We have a larger population of elderly people in the world today than ever before, and that number continues to grow. As healthcare advances, people are living longer than they did in the past. However, as the elderly often live in their own homes for longer, rather than in the homes of family members or care homes, some household chores and basic daily tasks can get more difficult. Family members often worry about their elderly relatives living alone, but along with advances in healthcare and medicine, advances in technology can help people live independently. There are several new household technologies that can help the elderly in various ways. Here are some examples:

Accessibility Devices

Accessibility devices can help the elderly by making daily tasks more manageable. Often, hearing loss, weakening muscle tone, poor vision, and arthritis can make things more difficult. Technology solutions for these problems are often easy to find and simply require a little creativity. For example, wireless headphones that connect to the television can help those with hearing loss continue to enjoy their favorite shows and movies. Vibrating alarm clocks and doorbells with connected lights can also help those with hearing loss. Audiobooks can allow readers with vision loss to continue enjoying their favorite hobby. Ready-to-eat meals, cleaning robots, and hired help can assist those who struggle to cook or clean due to arthritic hands.

Smart Home Systems

Smart home systems can be used to automate various tasks in the home, such as turning lights on and off, adjusting the thermostat, and locking doors. They can also be integrated with voice assistants, making it easy for the elderly to control their home environment without having to physically move around.

These systems can also be connected to apps on phones, so caregivers can monitor and make changes even when they aren’t at home. This can allow caregivers to make sure that the doors are locked and the lights out at night, and will alert them immediately if there are any intruders or if the doors or windows are accidentally left open. When connected to the thermostat, it allows them to make sure that the home is being heated and cooled effectively and will let them know if there’s a problem with the HVAC system.

Medical Alert Systems

Medical alert systems are wearable devices that allow the elderly to call for help in case of an emergency. These systems can be programmed to alert family members, caregivers, or emergency services if the user falls or experiences a medical issue. Medical alert systems are available with a variety of different features and functions and it’s important to evaluate each person’s needs to find the best device.

There are two main kinds of devices: Those that are designed for use at home, and those that can be used on the go. The at-home devices have a specific radius of use, and outside of that range, they will not be able to send a signal. The on-the-go devices allow the user to wear them anywhere, as long as they are in the range of cell service, but have a battery life and have to be regularly recharged.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a technology that allows doctors to provide medical consultations to patients remotely. This can be especially helpful for the elderly who may have mobility issues or difficulty getting to a doctor’s office. Telemedicine can be accessed via a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Telemedicine can also be much cheaper than traditional office visits, and in many cases, such as prescription refills or changes, physical office visits aren’t needed. In the case of elderly people who cannot access telemedicine services on their own, a caregiver and the patient can sometimes sit through the appointment together, the caregiver can handle the technical functions and allow the patient to talk to the doctor.

Smart Pill Dispensers

Smart pill dispensers can help the elderly manage their medications by providing reminders to take pills at the appropriate times. These dispensers can range from simple to complex, with varying levels of connectivity. Some are simple locked dispensers with timers that allow caregivers to fill them once a week. These can help take the confusion away for those that need a lot of different medications or have complicated schedules. Other dispensers are more advanced and allow connectivity for both caregivers and providers to monitor usage, change medicines, and control the machine from afar using apps and computer programs. Some dispensers have sensors that can detect if a dose has been missed and alert the user or their caregiver.

Robotic Assistance

Robotic assistance can be used to perform tasks that may be difficult or dangerous for the elderly. For example, robotic vacuum cleaners can help keep the home clean, while robotic lawnmowers can help maintain the yard. These robots come in all levels of complexity, from those that simply travel around the area to those that actually map rooms and have connectivity via apps. In the case of the latter, caregivers can instruct a robot to begin or end a function, see when it’s being used, and monitor its progress. The app will be notified if there’s something wrong with the robot, such as getting stuck.

Robotic companions are designed to talk with the elderly and help relieve the isolation that they often face. These “robots” are advanced versions of voice-activated tools and can carry on simple conversations, tell jokes, remind users to take their medication and exercise, and allow easy access to friends and social media. They can also help with daily activities like reading emails, playing music, and looking up the weather.

Kitchen Appliances

Kitchen appliances can help the elderly by making daily tasks faster, easier, and safer. Appliances can be chosen based on their ease of use and how well they can be accessed. For example, a large dishwasher might be difficult for an elderly person to use, but a small countertop dishwasher might be perfect. Electric can openers can help those with arthritis or who find manual openers uncomfortable. Microwave ovens can help make cooking easier, faster, and safer. Wall ovens might be safer and easier to access than ovens that are close to the floor and require stooping and bending. Caregivers and family members can use creative solutions and out-of-the-box thinking to help make kitchens safer, easier, and more convenient for the elderly.

Final Thoughts

For modern elderly people who are staying independent longer and are more likely to live alone, technology continues to provide solutions and help make these years more interesting, safe, and easier. Caregivers and health providers can employ these technologies to help their relatives and patients live happier and more fulfilled lives, and rest assured knowing that as healthcare advances, allowing people to live longer and more independently, technology also advances, providing ingenious solutions for the problems they face.