Technology for Seniors: New Options You May Want to Consider

It doesn't matter if you’re looking to tune a guitar, learn a new language, or just add cats’ ears to a selfie, there is an app for that! And for individuals who elect to age in place, technology for seniors may be a key component to increasing safety, comfort, and overall quality of life.

Take Amazon’s Alexa, as an example. Although its current benefits for seniors are many, such as the ability to track blood sugar levels, make physician appointments, and research information pertaining to a certain health issue, it’s actually positioned to delve even further into the medical care arena – possibly even detecting heart attacks and helping doctors get accurate diagnoses.

Here are a few additional technology solutions you may want to consider for a senior loved one:

• Home Security: A motion-detecting home security system delivers peace of mind related to crime prevention, but frequently can do so much more, such as warning when sensing smoke, broken glass, or temperatures in the house that are too high or low, just to name a few. They are also helpful for people diagnosed with dementia who might be at risk of wandering, to alert to a senior’s activities close to the home.
• Telehealth: Save a visit to the physician's office through the use of one of many different apps which allow for remote consultations from board-certified physicians, psychologists, and psychiatrists, many of whom are available around the clock, 7 days per week.
• Fall Prevention: One of the leading factors that can lead to older adult falls is inadequate lighting. Smart lights use motion detection to improve lighting in locations of specific concern, such as between the bedroom and bathroom, or on outside walkways, when set off by a person’s movement.
• Fraud Protection: Senior scammers are persistent and regularly evolving their tactics. Seniors can enhance security through apps that monitor financial activity and neighborhood crime activity, reduce robocalls, catch any use of a person’s Social Security number, and much more.
• Health Care: Many medical care needs can now be met from the comfort of home, including video chats with health practitioners to avoid a trip to the office, prescription ordering, and medication management to ensure meds are taken at the correct times as well as in the right doses.

Contact the experts in home care in Eugene, OR at New Horizons In-Home Care for more suggestions for maximizing life at home for senior loved ones – whether through technology for seniors coupled with our specialized in-home care assistance, in-home nursing for chronic conditions or home care after a hospitalization! We are always available to help explain technological options, and to provide the tried-and-true, hands-on assistance in the home that empowers the elderly to live their best lives. Reach out to us any time in Eugene: 541-687-8851, Corvallis: 541-752-9059, Salem: 503-400-3000, or Florence: 541-997-8115 for an in-home consultation and let us know more about how we can help!