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Staying Connected with Technology for Seniors
Are you the type of person who finds new technologies fun, or are they more likely to frustrate you? While it’s not always easy to learn how to use a new gadget, the truth is that there are more reasons to do so every day. Mobile phones, new kinds of apps and software, home alert systems, and other technologies continue to improve the lives of seniors. If your goal is to stay safe, connected, and fit, your best bet is to improve your understanding of the new technological tools that are out there.
It doesn’t have to be hard. Take a look below for some concrete ways technology can improve your life.
7 Ways Technology Can Improve Your Life
Even if you’re not used to using high-tech gadgets in your everyday life, there are plenty of ways they can keep you safer, improve your health, and simplify your day-to-day routine. Learn more about how technology can improve your life below.
Sometimes, simple pieces of technology can be just what you need. Start with the right digital bathroom scale.
1. Emergency Safety
In times of emergency, the first priority is getting in touch with the resources you need to protect your health. That might mean calling an ambulance or caregiver or accessing information that can keep you out of harm’s way. There are plenty of devices that can help in this way, but a simple phone is a great place to start. For other options, take a look at the section below.
2. Stimulate Your Body and Mind
Older adults need to make more of an effort to keep their body and mind active. As it turns out, the old saying “use it or lose it” is true, and it’s up to each of us to make the best use of each day.
While no piece of technology is a replacement for a walk on a sunny day or a conversation with a friend, technology can help you plan, organize, and access these activities. For example, online services like Meetup.com can help you find people near you with similar interests. Or, a fitness tracker can help you keep track of your daily steps, letting you set new fitness goals. Even simple puzzles like crosswords or sudoku can help keep your mind active.
Are Fitness Trackers Really Worth it?
3. Facilitating Care Planning
One challenge of aging is staying on top of all the doctor’s appointments, tests, routine vital checks, and phone calls that come with ongoing care. Many people rely on family members or hired caregivers to stay organized, though technology can give you more control over your own care. By improving your online literacy, learning to stay in touch via email, and mastering organizing software, you can take much of the hassle out of care planning.
4. Staying Informed
Many people still prefer a physical newspaper or magazine to get their news, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But to stay informed, it’s also a good idea to be aware of all the other news sources that you might be missing out on. Most major news sources have a website where you can track news as it happens. Daily or weekly newsletters make it easier to follow your favorite writers. You can even get news alerts on your phone, tablet, or computer.
5. Staying in Touch
We all know that having a mobile phone handy makes it easier to stay in touch with friends and family. However, there are all kinds of ways people across the world can stay in touch, making it easier than ever to get your daily dose of socialization. Video chat is a good option if you want to see your loved ones’ smiling faces.
6. Providing Entertainment
Whether you like crime dramas, comedies, or documentaries, there’s no end to the forms of entertainment available online. Netflix is a great option when you’re looking for a new show to watch, though there are also podcasts, audiobooks, how-to videos, and more just a click away. This can be especially beneficial to seniors with limited mobility, keeping you entertained from the comfort of your own home.
7. Staying Organized
Don’t forget that technology is for more than just fun and games. If you’re trying to stay on top of household chores, doctor appointments, or your social calendar, there are plenty of tools to help you do it. Digital planners will give you a place to keep track of your appointments, and there is a wide range of apps to help you track fitness and mental health goals.
Try These High-Tech Solutions
With so many different technologies out there, it can be hard to know where to start. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, learn more about these high-tech solutions for seniors.
Digital Measurement Devices
The best way to stay on top of your health is to have the right tools for the job. Different digital measurement devices can keep track of your heart rate, blood pressure, weight, body temperature, and more.
The Vive Precision Blood Pressure Monitor connects to our mobile app and is compatibile with most smart devices makes it easy to keep track of your blood pressure readings.
If you’re looking for a convenient way to manage your fitness goals, our Fitness Tracker is an option worth considering. It can do everything, including track steps, monitor sleep, and measure activity levels over time. Best of all, it has a compact size and a long battery life, so you can strap it to your wrist and wear it as long as you like.
If you need help finding the perfect fitness tracker, take a look at our complete guide.
Remote Patient Monitoring
One of the biggest advances in medical care in recent years is the way remote patient monitoring changes the relationship between patients and doctors. Simply put, remote patient monitoring is a system that allows caregivers to track vitals like blood pressure, heart rate, and weight from a distance. On the other end, it allows patients to communicate remotely with their doctors.
While remote patient monitoring isn’t possible in all cases, such as with a serious condition, it takes much of the hassle out of ongoing care. If you’re interested in trying it for yourself, talk to your doctor about getting started.
Electric Massage
There are plenty of massage tools out there, though TENS units stand apart from the rest. Using electronic impulses to stimulate your muscles, they deliver targeted massage without any of the hard work. Simply attach the electrode pads to your skin and choose your desired intensity. Before you know it, you’ll feel looser and more limber than you have in years.
Smart Appliances
While there’s not yet any reason to reinvent the wheel, the same is not true of dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, and more. But what exactly can these smart appliances do that regular one’s can’t? For one thing, many of them can connect directly to your phone or tablet to let you control them remotely. You can set temperature, cook time, and other settings without having to get up, which is a major benefit to seniors facing mobility challenges.
In addition to cutting down on hassle, smart appliances can also cut down your energy bill. Since you can monitor them from afar, you can make sure they’re not running when they don’t need to be.
Fall Safety Alarms
Fall safety alarms are a tool used by caregivers to monitor their patients to keep them out of harm's way. There are several designs available, including floor alarms, which activate when the patient steps onto the floor, and bed alarms which go off when the patient moves from the mattress. There are also motion sensor alarms, which activate when they detect movement in a specified area.
Find more ways to improve home safety for seniors here.
Other Alarms and Security Devices
In addition to fall safety alarms, there is a wide range of other alarms made to keep seniors safe. Doorbell cameras are a great way to know who’s at your front door, allowing you to communicate with them from afar or even buzz them in at a distance. Security cameras are another option, and newer models even allow you to access your video footage remotely.
If you’re a caregiver looking for alarms to keep your patient secure, try our door and window alarms.
Organizing Software
Whether you’re trying to set long-term fitness goals, get your dieting back on track, or improve your mental health, there are apps out there perfectly geared to your needs. Try one of the options listed below to keep your life on track. To get started, simply type the name of the app into your phone’s app store.
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Any do
An all-in-one scheduler app that keeps you on top of daily tasks and even allows you to share lists with others.
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Just Press Record
This handy little tool lets you record and transcribe conversations, personal reminders, or anything else. It’s a perfect way to remember important details.
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Cam Scanner
This app lets you use your phone’s camera to scan documents. It can be especially useful for forwarding insurance documents, bills, and other paperwork to healthcare providers.
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Pocket
If you constantly feel overwhelmed by a variety of things you want to read, Pocket is for you. It lets you bookmark and organize articles to return to later.
Staying Up-to-Date for Lasting Health
No gadget or piece of software is indeed a true replacement for a healthy lifestyle, though they can certainly make your life easier. By integrating technology into your life, you can streamline medical care, simplify organization, and cut down on daily chores. The important thing is finding technological solutions that work for you. If all the options leave you feeling overwhelmed, try choosing just one to start with and see how much of a difference it can make in your life.
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