Gadgets having a senior moment
Tech firms court active aging population.
When you think of tech early adopters, this Brooklyn resident isn’t who typically comes to mind. She’s 95 years old, can’t see or hear very well anymore, and grew up in a time when the hottest new gadgets around were toaster ovens and zippers.
Today? She’s not sure what she would do without her Amazon Echo smart speaker.
“Alexa has been a miracle,” the spirited senior tells me over the phone. “I ask ‘what is the weather,’ and get an answer. Alexa turns on my lights, tells me what time it is, and when to take my pills.”
She’s now one of the 16.7 million older Americans living alone at home. She has the help of her three daughters who live nearby, a part-time caregiver, and a few simple modern tech tools. (Editor’s note: We’re not using her name at her family’s request, to protect her from becoming prey to scammers.)
It turns out, this simple digital dose of daily life might soon be just what the doctor orders for both older adults and the people who love them.
Not your kids’ tech boom anymore
There’s a major elder-care tech evolution underway. With about 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 in America every day, seniors are expected to outnumber children within the next 15 years. So all those big tech companies cranking out shiny new gadgets? Many are thinking about shifting focus to seniors as the active-aging market is expected to triple to nearly $30 billion in just three years.
Why this is so important
For the more than 95% of people ages 65 and older who want to live out the re
mainder of their lives in the comfort of their own homes, the latest gadgets can help keep them safe and independent.
But there’s another huge part of the population to consider the sandwich generation. Now, 1 in every 8 Americans cares for an aging parent while raising a family of their own. For them, innovative tech tools can provide a watchful eye, constant connection and the comfort of knowing everything’s OK.
New technology “provides the very basic things that my mom needs moment to moment,” says Dani, the 61year-old daughter of our teched-out nonagenarian. “She doesn’t have to rely on me for every little thing, like to tell her what time it is or to take her medicine.”
Dani said it took her about an hour to set up the new gadgets for her mom. She also wrote the word “Alexa” in Sharpie on pieces of paper and put them around the house to remind Mom of the Echo’s “wake-up” word. “It’s these little things,” Dani explains, “it’s what makes her feel human, and that’s what she should have.”
Here are some of the other new gadgets providing turnkey tech support for seniors and the people who love them.
Sensible sensors
CarePredict’s Tempo Series 3 looks
like a stylish smartwatch. It’s tiny but powerful, packed with sensors that know when Grandma or Grandpa is sitting, walking, sleeping, eating or even brushing teeth. It can sense critical changes and alert caregivers to poor sleep quality or mobility problems.
A built-in two-way microphone lets seniors contact help whenever they need it, and it even doubles as a door key, making life that much simpler.
Furry friends
I gave an Ageless Innovation Joy For All Companion pup to my former mother-in-law who suffers from Alzheimer’s, and she absolutely loves it: These animatronic pups and cats feel real. They bark and meow, turn their head at the sound of your voice, respond to touch, and you even feel a heartbeat when you hug it.
Studies show that a furry companion can help you maintain healthy blood pressure and combat feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
A break from falls
Every 11 seconds, a fall sends a senior to an emergency room, and for those who break a hip, 20% die within a year of the injury.
The Tango belt is easy to wear, unobtrusive and loaded with sophisticated sensors that can detect a fall. It can even deploy personal airbags. The airbags automatically pop out, absorbing the impact and protecting fragile hips. After triggering the soft cushion, the belt sends out alerts to caregivers.
Pill problems
You don’t have to be a senior to know how big of a pain it can be to remember to take medication.
Black & Decker’s Pria personal medication assistant is a pint-sized machine that is as if Alexa and Facebook’s Portal had a baby. The killer feature here is the built-in “pill wheel” that dispenses meds and chimes reminders so no one misses any doses.
A virtual stroll down memory lane
Rendever, a virtual reality startup provides all-in-one virtual reality systems to senior living communities. Slip a headset over a senior’s eyes, and thanks to Google Maps and 360-degree video, watch them be swept away on a virtual visit to their childhood home, , or even attend a grandchild’s soccer game through a secure “family engagement portal.”