About Us

VitalLink is the brainchild of a team of experts in the field of technology, gerontology, health law and marketing of consumer technology products. Launched in 2009, this young company is already working with major groups of assisted living communities and is in the homes of over 6000 older adults and their families worldwide. VitalLink Touch and Connect is dedicated to lifelong independence through connectivity to family, friends and the world, even for those with no computer understanding whatsoever.

VitalLink is age-friendly in every aspect, having been developed by Keith Savell a gerontologist and trainer for healthcare professionals in hospitals, home care agencies, assisted living and CCRC communities. Keith lenses the VitalLink product in every detail from color, to print size, to language, to the ability to use the human voice intuitively to connect to friends and family. Lars Graf and Richard Brown, with at least fifty combined years in the consumer and business technology field, have created a cloud-based system that can be used by anyone, anywhere, at any time, from any computer. The technology is so intuitive that a few YouTube tutorials are enough to train any healthcare staff member or family member to support the older adult in mastering VitalLink.

From the point of view of the older adult, VitalLink is as simple as flicking on a light and touching the screen. Although VitalLink can be used with any mouse operated windows computer it is geared for touch screen, iPad, mobile use and other connective devices that are as yet in development. Because of the deep background of Graf and Brown in the technology field, they spot trends and consistently improve VitalLink with features such as audio e-mail, movies, and calendars, and also by making it compatible with new hardware platforms.

VitalLink’s brand and product development is unique. Because video conferencing through Skype is the central feature of VitalLink, VitalLink was embraced by thousands of users almost immediately upon the company launch. Today, over a dozen new features have been added as the market demands a variety of ways of staying in touch. In short, the product is being developed by its users as the company experiences their needs and heeds user feedback.

Finally, VitalLink has chosen an initial market niche of families and professionals that care for older adults with no computer literacy, computer phobia, mild dementia or low vision so that they can experience a vital and connected old-age without isolation. This cohort, the Greatest and the Silent Generations, are currently large in number and in great need of VitalLink. Nevertheless, VitalLink is looking to the future by making its system so mobile, so user-friendly, and so international in use that it resonates across the age-continuum to deliver connectivity, entertainment, on-line services and just plain fun, at a low monthly subscription price.

Because of its low cost, VitalLink is a solution to transition from hospital to home and from home to a rehabilitation or healthcare facility. With easy connectivity, and emerging remote healthcare delivery VitalLink serves to reduce the chance of slippage in care, medicine mismanagement, nutritional deficits and other catalysts to the decline in health. VitalLink is partnering with healthcare systems and government programs world-wide, to prove the efficacy of connectivity to the goal of better health with massive cost savings by preventing hospital readmissions.

Our Team

Lars Graf

CEO

Lars Graf, Chief Executive Officer, oversees the company's strategic direction and product development for VitalLink’s flagship product. His 20+ year career includes leadership positions in product management and marketing, business development and sales for companies in the enterprise, consumer and technology markets. Lars brings a diverse background to VitalLink, including experience in mobile financial services, healthcare, security, advertising, social networks, network management and security, and web services and SOA. Prior to VitalLink he was CEO and Founder of security management/SOA platform provider EventGnosis, Inc. and CEO, Founder and CTO of venture backed network and security management software company OpenService, Inc. Lars holds a B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science with honors from Princeton University.

Rich Brown

President

Rich Brown, President, oversees business development and day-to-day operations. A technology industry veteran with more than 30 years experience, his expertise includes an unparalleled understanding of how to build companies that develop solutions to meet the demands of today’s consumers and businesses, shepherding them through their life cycle – from founding, to IPO, and major acquisition. Rich brings a wealth of industry experience to VitalLink, including most recently, role as Founder and Vice President of Operations of ICON CMT Corp., a venture backed Internet solutions provider that provides major corporate customers with strategic consulting, creative development and tier-1 communications infrastructure. He was instrumental in ICON’s IPO and successful acquisition by Quest Communications in 1998 for $185 mil.

Keith Savell, Ph.D.

Chief Gerontologist

As Chief Gerontologist, Dr. Keith Savell lends his more than 20 years experience as a health care expert within the long term care industry to the product development of VitalLink. He is driving both the clinical applications of VitalLink as well as the unique user interface requirements for the geriatric user base. Additionally, Keith is the Executive Director of Geriatric Healthcare Consultants, LLC, a company providing dementia care, social service and therapeutic recreation consultation to skilled nursing facilities. Keith also directs the Behavior Management Response Team, a consulting resource that assists skilled nursing and assisted living communities in their efforts to reduce and resolve acute dementia / delirium based behavior problems among residents. He has delivered multiple presentations at international, national, regional, state and local conferences, and has authored numerous publications within the areas of psychosocial assessment, gerontology, self-efficacy, self determination and psychological well-being, as well as collaborative research methodologies. Keith has held faculty positions at Rutgers University, San Jose State University and San Francisco State University, and received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois.

Strategic Advisors

Scott Kiepen

Scott is a partner in one of the premier health care law firms in the country, Hooper, Lundy & Bookman, P.C. He has specialized in representing senior housing, assisted living and skilled nursing companies for 15 years. Currently Scott represents some of the largest and most prominent long term care companies in the country in all aspects of their regulatory, business, and legal affairs.

Susan Ayers Walker

Susan is founder and managing director of the SmartSilvers Alliance, an organization founded to promote the awareness, development and deployment of innovative, consumer friendly products and technology-leveraged services that cater to the unique needs of the expanding senior population. For the past three decades, she has been involved with implementing strategies leading to successful business partnerships and technology developments in emerging and high tech systems companies.