For many elders, the prospect of having to leave their home because they need extra help is daunting and scary.
Luckily, technology is on the rise and with it, comes a rise in technology that is beneficial to elders who wish to stay at home for as long as possible. Here are a few examples of said technology.
Pill dispensers
Many elderly people find themselves taking medication at one point or another. For those with hand eye coordination problems, the simple task of retrieving their daily medication can be a long process.
To aid with this is the automatic pill dispenser. The automatic dispenser dispenses a pre-set amount of pills at a pre-set time each day, and sometimes even allows care takers to leave voice recorded messages for their patients.
Panic buttons
If an elderly person falls while home alone, he or she can be in serious trouble.
Thankfully, there are panic or emergency buttons. Formally called PERS (Personal Emergency Response Systems), these panic buttons allow seniors to call for help from anywhere in their home as these devices can often be worn on a necklace or wristband.
Stove sensors
For seniors who suffer from memory or concentration problems, stove-top sensors are an essential.
These sensors can be found in specially marked stoves and, after the element exceeds 700 degrees, will automatically shut off to prevent fire or injury.
Alarms
Home security alarms are a popular choice for the elderly and younger people in today’s society.
For an elderly person, a good home security system can mean the difference between life and death in the case of a botched burglary or home invasion.
Because elders may not be able to fend off attackers or robbers, home security systems that send out alarms and call for help upon being breeched, can help the senior in question get help and stay living safely in their home.
Chore helpers
There are several devices on the market that can make chores easier for seniors.
These devices include things like the Roomba which is a robotized vacuum that vacuums the whole house without being manually operated.
Devices like this come in a range of prices from $100-$600 per device.
Phones
Classic landline phones are good for the elderly, but when we say phones for the purpose of this list, we mean specialized cellphones that are optimized for seniors who might have a hard time navigating standard smartphones.
Special cellphones such as the Jitterbug are optimized to have larger than normal buttons and an extra powerful speaker, among a host of other useful features to make cellphones easy for seniors to use.
Flood prevention systems
If a senior struggles with memory loss or lacks concentration, he or she might forget to shut the water off in the sink or bathtub.
This can lead to a flood which creates a mess, and has the potential to damage other areas of the house such a wiring.
To remedy this, there are preventative technologies like the Flowban, which automatically shuts off faucets that have been left on for too long.
With new technology on the rise, devices to help seniors stay in their homes will continue to improve. In the future, there are bound to be hundreds of helpful tools for the elderly to utilize.
