Aging in place is a major trend for seniors, but it’s no secret that this makes your life more difficult — and potentially puts you at risk of health issues or accidents. Advances in tech are changing this, making living at home safer through gadgets designed specifically to promote health in seniors.
1. Automatic Medication Dispensers
According to the CDC, between 80% and 90% of seniors take prescription medications. If you’re taking multiple medications at different times of the day, you may find it difficult to keep track of your medication schedule, which is why many people use pill dispensers. However, a more modern option is to use an automatic dispenser. These don’t just store your medication — they remind you to take your pills at the right time by alerting you with an alarm. Some also send a notification to caregivers if you miss a dose.
2. Smart Watches
People of all ages use smart watches to keep track of their health and fitness. For seniors, though, this gadget could provide crucial information, such as a change in heart rate, blood pressure, sleep patterns, or blood oxygen levels. Some also have fall detection and allow the wearer to make emergency calls. The most advanced have ECG monitoring to check for an irregular heart rhythm.
3. Personal Emergency Response Systems
If you’d prefer something simpler and more budget friendly than a smart watch, you may like to consider a personal emergency response system (PERS). You wear this like a watch or as a pendant and press the button if you have a health emergency. Some also detect falls automatically and have GPS tracking, which is useful if you’re at risk of becoming lost, such as due to wandering.
4. E-readers
Failing eyesight is often isolating for seniors because it means they’re unable to continue some activities they enjoy. In particular, it often becomes difficult to keep up with reading. With an e-reader, you can adjust the font size of your books to make the text comfortably readable.
5. Smart Smoke Detectors
Every home needs smoke detectors, but new models take the basic functionality of detecting a possible fire to another level by sending alerts to others. This is useful if you may fail to hear an alarm or could struggle to react fast enough without support.
6. Home Security Systems
A modern home security system features much more than just an alarm to alert you to a possible intruder. For instance, a security system with a smart doorbell allows you to check who’s outside without opening the door — or without even being at home. You’ll also receive alerts if there’s movement around your house.
7. Smart Home Devices
Having a smart home device makes your life easier and safer in multiple ways. For instance, you can control the thermostat to heat or cool your home before you arrive back to ensure it’s always at a comfortable temperature. You can also activate locks, which prevents the need to manually secure your home.
8. Telehealth Equipment
Many people would prefer to receive their medical appointments from the comfort of their own homes, particularly seniors with mobility issues. The problem is that sometimes the doctor needs to use equipment in your consultations. Investing in some of this equipment will increase the number of appointments you’re able to have through telehealth appointments.
At a minimum, you’ll need a high-quality webcam and a fast internet connection to help with diagnoses. It’s also worth investing in equipment that monitors vitals, especially if you have a chronic condition. Examples include a pulse oximeter, blood glucose meter, thermometer, and blood pressure cuff that shares readings with your doctor.
9. Hearing Devices
The National Institutes of Health reports that hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline but that hearing aids are effective at slowing the development of problems. Modern hearing aids do much more than amplify sound. For example, you can pair those with Bluetooth connectivity to devices such as smartphones, TVs, and tablets. This allows seniors to enjoy entertainment and better hear conversations — both things that are important for mental health.
10. Robot Vacuum Cleaners
If keeping your house clean is starting to become a struggle due to back pain or reduced mobility, it may be worth investing in a robot vacuum cleaner. This makes the task of cleaning the floor completely hands off. The most economic options just have a button you use to switch them on and off, whereas more advanced models allow you to schedule cleanings and control the vacuum from an app.
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