8 Smart Gadgets for Seniors to Maintain Good Health and Wellness
Key Takeaways
- Smart walking companions like WeWALK help seniors improve their mobility and safety while walking by offering features like obstacle detection and turn-by-turn navigation.
- OTC hearing aids, such as HearingAssist, provide affordable and accessible solutions for age-related hearing problems, with the added convenience of streaming music and making phone calls through a mobile app.
- AI-powered companions like the ElliQ robot offer companionship and support for seniors, providing everything from answering questions to tracking health data and playing games.
As people get older, it gets more and more important to take good care of their health and wellness. But how do older adults do so effectively in the digital age?
Smart tech continues to advance each and every year, so it’s no surprise that there are innovative smart gadgets available on the market that seniors can make a part of their daily life. Below are several types of smart gadgets and technology that seniors can use not only to make life easier but also to enhance it.
1. Smart Walking Companions
Going for a walk is incredibly important to keep older adults healthy and happy. However, walking can benefit seniors in other ways like strengthening bones, lowering blood sugar, and promoting joint health. Although there are steps you can take to boost your mobility, with age comes problems with your walking abilities.
Smart walking companions, walking sticks, or walking canes are excellent choices for seniors to help them get outside and get moving.
As an example, WeWALK is a smart handle that connects to a cane to create a smart walking device. WeWALK works using an ultrasonic system to locate objects and then sends vibrations to the handle to alert you. It offers various smart features like obstacle detection, turn-by-turn navigation, exploration, and assistance with public transportation.
2. OTC Hearing Aids
Just like mobility, many older adults may experience age-related hearing problems. That’s where OTC hearing aids come into the picture. Here’s everything you should know about OTC hearing aids.
OTC or over-the-counter hearing aids are a pretty big deal for adults who experience hearing problems, mainly because they are so accessible. What’s more, OTC hearing aids are way more affordable than regular hearing aids, and you don’t need a prescription to purchase them.
Now, there are even smart OTC hearing aids from HearingAssist that can connect to a mobile app to stream music or podcasts and even make phone calls. Plus, you can use the app to control the device’s volume, mode, and frequencies.
3. AI-Powered Companions
Oftentimes, seniors are open to intense loneliness and social isolation, as stated in a report from The National Academies. Not only is this difficult to experience, but it can lead to some serious medical issues.
However, there is a smart way to alleviate senior loneliness and isolation, and that comes in the form of AI-powered companions.
For example, the ElliQ AI-powered robot companion is a two-in-one device that consists of a tablet-like display and an endearing, responsive bot. The little guy can be placed on any surface to make small talk, answer any questions, provide information, track health data, or play games and music.
4. Smart Pill Dispensers
When it comes to remembering to take medication, it’s tough for most people. But older adults can have even more of a problem remembering, managing, and organizing their medication. That’s why a smart pill dispenser is vital for supporting seniors and ensuring they never miss a dose.
The Hero smart pill dispenser device not only stores and dispenses medication and then sends notifications and reminders, but it does so much more, too. In fact, this smart device even allows caregivers to monitor and manage medication and doses in real-time.
5. Well-Being Monitors
How do you know your elderly parents are safe and sound while living alone? It is probably not possible to be with them all the time, but you can use a wellness monitor to ensure they are protected.
The CareAlert is one example of a device that works well for family members or caregivers who want to remotely keep an eye on seniors but don’t want to invade their privacy. In simple terms, it is a smart device that you plug in around the house to pick up on any activity using sensors.
The CareAlert app is the main control center where you can track activity, make voice calls, receive alerts, set up reminders, and view stats around the house.
6. Smartwatches
Lugging around a smartphone is not always practical for elderly adults, and chances are they’ll forget it at home. Luckily, wearing a smartwatch means instant access to all the most important features no matter where you are.
There is an impressive range of smartwatches available on the market, but which ones are best suited for seniors? The Medical Guardian MGMove smartwatch is an excellent option, as it is not only stylish, but also offers step counting, voice-to-text chat, medication reminders, GPS tracking, and weather specifics.
Even better, older adults can use the SOS help button if they’re ever in need of assistance during an emergency.
7. Tablet Devices
Even though the older generation has embraced smart technology like smartwatches and smartphones, some still struggle. They’re often tricky to use because of their smaller screens and complicated interface.
Yet technology such as tablets are key to keeping families connected especially for seniors who live alone or far away. To make using a tablet as straightforward as possible, there is the GrandPad.
What makes the GrandPad tablet so special for over-75s is just how easy it is to set up and how simple it is to use. The tablet comes with fitted features like 4G connectivity, a camera, and even a help option for direct assistance from customer care. What’s more, there are fitted apps for your calendar, email, music streaming, video calls, games, and weather.
8. Massage Guns
Age can come with a range of new problems, including poor muscle performance, inflammation, blood flow issues, and general aches and pains.
Besides providing a way to get rid of physical problems, smart massage guns can also help seniors relax and stress less. One of the best ways to deal with these issues is with a device like a smart massage gun.
Ekrin Athletics offers a variety of smart massage guns that use percussion therapy. These devices range from the small, more portable Ekrin Bantam massage gun with only three speeds to the powerful Ekrin B37S massage gun with five speeds, six attachments, and a reactive force sensor.
Smart Technology Can Help Elderly Adults Live Their Best Lives
Keeping a close eye on your health and wellness is possibly one of the most important parts of getting older. But how can smart gadgets and devices help? Not all smart tech devices and gadgets are beneficial to older adults—some can even make their lives more complicated than necessary.
The good news is that there are some smart pieces of tech that seniors can rely on to maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle. From smart pill dispensers and smartwatches to AI-powered sidekicks, these are the best gadgets and devices for the elderly to promote and maintain good health and wellness.
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