Top Technology That Seniors Need Today

While the world keeps modernizing at a rapid pace, it’s also growing older than ever. Across recent years, countries around the globe are seeing a quick and historical demographic shift. Census data in 2020 revealed that the United States population age 65 and over climbed nearly five times faster than the total population over the past 100 years. That means the older population reached 55.8 million people – or 16.7% of the population – placing 1 in 6 in this category. In 1920, that figure was only less than 1 in 20!

With these statistics come rising lifespans and a generation of older people who have spent considerably more time with technology and who embrace it in their mission to age well. For example, the Pew Research Center found that the share of senior tech users increased in the past decade, adopting smartphones, social media, and tablet computers, while an impressive 75% of them now use the Internet.

Seniors Who Engage with Technology Enhance Their Lives

Research shows that despite misconceptions about aging, many older adults are ready and willing to learn new things and implement innovative technology that can benefit their lives. Tech-savvy seniors say they feel safer, happier and healthier, more independent, purposeful, and sociable, better able to continue learning and think clearly, and valued for their ability to pass their wisdom on to younger people. With a bit of patience and a positive outlook, older adults are supporting their independence by embracing several of today’s most popular devices.

Explore These Powerful Tech Innovations for Aging Well

Among the many technology options for seniors, we recommend considering the following:

Smartwatches

These handy devices continue to get more sophisticated – and life-saving, especially for seniors who reside on their own. Look for a smartwatch with detailed health and fitness tracking and record keeping. Depending on the smartwatch, you could find tracker, monitor, and/or notification features, including step and activity, fall detection, breathing and heart rate, ECG sensors, irregular heart rhythm, blood oxygen level, skin temperature variation, sleep data, and stress management.

Medication reminders and logs give more peace of mind that treatments are being taken as prescribed. Some smartwatches provide one-touch SOS calls to emergency services and/or allow the wearer to grant loved ones and caregivers access to their health and wellness data and to follow important alerts. The Apple Watch, Fitbit, and smartwatches from Garmin and Reemo offer a wide range of product possibilities.

Jitterbug Phones

Long considered by many to be the best cell phone for seniors, Jitterbug smartphones present an array of features that may include a large screen with easy-to-read numerals and text and easy-to-navigate menus, plus loud, clear speakers – musts for many older adults. Some come with voice typing, video chat, camera, and call captioning capabilities. Don’t want to fuss with a smartphone? Opt for the super-simple Jitterbug flip phone.

An urgent response button promises help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The phone and/or specially trained agents may also provide ride scheduling, alerts to family or friends in an emergency, fall detection, medical assistance from on-call nurses, and personal guidance from care advocates.

Medical Alert Devices

Worried about elderly loved ones who are alone at home or out and about? Check out medical alert devices on the market. Lively offers a few solutions that are ideal in troubling situations, no matter how big or small. The Lively Mobile Plus can be worn around the neck or clipped to a pocket, belt, or purse. Alternatively, select Lively for their Alexa device or their Apple Watch.

At the touch of a button, or by saying, “Alexa, call for help” on the Amazon Alexa device, an Urgent Response Agent confirms their location, assesses the situation, and gets them the help they need. Fall detection is available, as well as an app that keeps personal contacts updated. A medical alert device can be a literal lifesaver for folks not yet receiving the around-the-clock readiness of a trained senior living community[MS4] staff.

Item Finders

Item finders are essential for anyone who could use some extra help with keeping track of their things. Attach them to keys, wallets, purses, phones, remote controls, iPads/tablets, laptops, medications, and more – or drop an item finder into the pocket of a loved one who’s inclined to wander away.

Esky and Tile are just two top brands of item finders, each offering a variety of convenient, versatile trackers with different features, like long ranges, app tracking, Bluetooth technology, compatibility with smartphones, and smart home technology.

Tablets

Whether it’s an iPad, Amazon Fire, or another of the numerous options on the market, a user-friendly, intuitive tablet can be a wonderful addition to a senior’s technology resources.

Bigger than a tiny phone screen, smaller than a desktop computer, and even more portable than a laptop, tablets are easy to use and pack a lot of perks. Older adults love their brain-training versatility in surfing the Internet, staying updated on social networking sites, reading the news and books online, playing games, and doing puzzles.

One of the best ways seniors use tablets: video applications (Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, etc.) for talking with families and friends “face-to-face,” in real time, anywhere in the world. Tablets also enable older adults to schedule telehealth visits with medical providers, so they don’t have to navigate out to appointments.

Count on a First-Class Senior Living Expert

Cardinal Bay provides resort-style independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities in Texas and Oklahoma. In a spirited, relationship-centered environment, our residents stay active and engaged, enjoying a wealth of stimulating activities and daily social interactions that enrich their health, happiness, and longevity.

Schedule a complimentary visit to experience for yourself how they thrive. Learn more by reading Cardinal Bay’s free, valuable resources, which are dedicated to the seniors and their caregivers navigating this next chapter. Subscribe to our blog.