As people age and mobility becomes an issue, one of the biggest difficulties in life becomes maintaining a sense of independence. No one, no matter their age, wants to depend on other people to get by. With independence comes dignity, and with dignity comes a love of life. Luckily, modern technology can help keep senior citizens living independently. If they can’t complete some task on their own, they can count on a machine to help them rather than another person. This makes them feel like, in essence, they are completing the task on their own. Listed below are four of the many technologies that are helping seniors stay in charge of their own lives.
Scooters
A lack of mobility is one of the biggest obstacles that most seniors face. It’s hard to make dinner or take out the trash on your own when even getting from point A to point B is a hardship. Scooters give aging citizens the mobility that their legs no longer afford them. With a scooter, tasks that once felt impossible can be completed with ease. Modern scooters are nimble and easy to operate, allowing seniors to motor around their homes with the same ease they would enjoy if they were walking. There are also a number of motor scooter accessories available for purchase, allowing seniors to customize their scooters and enjoy unprecedented levels of convenience.
Fall-Monitoring Technology
One of the biggest dangers for seniors is a sudden, unexpected fall. If a phone is not handy, an elderly victim of a fall can spend hours on the floor when they really need immediate medical attention. With modern technology, there is no reason seniors need to be subjected to those agonizing hours on the floor. A simple watch-like device can alert family when a senior has taken a fall. That same device can also monitor heart rate, oxygen saturation, and other vital measurements to prevent the sudden onset of some calamitous malady.
Mental Stimulation Programs
As people age, they increase their susceptibility to dementia and other cognitive disorders. Exercising the brain and engaging in intellectual activity can help retain cognitive functioning and prevent degenerative diseases. There are a number of new programs, all of which can be downloaded to tablets and smartphones, that provide seniors with engaging activities in a convenient, user-friendly format. For people with memory issues, there are especially-designed programs meant to stimulate memory. By using these programs, seniors boost their cognitive functioning and increase their ability to live independently.
Fitness and Workout Programs
Keeping the body in shape is perhaps more important in old age that during any other part of life. Seniors who stay active and exercise regularly do far better than their sedentary counterparts. Programs like Nintendo Wii and Xbox Connect are useful for making workouts interactive and fun. Modern workout machines especially designed for seniors also provide safe and effective strength training, allowing seniors to build muscle mass without taking unnecessary risks, even when by themselves
For seniors to live independently, they need to be able to care for their minds, bodies, and homes all on their own. Modern technology is helping them do just that. There is still significant progress to be made, but there can be no denying the boost technology gives to seniors' sense of independence.