Seniors get glimpse of innovative technology
Catherine Cox values her independence.
Only after she fell twice in seven months and broke both of her wrists did the 97-year-old move from a seniors complex in Grenfell, where she’d lived for nine years, to Marion Chateau in Regina.
“Before that I was in my home,” she said proudly.
Cox was among the residents who packed a room at Marian Chateau recently and watched a video presentation about products that can assist seniors in being independent, such as home interfaces to remind seniors to take their medications.
The technological aids were a hard sell for Cox who has a homemade system for taking pills: a chart with a timetable for her medication times.
“When I take my pill, I mark the time I took it beside it,” she said. “I showed it to the doctor here and he wanted a copy because he thought it was a great idea.”
Between January and April, Revera consulted with more than 100 seniors at 10 of its retirement residences and long-term care homes across the country and conducted an online survey of more than 1,000 Canadians to determine how they view innovation.
The poll of adults, 65 years and older, showed they want innovations to help improve their aging experience. Many seniors lamented their loss of independence.
Some imagined a day when there would be only driverless vehicles and they wouldn’t have to rely on others for transportation.
Driverless cars could solve transportation needs, but Holly Schick is waiting for them to be perfected.
“I think we have a long way to go until it’s perfected and they aren’t taking a side off the building, but transportation is one of the issues for older adults and isolation is a big concern,” said Schick, executive director of Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism. “I’m just not sure I trust them yet.”
Louise Greenwood was intrigued by the innovations. The 69-yearold recognizes that technology can improve the quality of life for seniors. “Lots of people in this complex get homecare to remind them to take their pills or stand over them while they take their pills whereas if they had one of those little gizmos it’s a reminder all of the time,” Greenwood said.
Eighty-four per cent of seniors surveyed believe Canada’s private sector can do more to improve the aging experience.
Revera wants to highlight to businesses that they have an established consumer group looking for services, said Dick Cornish, executive director at Marian Chateau.