RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Genworth (NYSE: GNW) unveiled the Genworth R70, a first of its
kind, state-of-the-art age simulation suit that will help raise
awareness about the need for long term care planning and educate
the public on the physical effects associated with aging. The
Genworth R70 provides consumers with a powerful experience,
allowing them to understand and empathize with what it feels like
to grow old.
The suit's name reflects the Reality that 70 percent of
Americans will require long term care after the age of 65 and
simulates the following afflictions:
- State of the art helmet with acoustic muffling that gives the
effect of hearing loss that often occurs with aging
- Lenses that simulate declines in vision plus the common vision
disorders that occur with aging (e.g. glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic
retinopathy, macular degeneration)
- Restrictive fabrication that gives the effect of arthritis in
the knees, spine and elbows
- Boots that bring to life the balance disorder that occurs with
aging
- Gloves that impair dexterity, similar to the effects of
arthritis, and weights to simulate muscle loss in the arms
- Restrictive internal mechanism to affect the problems that
older people experience with posture
Unveiled at the Social Innovation Summit in Silicon Valley,
California, the Genworth R70 was
created in association with Hollywood special effects studio Spectral
Motion (X-Men, Hellboy), costume designer Erin Benach (Drive, Place Beyond the Pines and
Midnight Special) and illustrator Christian
Cordella (Captain America, Iron Man 3, 300: Rise of the
Empire).
(View video about the making of the Genworth R70.)
Dr. Edward Schneider, dean
emeritus/professor at the University of
Southern California's Leonard Davis
School of Gerontology, consulted on the project from the
beginning to ensure that the simulations were authentic to the
aging process.
"I am excited to be part of this project - helping Genworth
encourage people to begin thinking about the future and making
choices now to help ensure they live more comfortably as they age,"
says Dr. Schneider.
"Having 'the talk' about long term care with loved ones can be
an awkward conversation because of the sensitive subject matter,"
says Tom McInerney, Genworth's
president and CEO. "Furthermore, many young adults often feel
invincible to the physical changes and challenges that aging can
present. We are proud to introduce the Genworth R70 to help
encourage Americans to think long term, become more sensitive to
aging issues, and start discussions about long term care plans for
themselves and /or loved ones."
Genworth plans to use the R70 age simulation suit throughout
2015 as a tool to continue educating the public on the effects of
aging and, additionally, as a sensitivity training tool with
employees.
About Genworth Financial
Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW) is a leading Fortune 500
insurance holding company committed to helping families become more
financially secure, self-reliant and prepared for the future.
Genworth has leadership positions in long term care insurance and
mortgage insurance and competitive offerings in life insurance and
fixed annuities that assist consumers in solving their insurance,
retirement and home ownership needs.
Genworth operates through three divisions: U.S. Life Insurance,
which includes life insurance, long term care insurance and fixed
annuities; Global Mortgage Insurance, containing U.S. Mortgage
Insurance and International Mortgage Insurance segments; and the
Corporate and Other division, which includes the International
Protection and Runoff segments. Products and services are offered
through financial intermediaries, advisors, independent
distributors and sales specialists. Genworth, headquartered in
Richmond, Virginia, traces its
roots back to 1871 and became a public company in 2004. For more
information, visit genworth.com. From time to time, Genworth
releases important information via postings on its corporate
website. Accordingly, investors and other interested parties are
encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really
Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment
information is found under the "Investors" section of genworth.com.
From time to time, Genworth's publicly traded subsidiaries,
Genworth MI Canada Inc. and Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia
Limited, separately release financial and other information about
their operations. This information can be found at
http://www.genworth.com.au and http://genworth.ca.
http://newsroom.genworth.com/genworth-r70 (press kit)
www.longtermcareinsurance.org
12014 Medicare & You, National Medicare Handbook,
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Sept. 2013.
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SOURCE Genworth