As America ages, the challenge of where our seniors will live as they grow older becomes increasingly front of mind.
We know that a majority of older adults would prefer to live in their own homes. However, we also know that as we age the likelihood of requiring assistance for anything from activities of daily living to shopping, companionship or medical oversight, grows.
Historically, as those needs increased, the likelihood of needing to move into a retirement community, assisted living facility or nursing home rose significantly. However, recent advances in commonly available technology are making it easier and safer for seniors to live on their own and for family caregivers to look after them.
The advantages of technology supplementing or replacing some of the caregiving duties once supplied by private caregivers or caregiving institutions are significant. First, it significantly cuts costs for families. Second, it can decrease the stress and burden of caregiving on family members caring for their loved ones. Third, it can increase the health, safety, independence, dignity and happiness of seniors themselves.
Here are just a few of the technologies and applications that have begun to revolutionize how seniors are aging in their own homes.
Medication Safety
With over 50% of Americans not taking their medications as prescribed, medication compliance and adherence has become a significant health issue. This is especially true for seniors who often have to manage complex medication regimes while dealing with poor vision, cognitive impairment and difficulty in the handling of pills “ increasing the risk of error.
Several different types of automated medication reminders, organizers and dispensers have emerged which promise to simplify and increase compliance with complex medication regimes.
If someone only needs reminding, seniors can use alarms, mobile apps or even digital voice assistants like Amazon Alexa. At the other end of the spectrum are fully automated pills dispensers which have a reminder alarm, which when pressed, will then dispense the pills associated with that time slot. Caregivers can be notified when pills are not taken, can see a schedule of when they were taken and can even be notified when pills need to be re-ordered.
One American study, has shown that automated medication dispensers increased medication adherence to 95% for those using the machine in their homes.
Fall Safety
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) nearly 1 in 4 seniors over the age of 65 fall every year and it is the leading cause of injury for older adults in the United States.
While there are many strategies one can employ to reduce the risk of falling, such as create a safer home environment, exercise, avoid medication errors, wear the proper footwear, use accurately prescribed eye glasses “ the risk is still present. This is especially the case if one has already experienced a fall.
New fall detection technologies are helping seniors limit the damage and the fear from falling both in and outside their homes. Whether it’s through smartwatches, mobile fall detection devices worn as pendants, or wall mounted devices using RF, the technology has the ability to detect a fall and call for help even if the person can’t do so him or herself. This provides peace of mind to seniors that in the event of a fall or medical emergency, help will be available even if they’re alone, eliminating another motivation for moving into a supervised facility.
Companionship
One of the significant challenges of aging is loneliness and isolation. Unfortunately, as seniors age, many suffer from families moving away, the passing of spouses and friends and limited mobility, causing many to limit their interaction with the outside world.
Technology is playing a key role in increasing the ability of seniors to stay connected with family and friends. It’s now cheaper then ever to communicate long distance and the quality of the interaction is better than ever. Whether you’re using voice, text, or video or engaging with your network of family and friends through social media, family members can see and talk to their loved ones all day, every day.
In addition, technologies like Alexa and Google Home, are making it easier than ever for older adults with vision, mobility or memory issues to call their loved ones, eliminating a significant physucal barrier that used to prevent many seniors from using phones, computers and Ipads easily. Using voice prompts like, “Call Lisa” is far simpler than having to remember and dial a phone number for many seniors.
Smart Home Convenience
Smart technologies are also making it a lot easier for seniors to live in their homes independently, while also giving the ability for family caregivers to help from a distance.
For example, lights can be opened and closed by voice command, eliminating the need to walk in the dark to find a switch. Doors can be locked and opened by voice command. Visitors can be seen, let in and visually recorded prior to being let in the house. Thermostats can be control remotely. The stove can be automatically shut off, if no one is detected near it. The TV, radio, music and phone can all be controlled via digital voice assistants or apps. Sensor technology can notify caregivers of physical inactivity. Alerts can notify family members when their loved, who may have Alzheimer’s, has left an established perimeter. The list of conveniences is getting longer every day.
For those suffering from low vision, arthritis, mobility issues, cognitive impairment or a host of other ailments, the promise of technologies that simplify, rather than add to complexity is revolutionary.
