The small, tablet-like device sits on a bedside table displaying an electronic clock, or maybe a digital photograph of children and grandchildren.

When the elderly person in the room wants to speak with one of their adult children, they simply touch the screen. The software platform texts a son, daughter or caregiver, who taps the app on their smartphone and a video call is underway.

It is fast, simple and keeps people separated by hundreds or even thousands of kilometres connected with video calls. It is called Paige frame and the startup kiloBryte, which developed it, has about 50 devices out for testing.

Peter Kirkpatrick was inspired by his mother’s experience with aging and decline.

She was a master at duplicate bridge, and highly intelligent. That made her cognitive decline e

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