As time goes on and the ones we love get older and older, we’ll start to notice them leaning on us more for help and support. Unfortunately, it can be tough for us to be there for them 24/7, so assist them with their tasks.
Fortunately, modern technology has made life easier for everyone, from little kids to seniors living out their golden years. If you have an aging parent or family member who needs a little extra help lately, there are hundreds of innovative products and gadgets on the market that have been designed specifically to make their lives easier and safer.
Take a look through this list of 8 gadgets and how you and your aging parent can use them to get through daily life.
Medical Alert Systems
First of all, when your aging parent is living at home and alone, it’s natural to worry about their safety. Seniors are more prone to trips and falls and these can be even more dangerous for someone weaker than ourselves.
Medical alert systems are designed to function as a simple, wearable panic button that will connect your loved one to emergency services in the case of a slip, fall, or any other emergency they might be facing.
This will give them (and you) peace of mind that they can receive immediate help if anything goes wrong while they’re alone.
Smart Home Devices
Installing a smart home system in your parent’s home is a great basis to help them with various tasks and challenges. Having a base system like Alexa or Google Home will allow you to connect all sorts of other devices, apps and programmes that can help them in their daily life.
Consider kitchen appliances, controlled lighting and heating in their home, easy contact with others, a better security system, entertainment on demand and other functions all done through voice control which makes it easy peasy for seniors.
Your parents could even get medication reminders through their smart home system, to keep them on top of their pill intake.
Smartphones
Of course, everyone needs a smartphone these days. Although some older adults might be hesitant or even stubborn about using a newer phone, the benefits of them having one make it a necessity.
A smartphone will give them access to apps that can help them with medication reminders and tracking, constant and easy communication with their loved ones (over video call which is even better!), alarms and remote-controlled home security, and even entertainment.
There are plenty of apps to be found on a smartphone that can help with brain training and cognitive functioning, a great way to keep seniors entertained and brain sharp for years to come.
Kindles
If your parents love to read, a kindle is the ultimate solution for them. No more expensive and difficult trips to the bookstore or the library – every book they could ever dream of reading will be right there in the palm of their hands.
Kindles are also designed with a special screen that doesn’t emit any dangerous and damaging blue light. This means that reading on the Kindle won’t damage their vision, impact their alertness or inhibit good quality sleep if they wish to read late into the night.
The functionality on a Kindle will also allow seniors to change the size of the font they’re reading, making it very simple to increase the size. For older adults who struggle with their vision and might not want to use reading glasses in bed, this is a great way to make reading easy and comfortable for any age.
Robot Vacuums
Chores can be exhausting, but keeping a clean and tidy home is important to many people. Unfortunately, as we age, performing physically straining tasks like cleaning can become more and more difficult.
Vacuuming or sweeping the floors is simply one of those tasks that becomes near impossible when you’re older and struggle with back pain.
A smart vacuum cleaner is a perfect solution, even for young and fit individuals! These devices can keep your floors spick and span all on their own, and many of them don’t even need to be put on and off, due to their different settings and features.
Some models work on a timed system, where they will turn themselves on and clean up an area every few hours. Others are automated and detect when there is dust or a mess on the floor anywhere in your home, and will rush to the rescue before you even notice anything amiss.
Smart Security System
Your physical safety and security are a top priority, and you surely feel the same about the safety of those you love most.
A smart security system will allow your parents remote access (on their smartphone) to their security system, allowing them to turn it on and off as they please and even monitor surveillance cameras or remotely lock and unlock doors and windows.
This is ground-breaking for safety, and could even save your neck in the case that you leave your home and forget to put the alarm system on. A simple click on the app will have it armed in no time!
Fitness Trackers
Fitness watches are popular amongst fitness fanatics, avid yogis and gym bunnies. However, these devices can be extremely useful even for those who are older and less active.
First of all, this tech is great for health monitoring. They can provide data about your heart health by monitoring your heart rate. They can also give insight into your sleeping habits and how well you’re sleeping each night, which is crucial for good health.
Fitness watches can also incentive seniors to be more active which is a great way to boost energy. Set them a manageable daily step goal to watch out for on their watch, and this will encourage them to take a daily walk and generally move around a bit more, which can be excellent for their overall health and wellness.
