Two Kansas City startups which both aim to solve problems for people in need presented at 1 Million Cups this week at the UMKC Bloch School.

Premier Elder Solutions

Premier Elder Solutions is a subscription-based mobile website for caregivers of the elderly, terminally ill and permanently disabled. Couple Mark and Susan Tyrrell got the idea several years ago when Mark’s parents fell ill and passed within nine months of each other.

He says the emotional toll of having to keep all their records straight, keep doctors and nurses informed on who was allowed to know what and keep extended family members up to date was utterly exhausting.

Premier Elder Solutions’ mobile website solves a multitude of these problems. It’s HIPAA compliant, and it allows caregivers to keep all records and doctors’ notes in one place. Caregivers can create user profiles for all people they wish to receive updates and information regarding the patient.

It’s designed to save time and alleviate some of the stress of being a caregiver. Susan Tyrrell describes it almost as a Google Docs for families, since you can access any notes or messages from any device at anytime — if you’ve been given permission by the primary caregiver, that is. You can also search for providers and services in your area within the site.

Premier Elder Solutions has been available since October, and many consumers have started using it. Moving forward, the company wants to focus its efforts on B2B. The company asks the community for feedback on the website’s usability and design.

Game Plan Preppers

Game Plan Preppers wants everyone to be prepared and have a plan in case of any type of emergency. Founder and owner Shawn Tipping started the company after his brother’s family endured the ordeal of getting out of New Orleans in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit. Tipping says he realized the need for individuals and families to have a plan in place prior to major emergencies.

The company provides both the service of helping you create and map out a custom emergency plan for several scenarios, and physical products. Game Plan Preppers sells emergency packs that are chock-full of tools you might need for your customized emergency plan.

Without a storefront location, Game Plan Preppers says the bulk of its business comes from a combination of online sales, expos and trade shows, as well as what they call “prepperware” parties.

Game Plan Preppers is currently a family-run business. Tipping, his wife, brother and his two kids run the whole company. Tipping says the team is looking to expand though, specifically wanting to hire a marketing company to help the business reach its target market.