About
CloseBy Network is a subsidiary of Card Access, Inc., a privately held company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in 1995, Card Access is a leading developer of wireless communications products. World-class organizations in the medical, military and home consumer markets rely on Card Access for development of high-performance, low-power, miniaturized, mobilized and ruggedized wireless communications solutions.
The Card Access™ line of Home Automation Products extends control and automation capabilities for any Control4® automated home. Shipping since 2006, the products use wireless ZigBee™ mesh-networking technology to easily install in locations where running a wire just isn’t practical—or possible. The products are suited for new construction and retrofitting existing homes.
In January 2010, the company launched CloseBy Network, with a focus on developing technology solutions that will allow elderly and disabled loved ones to age in the comfort of their own homes.
CloseBy Network is built on an expandable and flexible foundation to enable users to customize the solution for every situation—using both CloseBy Network products and those from third-party vendors. The company utilizes both wired and wireless technology, making its products ideally suited for existing homes.
The story behind CloseBy Network
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. Jim Stout, Chief Technology Officer of Card Access, Inc., couldn’t find a solution to help him stay connected to his aging parents who lived in another state, nor let him help his sister who did the majority of the care giving.
After Jim’s father was diagnosed with colon cancer, Jim’s sister eventually moved into her parents’ home as the primary caregiver. Jim and the rest of his siblings lived out of state, which made it difficult to share in the care-giving load. He looked for a technological solution to help him stay connected, offer more than encouraging words of support, and gain a better understanding of what his parents and his sister were going through.
He couldn’t find one, so he developed his own. His goal was to create a solution that enabled all five siblings to share in the care giving responsibilities, connecting them in a way that wasn’t too intrusive on everyone’s busy lives.
He approached it as if his parents lived downstairs—maintaining independent lives, but being close enough for Jim and his siblings to know when they were up and about or coming and going. That would enable them all to act on the things they observed, sharing in their parents’ lives and offering help before having to be called.
The result was an online system that allowed the creation of a network of people—all linked together in a common cause. Initially, the network consisted of his siblings and parents, but was eventually expanded to others who cared about his father, including some grandchildren and friends of his parents.
The idea of connecting people and granting them access to information naturally led to the need to secure the information. The ability to grant access, revoke access, and transfer access between care network participants became a critical component.
Their care network immediately came together. His siblings were able to see just how much work their live-in sister was doing, and were then able to distribute the load according to what each could do. Communication increased, and through daily online reports, they all knew how easy or difficult the previous day had been, prompting important phone calls and even visits.
Jim knew other families were dealing with the same challenges he and his siblings faced. He decided to bring his solution to market so they, too, could have a solution that helped them share the load of care giving, enjoy peace of mind knowing their parents were safe, and allow their parents to stay in the comfort of their own homes.