New Technology Devices Enhance Senior Living

One of our Magnolia Manor residents recently mentioned that her new hearing aids connect to her smartphone. We thought that was pretty cool, and it made us wonder about other new senior tech developments.

Older adults are pretty savvy now when it comes to communication devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones. However, technology is increasingly playing an important and diverse role in boosting senior health, health care, and everyday enjoyment.

Yes, Hearing Aid Connectivity

It turns out that connecting hearing aids to your smartwatch isn’t exactly new, but the option is much more accessible these days. Many hearing aid brands can now connect to either Apple or Android smartwatches and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Some allow you to make hands-free phone calls or listen to music as well as control hearing volume.

But expanding hearing aid effectiveness is just the beginning. Senior Planet from AARP reports that, for older adults, “technology can have a transformative effect on financial security, social engagement, creative expression, health and wellness, and civic participation.” They offer a plethora of free classes, articles, videos, and entertainment seniors can access to learn new skills, exercise, meet new friends, and more.

Wearable technology

• Smartwatches and fitness trackers are very popular. Seniors have been slower than younger generations to adopt wearables, although about 30% of Americans aged 55–65, and between 19–25% of those over 65 now use at least one type of wearable. These devices enable wearers to view and gather a vast array of data including heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, sleep patterns, activity level, and fall detection.
  They can remind wearers to take their meds or tune in to their online exercise class. Wearables can transmit data to healthcare professionals and send alerts to others if something is wrong.
• Smart home systems
  use sensors and voice activation to easily control household tasks from raising window blinds and turning on music or the lights to changing the thermostat. This adds convenience and makes daily tasks doable for others, helping increase personal independence. Perhaps even more importantly, these systems can also detect falls or other emergencies, and monitor medication compliance.
• Virtual reality (VR)
  technology provides immersible, realistic experiences that can be especially valuable in helping improve the quality of life for the home-bound. Some VR tech also offers senior-focused exercise programs.

Here are some other tech tools and resources you may not be familiar with.

• Electronic pill dispensers use lights and sounds to help seniors stay on track with their medication schedule. The devices dispense the correct pills with the press of a button and track compliance over time.
• Sleep sound machines can help seniors get a full, more restful night’s sleep, providing a background of calming nature sounds or simply white noise.
• The Interactive Care Platform, or I-Care, allows family members or other caregivers to remotely monitor someone with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s. A dedicated computer outfitted with the I-Care software is placed in the person’s home, where it connects with small vibration sensors plugged into wall outlets. The system unobtrusively records different vibrations generated by activities such as getting out of bed or taking medications to map the person’s daily routine so remote caregivers can track how things are going in real-time.
• GPS smart soles can be tucked inside a shoe and connected to an app that shows loved ones your location and alerts them if something happens to you. This is great for any senior who lives alone or loves to do solo activities such as hiking. But it can be especially valuable for tracking dementia patients who may be prone to wandering.
• NexStride helps seniors with mobility challenges walk more confidently when attached to any cane, walker, or trekking pole. It emits light and sound signals that stimulate the brain, helping improve coordination. The device settings can be adjusted to meet different needs.

What Will They Think of Next?

Technology continues to advance at an amazing rate, so what’s on the horizon? The Gerontechnologist predicts home automation and ambient technology will become more available, robots will assist caregivers, and elder care will become increasingly tech-enabled in other ways.

See For Yourself How Modern Senior Living Can Be

Here at Magnolia Manor, we use technology in a variety of ways to provide the most up-to-date and personalized care for our residents. Our interactive iN2L touch-screen device and content help some of our residents stay connected to the world around them as “armchair tourists.” Come for a tour, and see how we're enhancing senior living with the lastest technology. Find out more by contacting us online or giving us a call at (855) 540-LIFE.