Seven Amazing Tech Tools for Older Adults
If you are a person in the midst of his or her Golden Years, you have seen some incredible advances in technology. There are available technologies today that you may shy away from because you wonder if you will be able to easily learn to use them. The reality is that there are seven amazing tech tools that, as an older adult, you definitely want to take a look at and see how it can fit into your life.
If you are the child of an older adult, you will also want to take a look at the technologies that we discuss in this article. You would be well served taking some time to introduce your parent to one, some, or even all of the technologies presented in this article.
The seven different tech tools for older adults that we will be taking a look at today are:
- Robotic vacuums
- Home assistants
- Voice-activated outlets
- Virtual reality goggles
- Tile
- Ride sharing apps
- Tablets to connect
Robotic Vacuums
A good many people in the earlier part of their Golden Years had the benefit of watching a wonderful prime time cartoon television show called The Jetsons. The Jetson family has a robotic vacuum. And now you can as well. There is a growing number of choices when it comes to robotic vacuums that are available on the market today.
There is one word of caution. Because these vacuums scurry around on the floor and are smaller in size – kind of like a little dog cat – they can present a hazard if a person is walking around while the device is in use. There are a couple of thoughts to bear in mind to enhance safety while the robotic vacuum is at work:
- Set the device to do its thing when you are not at home (shut it down when you get back home)
- Kick back in a chair and watch your favorite television program or film or read a book while it is at work (turn it off when you are finished viewing, reading, or what have you)
Home Assistants
The popularity of voice assistants has exploded in the past couple of years. These include voice assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home. The extent of what you can do with a home assistant is extensive and expanding all of the time. With a voice assistant, you are able to do things that include:
- Play music
- Hear the latest news
- Turn the lights on and off
- Turn the TV on and off
- Make grocery lists
- Set alarms
- Schedule reminders
- Call friends and family
- And much more
Voice-Activated Outlets
Another great technology for an older person – for everyone else, actually – is the voice-activated outlet. Coupled with a home assistant like Echo or Google Home, you can connect with smart outlet adapters. These adapters allow you the ability to turn an outlet on or off with a voice command. One of the wonderful aspects of voice-activated outlets is that no installation is required whatsoever. All you have to do is plug the voice-activated outlet into an existing outlet in your home.
These outlets also enhance the safety of an older person’s home. For example, you will never have to fumble around trying to turn on a light if you need to get up in the middle of the night. You just speak the command and a light will come on.
Virtual Reality Goggles
At this juncture in time there are some very affordable virtual reality goggle options. In addition to the goggles, you need a smartphone in order to enter the world of virtual reality. This technology provides you access to a wide array of different types of games. This includes many that your grandchildren will enjoy when they come to visit. In fact, your grandkids will be highly impressed that you have this technology available for them.
Tile
The reality is that we all misplace things – no matter our age. Tile is wonderful technology that helps you quickly locate misplaced items like keys, a wallet, or a phone.
With Tile, you download an app onto your smartphone. You purchase small devices – Tiles – that attach to whatever you want to keep track. Tile units are affordable, by the way.
When something gets lost, you open the app on your phone. The Tile attached to whatever is missing plays a tune to lead you to the errant object.
Tile also works in reverse. If you lose your phone, just press the button on your Tile and your smartphone will start to ring.
Ridesharing Apps
Transportation is important. If you are not a regular driver, or if you have decided to give up driving yourself altogether, consider a rideshare app like Lyft or Uber. You simply download one or another of these apps onto your smartphone, set up an account (which really is a matter of connecting a debit or credit card to pay for rides).
If you don’t have a smartphone and can’t download the app, you can call Go Go Grandparent at (855) 464-6872 and they will order a ride for you.
Tablet to Connect
While not the latest technological innovation on the market today, tablets are becoming all the more useful all of the time. (Assisted living communities oftentimes provide residents with tablets that are used for a variety of purposes.)
If you don’t already have a tablet, you should consider getting one – if for no other reason than it provides a handy way to have face-to-face sessions with your loved one through communication apps like Zoom or Facetime. If your parent does not yet have a tablet, this makes a perfect gift. Indeed, it is the perfect proverbial gift that keeps on giving.
Learning how to use these different technologies may seem a bit daunting initially. In the end, you are apt to find that the anticipation of learning how to use these devices is greater than the worry of actually diving in and learning how to operate them.