Are you taking advantage of the technology that can help seniors live independently? Read on to learn what you need to know.
The world of eldercare has made a giant leap into the 21st Century. Healthcare professionals and families are using technology to care for seniors in ways we never thought possible just a decade ago. This is important because all baby boomers will be age 65 or older by the year 2030. And with them aging (73 million of them today), the demand for eldercare technological advancements like new and improved hearing aids, remote monitoring and fall detection will be increasing.
Here are 5 ways technology is making advancements in eldercare:
1. Technology Can Track Vital Signs Remotely
2. Technology Provides Faster Diagnosis of Medical Conditions Through Remote Technology
3. Technology Can Track Seniors’ Behavior Patterns To Ensure Safety
4. Technology Improves Hearing Aids For Seniors
5. Technology Promotes Independent Living for the Elderly
1. Technology Can Track Vital Signs Remotely
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) allows healthcare professionals to track seniors’ vital signs remotely. This, along with Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, enables them to process large amounts of data that’s continuously streamed from connected IoMT devices.
Here’s an example from my own experience—My 92-year-old father, who lived alone, was provided the technology to send his weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation to a medical tech each morning. If there were any irregularities, a nurse would call both of us. Also, if Dad didn’t send in these measurements, we were both called. This reassured me to know that he was safe and that his breathing and cardiac functions were sound.
2. Technology Provides Faster Diagnosis of Medical Conditions Through Remote Technology
IoMT devices have improved diagnostics in eldercare. Mobile diagnostic devices make it easier for elderly patients to access medical testing services. Remote devices to test blood and urine can indicate problems like diabetes and atrial fibrillation.
Even brain activity and pain levels can be measured and compiled on a continuous basis. All of this can be done right from the comfort of home. With mobility an issue for many seniors, this ensures they get the healthcare they need. Another plus is physicians’ ability to make medical decisions and act on them more quickly to ensure the good health of their elderly patients.
3. Technology Can Track Senior’s Behavior Patterns To Ensure Safety
Wearable devices can be used to track a senior’s routines and compile a large amount of data about their daily habits. Family members and caregivers can use this data to identify anything out of the ordinary that might indicate the elderly person is in danger.
Geo-tracking can be used to determine if a memory-impaired senior has left their home or assisted living center. If a set boundary has been crossed, the responsible party will be alerted. With so many seniors developing Alzheimer’s Disease today, this type of technology is invaluable.
4. Technology Improves Hearing Aids For Seniors
The National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Aging estimates that one in three adults between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss. And, nearly half of people older than 75 experience hearing difficulties. Thankfully, new and improved hearing aids are now available from both doctors and over the counter.
Today’s technology has rapidly improved the quality and capabilities of hearing aids. If you’re like me, I sometimes have trouble deciphering what someone is saying to me when I’m in a crowded room. The surrounding voices can skew or lessen the ability of what I hear. The good news is that we’ll have hearing aids equipped with technology that can identify and isolate a speaker’s voice from others in the not too distant future. It will then relay the speech clearly to the person’s Bluetooth hearing aids.
5. Technology Promotes Independent Living
Seniors are using tech-enabled products and services that improve their quality of life and provide the independence they seek. The majority of older adults now live in their own homes, and many hope to continue living on their own for as long as possible. With the advent of technology like smartphones, smart home technology, virtual assistants, and in-home sensors enabled for older adults, this is more of a possibility.
For example, there are applications for both iOS and Android devices that offer turn-by-turn navigation in indoor environments for older adults with age-related disabilities. This technology alleviates common accessibility gaps in indoor navigation for some elderly individuals.
Instant language assistant devices allow the elderly to instantly communicate with anyone, in person or at a distance. It’s useful for those who are deaf, hard of hearing, suffer from low vision, or are blind, and it helps them stay connected to their world.
Newer technology has emerged recently to detect falls without a wearable device on the body. This technology is being used in nursing homes and eldercare centers today, as well as in seniors’ homes. So, your grandmother, who refused to wear a fall-detection device, can feel assured that if she does fall, someone will be on hand right away.
This is only the beginning. Technology innovations for eldercare are flooding the market today. And this will continue as the aging baby-boomer market expands and relies on technology to live longer and better.