Representatives from AARP presented Ohio entrepreneur Michael Eidsaune’s CareMonster App with the “Design for All” award at a SXSW startup pitch competition emceed by Shark Tank panelist and angel investor Mark Cuban.

Dayton, OH -- (SBWire) -- 03/24/2015 --A caregiving scheduling and reporting application that helps families provide better care for ailing loved ones won the "Design for All" award at the Impact Pediatric Health Startup Pitch Competition, presented as part of the prestigious SXSW Interactive program on March 16, 2015 in Austin, Texas. The CareMonster® App for iOS and Android, developed by Ohio entrepreneur Michael Eidsaune to help his own family, was chosen by representatives of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) as the best interactive healthcare solution designed for people of all generations during the event.

"Getting an award from AARP was a complete surprise, at an event that was focused on pediatric care solutions," said Eidsaune. "But it was great validation for us, since the App was inspired by my family's struggle to care for our great-grandmother. AARP is an organization that I have a ton of respect for, and we were thrilled to have been selected for an award in that extremely competitive venue."

Billionaire entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban emceed the competition, which included a three-minute pitch and seven minutes of questions and answers for each of the ten finalists. "Pitching in front of Mark Cuban was surreal," Eidsaune shares. "You spend years looking up to the guy, then next thing you know, you're presenting your company to him...Cuban had several questions and even some advice for us. He emphasized that one of our biggest assets is our relationship with care providers."

SXSWi wasn't Eidsaune's first pitching success. In the spring of 2014, Care Monster won the Innov8 for Health Competition. Last November, the company was accepted into the highly competitive Aging 2.0 Academy, a one-of-a-kind Silicon Valley program designed to connect, support and accelerate the top startups in aging and long-term care. Katy Fike, the co-founder of Aging2.0, congratulated Care Monster and Eidsaune for the AARP award, noting that "Aging2.0 is delighted to work with the Care Monster team as they help reduce stress and simplify coordination and communication for families taking care of someone of any age."

Although most app developers market their software directly to consumers, the CareMonster App is designed to be shared with families by hospitals, long-term care, assisted living and rehabilitative care facilities. Care facilities can subscribe to a premium co-branded version of the app that is customized for their patients and promotes their facility's service offerings and resources. "We're already working with care facilities in Ohio, Kentucky and Texas," says Eidsaune. "We'll continue to focus on those relationships as we continue to grow."

The CareMonster App supports family caregivers with a visit and activity calendar, condition reports and care checklists that are shared with every enrolled family member. The App is designed to reduce caregivers' stress and guilt, while helping the ailing loved one enjoy a better quality of care. The CareMonster App is free for end users and is available in the iTunes App Store and on Google Play.

"SXSWi was amazing," added Eidsaune. "I was honored just to be a part of it."

About the CareMonster® App
The CareMonster App for iOS and Android platforms helps families coordinate communication, encourages engagement between family members and care facilities, and supports families with caregiving resources as they coordinate the care of an ailing loved one.