Irish homecare tech company PacSana signs major US deal

Firm’s smart bracelet technology to become integral part of Boston-based Gardeen system

Irish homecare technology company PacSana has signed a multimillion-dollar contract with Boston-based Gardeen to use the firm’s technology as part of its monitoring solution for older adults.

The deal will see the PacSana smart bracelet technology form an integral part of the Gardeen system, which aims to deliver so-called pre-emptive care for those living at home, in independent living centres and in assisted living facilities.

PacSana, which was established in 2019, offers products to help prolong independent living for older people, using its wearable technology to gather data on exercise, gait, falls and location in the home to develop an accurate picture of care needs for individuals.

“A lot of the stuff we drive is prevention,” said PacSana chief executive Fergal Duignan, noting that the technology could be used to ascertain the appropriate level of care for older people.

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“From our first meeting, it was clear that the Gardeen team had the appetite and the ability to grasp this opportunity,” he said. “They are steeped in the care business in New England and have a deep understanding of the client need and how to leverage technology to deliver value from PacSana data and insights. We look forward to working with them and supporting their ambitious growth plans”.

Gardeen cofounder Allan Parker said the deal was a “key milestone” in the company’s growth in the residential homecare and senior living communities market in New England.

The company is now eyeing growth in other areas of the US, in an attempt to tap into a market of more than 15 million users of home healthcare, a market that was valued at more than $130 billion (€117 billion) in 2022.

“We have been working with PacSana since late last year and we are bullish about how we can deliver real value through the Gardeen Monitoring and Assessment Service,” he said. “Our offering coupled with PacSana data and insights resonates with individual clients, partner organisations and the senior living communities we serve.”

Cofounder John Moniz highlighted the challenges facing the care industry, including limited staffing and resources. “We must reimagine how we deliver care,” he said. “Care technology like PacSana plays a vital role in gathering high-value data and insights on activities of daily living, exercise, gait, falls and more, building a precise understanding of care needs. Now Gardeen and our partners can really know what the right care is, when it is required and where is the most appropriate location.”

PacSana raised €1 million in funding earlier this year as it sought to grow further in the lucrative US market. It spent last year acquiring new customers in homecare and senior living in the US, and added new features such as gait and exercise measurement. It has offices in Dublin and Boston.

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist