5 Ways Technology Can Benefit Older Adults

In 2020, 77 percent of older adults (aged 50 & over) owned a smartphone, and more than half of older adults owned a tablet.¹ Three quarters of all adults aged 50 & over interacts with social media on a regular basis including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.¹ Did you know there is more to technology besides phone calls, texting, and browsing the web? There are many benefits to your overall health and wellness especially for older adults. Here are 5 ways technology can benefit older adults:

1. Access to Transportation: Have you stopped driving? Do you avoid driving long distances or on highways? There are many reasons why older adults may reduce how much they drive or even have stopped driving completely. No matter what the reason is, older adults still need go places including attending medical appointments, getting groceries, and participating in social gatherings. Good news there are apps on your smartphone that can take you almost anywhere! Rideshare apps can be a huge benefit in servicing older adults and their transportation needs.  
2. Groceries Delivered to Your Door: Your smartphone or tablet can access services that will deliver groceries right to your door. Shopping for groceries can take a great deal of energy from pushing a shopping cart around the aisles or carrying heavy groceries back to your house. Think about using your valuable time and energy to participate in other activities that are more important and meaningful to your life.
3. Monitor Your Health: Technology can help you monitor your health! You can download apps on your smartphone to assist with medication management and track your steps to gauge your activity level throughout the day. Watches and other wearable technology can provide even more insight to your health status including monitoring your heart rate and sleep patterns. More importantly most smart watches can detect a fall and prompt you call someone in case you need help.
4. Socialization: Lack of companionship and loneliness are real problems all older adults can face at some point in their life. Social media has changed the way we socialize and connect with family and friends. Try setting up a social media profile to reconnect with friends from the past or stay update on family members’ lives. Most smartphones have access to video calling which allow for face-to-face contact without having to leave the comfort of your own home. Another benefit of video calling is that you can still check in even if one of you is sick or wary of catching a cold.
5. Brain Health: Many smartphone apps are designed to train your brain including improving your memory, attention, and processing speed. Anything from Sudoku to crossword puzzles to word searches to puzzles can all help with brain health.

In addition to the five benefits described above, technology and accessing the internet can also help you find qualified and knowledgeable healthcare providers. The next time you are looking for a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, personal trainer, acupuncturist, massage therapist, or dietitian look no further than Live Your Life. Click here to learn more about us and why we are different from health care companies in your area. Contact us for a free consultation and remember to follow us on Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.

References

¹Kakulla BN. 2020 Tech Trends of the 50+. AARP. Published 2020. https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/technology/info-2019/2020-technology-trends-older-americans.html