Older adults have seen technology change quite a bit through their lives, from watching man land on the moon to the birth of the Internet. Many of the most recent technology advances benefit children and young adults, but technology can help older adults stay connected during retirement.
Technology can help you age purposefully by helping you monitor your health, improve your diet, reduce social isolation, and stay connected with friends and family. Technology can even help maintain your independent lifestyle by detecting falls.
5 Technology Tools for Purposeful Living and Positive Aging
Tech companies introduce new technologies every day. Some are especially helpful to older adults. Here are five of the most notable technology tools:
1. Medication management services
Taking medication correctly can be challenging for people of any age, especially for older adults who take several medications throughout the day or have memory issues. In fact, 55 percent of seniors do not take their medication according to doctors’ instructions.
Many older adults forget to take medicines, while others take them too often because they can’t remember if they already took them. Taking medications incorrectly can have severe consequences and lead to hospitalization, severe illness, even death.
Medication management services use technology to help older adults take medicines correctly and on time. Medication reminder applications (apps) send personalized reminders for each drug, and notify users when prescriptions are running low. Hero is a popular medication management service that features a smart dispenser, which holds up to a 90-day supply of 10 different medications.
2. Wearables
Wearables are electronic devices that you can wear as accessories or embedded in clothing, implanted in the body, or tattooed on skin. Powered by microprocessors and enhanced with the ability to send and receive data over the Internet, these hands-free gadgets have many practical uses. Wearables include smartwatches, fitness trackers, and wearable medical devices that monitor blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, sleep patterns, and more.
Some wearables are especially useful for older adults. Wearable medical alert monitors can summon help in an emergency. Lively Mobile Plus is an all-in-one medical alert system that helps older adults stay connected and safe at home or on the go. These devices feature enhanced GPS accuracy that agents confirm your precise location quickly and send help. You can wear the device around your neck, clip it to your belt, or carry it in your purse.
3. Trackers and stickers
Trackers and stickers are small devices that help you keep track of everyday items. Trackers clip to your keys or other items. If you lose the item, simply tap on the app on your phone, and the tracker will play a tune. Stickers are even smaller devices with an adhesive backing that can attach to almost anything, such as your wallet or a television remote control.
Tile makes trackers and stickers that are easy to use and work with both Apple and Android devices.
4. Doorbell camera systems
These devices you see and speak to anyone at your front door. Doorbell camera systems can send notifications to your smartphone. They detect motion and record videos. You can use some brands with home security systems.
Ring Video Doorbell is one popular doorbell camera system.
5. Smart speakers
A smart speaker is a loudspeaker that plays music, provides answers to spoken questions, and performs various tasks, such as turning off lights and turning up the thermostat – all without lifting a finger. These handy devices can tell you the weather or traffic conditions, answer trivia questions, and even lock your doors. Google Nest and Amazon Echo are popular models, among several brands of smart speakers to choose from.
While older adults may not need all five of these tech tools, adding one or two can provide a variety of benefits, including social connection, staying active, and keeping safe. These tech tools can also help seniors avoid loneliness, keep in touch with friends and relatives and live more safely and comfortably.
No matter what tools you choose to use, there are plenty of ways technology can help you stay connected and engaged. Want to know more about how Deupree House residents live purposefully? Contact us or schedule a tour now.
