It can be effortless to notice some of the downsides of today’s technology, such as the Internet. Undeniable benefits, however, are also provided by modern advancements, including advantages that every senior citizen should know about. Many of our residents at our retirement community in Bradenton have tapped into some of the newest technologies and recommend them highly. There are real opportunities for improved quality of life as well as for fun and convenience with some of the modern technology that benefits the elderly. Check out the following modern-day technological essentials for seniors.
Skype and FaceTime
Chat face-to-face easily and completely free of charge with friends and loved ones anywhere in the world through an online service called Skype. Simply download the application on your computer, connect with the person you want to talk to, and text or talk, whether with audio alone or with video on your computer screens. If you have an iPad, iPhone 4 or later, or iPod touch, you can also video chat using FaceTime.
Hearing Aids
About one-third of those 65 and older suffer from disabling hearing loss, whether from complications at birth, infectious disease, exposure to excessive noise, age, or for numerous other reasons. Advancements in technology provide amazing solutions. For instance, millions of low- to middle-income people in the world haven’t been able to afford hearing aids. Solar Ear is a solar-powered battery for hearing aids that is available at a fraction of the usual cost of hearing aid batteries. The batteries also last for up to three years, where traditional batteries can last for up to a single week.
Wireless Medical Alert Systems
Because the number one cause of fatality among seniors is injury due to falls, medical alert systems can be life-savers. The wireless home monitoring available today provides important security for elderly men and women who live alone. The most advanced devices signal for help, even when the wearer is unconscious. Some medical alert devices work everywhere, not just inside the wearer’s home.
GPS Technology
Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is made possible through a network of 24 satellites that orbit the earth and provide details of precise positions on the earth. GPS trackers are in smartphones and can attach, for example, to clothing or the wrist. Caregivers of seniors with dementia can be immediately alerted if their charges wander off and can be advised of their specific location through GPS.
Anyone who could use the benefit of convenient directions can also benefit from GPS technology. If, for instance, you get lost while driving to an unfamiliar location, the Turn-by-Turn GPS Navigation system on iPhones can tell you how to get there from where you are, if you supply the address of your destination.
The Internet
Most of the technologies listed in this article that benefit seniors are made useful because of the existence of the Internet. Wireless Internet is available at Discovery Commons at Bradenton. Seniors enjoy many advantages provided by going online, including:
- Shopping online.
- Mental benefits from playing online games that can keep the brain sharp.
- Ability to create an online business. Senior citizens can sell products and photographs and could potentially get paid as a freelance writer.
- When seniors have limited mobility, it can be especially appreciated that the Internet makes it possible to visit just about any spot in the world from an online computer (also be sure to learn about our senior transportation service).
- Connection with family members and friends is much easier when you have the Internet, whether it is used for emails or other messaging systems, like Skype.
- Resources previously only accessed on a potentially tedious visit to a library are now at our fingertips and available in a moment’s time.
Video and Computer Games
Playing challenging games is an excellent way for people of all ages, including seniors, to sharpen mental capacity. If you like playing more than solitaire on your own, you will probably love playing games on computer. The possibilities are just about limitless. For example, you can play Scrabble against the computer or against someone else online. Research shows that online games and devices such as Wii Fit can improve seniors’:
- Mental agility
- Cognitive ability
- Social interaction
- Physical health
The following have been listed as great video games for health among seniors:
- Games for the Brain
- Simon Says
- Crossword puzzles
- Freedom Years Games
- Thinks.com Jigsaw Puzzles
- Dance Dance Revolution
- Gran Turismo
- Scrabble, and
- Pogo.com
Technology has so much to offer seniors today, this series will be continued. Like many of the residents at Discovery Commons at Bradenton, do you use modern technologies? Which are your favorites? Contact us online or give us a call at 941.798.3727 to learn more about our senior living community.
