repair, Tony Sterns sees his journey to Gerontology as quite natural. “I worked with old ships, and now I work with older people,” he jokes. ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú University’s Boldly Creative initiatives helped bring Tony's unique expertise to the Scripps Gerontology Center as a research scientist.
From an applied background, both as a teacher and in the business world, Tony has developed multiple apps, finally culminating in the iLidRx® – a smart pill dispenser. The dispenser is a tangible product of what lies at the heart of Tony’s interest – machine learning and the power that technology has to solve real-world problems.
Core to his research interests is gerontechnology, a liminal space that explores the interaction between technology and aging care. Amongst the apps and iLidRx is the Memory Magic® Program, a tool that allows care partners to effectively and simultaneously engage with multiple individuals with dementia. The Memory Magic Program and InterpreCare were developed, inspired, and collaborated with Dr. Cameron Camp and his team. In addition to the Memory Magic Program, Tony has developed a product called InterpreCare® which enables communication with foreign-language speaking older adults in long-term care facilities. These “cognitive prosthetics” are a step towards enriching the lives of both care partners and care recipients. Tony is currently collaborating with Katy Abbott, e on a software project aimed at enhancing preference-based care in nursing homes.
Blending research, implementation science, and an entrepreneurial spirit, Tony’s work drives impactful solutions that benefit the community. His vision for the future of gerontology captures the immense potential of technology to fill gaps in care and support services. “We have plenty of expertise, and we can share that through machine-learning mechanisms,” he emphasizes. Tony is excited to see how technology can be harnessed to support addiction care.
At Scripps, Tony is excited to be part of a collaborative team that shares his passion for integrating technology with gerontology. He believes the “Scripps' special sauce” lies in its understanding of aging and the longevity of the center in the industry, with over a century of impactful research. Tony’s work with gerontechnology highlights the transformative impact of technology and its potential for creating positive change in the lives of older adults.
From an applied background, both as a teacher and in the business world, Tony has developed multiple apps, finally culminating in the iLidRx® – a smart pill dispenser. The dispenser is a tangible product of what lies at the heart of Tony’s interest – machine learning and the power that technology has to solve real-world problems.
Core to his research interests is gerontechnology, a liminal space that explores the interaction between technology and aging care. Amongst the apps and iLidRx is the Memory Magic® Program, a tool that allows care partners to effectively and simultaneously engage with multiple individuals with dementia. The Memory Magic Program and InterpreCare were developed, inspired, and collaborated with Dr. Cameron Camp and his team. In addition to the Memory Magic Program, Tony has developed a product called InterpreCare® which enables communication with foreign-language speaking older adults in long-term care facilities. These “cognitive prosthetics” are a step towards enriching the lives of both care partners and care recipients. Tony is currently collaborating with Katy Abbott, e on a software project aimed at enhancing preference-based care in nursing homes.
Blending research, implementation science, and an entrepreneurial spirit, Tony’s work drives impactful solutions that benefit the community. His vision for the future of gerontology captures the immense potential of technology to fill gaps in care and support services. “We have plenty of expertise, and we can share that through machine-learning mechanisms,” he emphasizes. Tony is excited to see how technology can be harnessed to support addiction care.
At Scripps, Tony is excited to be part of a collaborative team that shares his passion for integrating technology with gerontology. He believes the “Scripps' special sauce” lies in its understanding of aging and the longevity of the center in the industry, with over a century of impactful research. Tony’s work with gerontechnology highlights the transformative impact of technology and its potential for creating positive change in the lives of older adults.