by Samantha Rivers

Today’s modern smartphones share an essential trait with mankind’s earliest attempts at technology. Stone implements and computers may be separated by millions of years, but they are both tools intended to make life easier for their users.

It’s important to make this point, as it helps illustrate how and why “technology” is not to be feared by the elderly, but rather embraced. Senior tech is constantly being developed specifically for the purpose of aiding the elderly – not to hinder. Here are but a few ways in which senior tech is making a difference.

Mobility

Nearly 16 million Americans over the age of 65 have difficulty walking or climbing. In fact, mobility issues are among the most common disabilities suffered by elderly men and women.

In previous years, these individuals would have been bedridden, confined to the home, or forced to rely on a walking stick. But senior tech is continuing to evolve, and several notable technologies are in development that will aid the elderly with mobility in the years and decades to come.

From a personal mobility standpoint, companies like Honda are leading the way with devices like the Uni-Cub self-balancing cycle, and Walk Assist exoskeleton. Though these products aren’t yet commercially available, this senior tech could revolutionize elder mobility in the near future.

And then there are companies like Google that are looking to transform long-distance mobility with fully autonomous cars. The blind and disabled currently must rely on others – or public transportation – when they want to travel across town, but with self-driving cars, this could become a thing of the past.

The possibilities of senior tech are endless but one thing is certain: these developments will help the elderly be more independent than ever before.

Security

One of the greatest benefits that senior tech can provide the elderly is a sense of security. Many elderly individuals live alone, which means they are vulnerable to injury, theft, burglary, and other risks.

Senior tech can help mitigate these risk factors and provide for a safer, more secure household. Best of all, many of these technologies can be integrated seamlessly and easily into a person’s life.

If your parents or grandparents aren’t tech-savvy, no need to worry: many tech gadgets for the home are fully automated and easy to set up.

For security around the house, systems like the Home8 alarm offer automation, video monitoring, direct calling, and fire safety.

To help individuals who may be a fall risk, medical alert devices like the Lively Mobile can ensure that help is within reach, even if a phone isn’t. Easily worn on the clothes or body, this GPS-equipped device is designed to aid elderly individuals who may not have care providers of their own.

And for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, gadgets like the iGuardStove can help ensure that ovens are never left on accidentally. Senior tech can help the elderly do what they can’t do on their own, so that their lives are safer and more rewarding.

Health

It goes without saying that a primary concern for many elderly men and women is their health. As we age, our bodies function less efficiently and start to slowly break down.

Though medicine plays a large role in the lives of many older men and women, it’s worth noting that senior tech is making real inroads when it comes to at-home healthcare.

From mobile medical applications to take-home medical devices, senior tech is transforming elderly treatment and empowering individuals to care for themselves – on their own terms, at their own convenience.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a technological solution for nearly every aspect of human health, making senior tech a natural fit for the elderly.

For example, medical devices like the MedMinder pill dispenser and MiniMed glucose system help elderly patients better monitor and treat their health conditions right from home.

If your parents complain about lack of sleep or poor sleeping patterns, devices like the Emfit QS can help them diagnose the condition.

When it comes to elderly care, senior tech can play a prominent and significant role, as it aids in all aspects of healthcare: monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment.

Senior Tech: The Future of Elderly Care 

Technology isn’t merely for the young. Quite the contrary, in fact; elderly men and women benefit from technology in a myriad of ways, every single day.

Not only can technology play a role in providing superior care, but it can help ensure a better quality of life as well.

Whether this is accomplished through improved mobility, increased security, or simply convenience and ease of use, technology is here to help. So embrace it!

Interested in more senior tech?  See our article, Worried About Your Senior Parents Living In Their Home? for some more advice to help you “watch over” your parents from afar.