Technology is all around us, for better or worse—so why not make the most of it? If you help care for an aging family member, you may have introduced innovative products that assist them with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), family connections or entertainment throughout the week. At Living Assistance Services, we believe that the right products can enhance a senior’s quality of life, and that it makes sense to take advantage of what’s available. Not everything will be the right fit, but something may be!
While human connection is critical to wellness and nothing can replace the value of a skilled, compassionate caregiver, technology is a wonderful resource that can be utilized in many homes. Research from Hamilton Health Sciences and the University of Waterloo confirms the benefits of technology for seniors—a field that is rapidly growing and will continue to evolve in the years ahead.
Here are several ways technology can help seniors live safely and independently. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about high quality homecare services for seniors in Toronto, please contact us. We look forward to speaking with you.
Health and wellness
Wearable health technology can provide safety and peace of mind to seniors and their loved ones. Consider an emergency call device with fall detection (such as Lifeline or a similar brand), or a smartwatch/fitness tracker that monitors your loved one’s vital signs. There are electronic pill sorters on that market that help prevent medication errors. You may want to use motion sensors that set off an alarm when the front door opens, or even if a loved one gets out of bed. This type of product can be incredibly useful when supporting dementia patients who are prone to wandering.
Communication
Many seniors benefit from the use of video calling apps and other means of connecting with family. A smartphone allows seniors to make voice calls and send/receive texts as well as making video calls at the touch of a button. Smartphones can also connect to video doorbells (Nest or Ring) and enable seniors to let guests into the house without getting up and walking to the door—an excellent feature for those with mobility issues. If your loved one has dementia, a simplified senior phone with photos as well as numbers may be helpful.
Smart home devices are another great option for seniors who are cognitively well but have physical limitations. A voice-activated virtual assistant can play music, add information to a calendar, answer a question, initiate a phone call or even change the temperature in the home. Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices perform many of these functions.
Entertainment
Technology has many helpful applications in entertainment, from providing user-friendly ways to listen to music and watch movies to functioning as e-readers and audiobooks. There are also news apps, games and much more. If your aging relative can use an iPad, consider helping them download games that promote brain health: Lumosity, Elevate and BrainHQ are popular options.
Contact us to learn more
Tech has many benefits, but people will always be the heart and soul of caregiving. If you’re interested in hiring a Personal Support Worker (PSW) to help care for your aging loved ones, please contact Living Assistance Services in Toronto. We’d be glad to answer your questions about homecare and provide a personalized quote. Thanks for reading, and please share this blog post with anyone who may find it useful.