Most seniors prefer to age in their choice of homes for as long as possible. As per Wikipedia,
“One-third of American households are home to one or more residents 60 years of age or older. And, 90 percent of adults over the age of 65 report that they would prefer to stay in their current residence as they age.”
While the desire for independence is totally human, it can become a recipe for worry for their adult children, who are away and concerned about their parents. What if they forget to take medicines? What if they fall? Or, what if they simply need assistance?
Fortunately, technology has made it possible to address many of the concerns that adults have about their ageing parents. Using a variety of gadgets, adult children can monitor and assist their senior parents, without tampering with their sense of independence.
The market today has a host of such gadgets designed to meet specific needs and suit different budgets. After having read numerous technology expert feeds, and watched several shows that feature gadgets for seniors, we were able to compile a list of 5 gadgets that can be tremendously helpful to seniors living alone. So, if you have been worried about the safety of your senior parents lately, you might want to consider some of these.
Useful gadgets for seniors
- Lively sensors – Lively uses a suite of small sensors to track activity. They can be attached to the everyday items that your parents use – like a medicine cabinet, bedroom door, car keys, etc. – to provide you with their activity updates when you’re not around. Reports of activity are generated in real time via Lively’s smartphone app or the Web, thereby alerting you when something seems extraordinary. The best thing about this gadget is that it doesn’t require a Wi-Fi connection to relay its information, it work on a cellular network only.
- TimeCap for pills – Various studies have shown that by the age of 70 years, an individual is taking an average of 12 medications a day. What’s more, the inability to take these many medicines without supervision accounts for about 40% of hospital/ nursing home admissions. Now that’s a serious concern! E-pill’s range of medication-monitoring gadgets such as the TimeCap, fits onto a standard pillbox’s cap to update you about the last time the medicine was taken and the number of times it was missed. Available for as little as $30, it can help you ensure your parents are taking their medicines on time.
- ClarityLife ensemble – For most seniors, using the phone in distress is one of the toughest thing to do. Finding a phone that’s easy to use therefore becomes important. Designed especially for seniors, the ClarityLife ensemble makes calling, texting and browsing photos easy. It uses a standard home telephone line, and can be placed on any flat surface such as a table or a kitchen counter. Its 8 inches touch screen facilitates clear visibility of numbers and other shortcut buttons, so seniors do not have to strain themselves to use the phone. What’s more, it comes with a Call Me button, that can be used in times of emergency.
- Telephone and Video Relay Lamp Flash – If your older parents are getting hard of hearing, the telephone and video relay lamp can help them know when they have a call or a visitor. This device enables a ringing phone or doorbell to trigger a flashlight, which could be your existing house lamps or specially brought strobes, thereby intimating seniors in the house about a doorbell or call. These gizmos are compact in design and pretty inexpensive.
- Safe-T-Element Cooking System – My father/ mother will leave the stove on and start a fire, or even burn himself/ herself is a constant fear for children who have their elderly parents cooking at home without any supervision. If you’re one of those haunted by this fear, the Safe-T-Element cooking system may be a good investment to make. It consists of cover plates that can be installed over stovetop burners, allowing you to set a limit of how hot the burners can get. Once the burners reach this temperature limit, the stove will automatically shut off.
About the Author:
The Retreat Assisted Living, Utah, is dedicated to offering high-end independent and assisted living services to seniors throughout the Southern Utah region. The company’s primary aim is to help seniors age on their own terms.
Its apartments are known for being the most opulent and forward thinking. Its care services and fine dining have consistently been rated #1 by its peers. Its investment and emphasis in outdoor amenities for its residents is second to none.
There are many more such gadgets that can be used to make the lives of our older parents easier, without interfering with their independence. These are just five that we came up with; which are yours?
Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments below. We would love to learn about what has worked for you.
