Disclosure:  I am participating in the Verizon Boomer Voices program and have been provided with a device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product.

“Lifestyle Zones”

At the Mall Of America

Thanks To Verizon

You might wonder what does Verizon have to do with dementia and caregiving? 

Well check out what they are up to!  Anita Jader, (photographer extraordinaire) and I went out to the mall to check it out! We all know Verizon for phones.  Phones help us stay in touch, feel connected and organized.  If you like to talk on the phone, text, talk with face time, keep an organized calendar or a photo gallery Verizon can help.  I think you will see the amazing technology that can not only help us care for others, but to engage and appreciate our relationships and take care of ourselves!

Check The Verizon Destination Center

at The Mall Of America!

We may have missed the Grand Opening of the Verizon store at the Mall Of America, but that didn’t matter. The store is beautiful, inviting and HUGE and it is so full of high tech gadgets and accessories that we can’t even begin to name all of them. It far outdoes its high tech rivals. The fact that they have such a massive inventory makes it a one-stop shopping experience for this mobile society.

Walking into the store we were drawn to follow a winding pathway that led us through all of the various areas referred to as “lifestyle zones,” focusing on music, health and home automation. There were plenty of staff members willing to demo and provide us a hands-on experience to many of their products. They were very engaging and knowledgeable. We didn’t feel any high pressure, just a good time. It seemed like a really fun job to have.

Since we were already given a FitBit, we didn’t spend a lot of time in that area, only to find out later that we missed a virtual hike, using a treadmill and a screen showing a national park trail. Now, that would have been fun to try.

Have Fun!

Get Fit!

We played with a gigantic, panoramic display that we controlled with hand and body motions based on Kinect motion-sensing technology. There’s something similar at the Mpls-St. Paul International Airport.

Home & On The Go

We were interested in the home automation products such as the remote electrical switches that can be controlled with your smart phone from anywhere. AND depending on what you plug into them, the options are limitless. Another tempting product was the scanner for scanning receipts and pictures at a high resolution. That way we could eliminate all those pieces of paper clutter and have it in a digital form for taxes. As for scanning pictures, the resolution was wonderful and it would be a great way to preserve old pictures. You could also make quality prints from the digital file as well. We spent the most time in this zone.

Anywhere Business

Customize!

Considering Verizon is mostly known for smartphones, that display section was sort of hidden at the back of the store. It drew us in, though, with a gigantic, curving touch display that allowed us to virtually examine a gazillion (well, not quite) handsets with just taps of our fingers.

Engage With Tech Staff

By the end we just had to try the cushy red-leather chairs. Had we tried the treadmill, we may have stayed resting a bit longer.

One thing for sure, the Verizon store at the MOA should be on your destination schedule. Give yourself plenty of time to experience it!

Check It Out!

What would help you care for someone… a tablet?  a phone? a Fit bit?  Video cameras? APPs? There is so much to chose from I can’t do it justice on the blog. 

For more information on Dementia and caregiving check out our website at:

For information on Anita Jader Photography check out her website: