Six Ways Technology Improve Your Senior’s Life

While it can sometimes be challenging, more and more seniors are turning to technology to help them remain in their homes as they age. 

“Certainly, nothing replaces the personal touch, but technology can help improve seniors’ lives and help them age a little more gracefully,” said Sierra Goetz, co-founder and operations manager at the HomeCare Advocacy Network (HCAN). “It can also give their families much needed peace of mind.”

Technology and Seniors

Here are a few ways technology can benefit your senior loved ones:

Personal safety

There are several devices that can help in the event of a health emergency. For example, many medical alert devices now have fall detectors that sense when users fall and automatically call for help.

Telemedicine

Improved technology has made telemedicine easier, even for seniors who aren’t computer savvy. With telemedicine, your loved ones can see their doctor from the comfort of their own home instead of driving to a doctor’s office and sitting in a waiting room full of sick people. Another benefit – family members or friends won’t have to take time off work to drive them to and from an appointment. 

Food/Grocery delivery

Maintaining a nutritious, balanced diet is important to healthy aging, but it can be a struggle for seniors – especially if they live alone. If they no longer drive, it might be a challenge to regularly get to the grocery store or farmers market where they can buy fresh meat, fruits and vegetables. For many, though, it’s simply that cooking for one is not as fun or fulfilling as cooking for a spouse or other family members. With grocery delivery services and online ordering/delivery available from most restaurants, you can ensure your senior is eating more than frozen dinners.

Fitness support

Regular exercise is also important for older adults. With wearable fitness tracking technology, your senior will have easy access to step counts, resting heart rate, sleep metrics and more. In fact, a recent study found that older adults who wear a fitness activity tracker actually spend more time exercising than those who don’t.

Keeping in touch

Of course, nothing can replace in-person connections and quality time with family and friends, but video chats, texting and social networking sites can keep your senior connected with their loved ones, no matter where they are located.

Entertainment and games

Online brain games, like Wordle, Sudoku and Solitaire, can help seniors stay mentally sharp.

Professional Caregivers Can Help

“If you can’t be there to help your senior loved one navigate tech devices, our trained caregivers can help,” Goetz said. “We can help keep them connect with loved ones, shop and communicate with medical professionals – while keeping them safe from online scammers who want to take advantage of them.”

For more information about all of our services, visit hcanthrive.com or call your local HCAN-supported office.