For the tech-savvy seniors living alone or in nursing homes or for caregivers of seniors, apps have made life interesting and entertaining. Seniors can stay connected with family and friends, keep their minds active in games and news events, pay their bills as well as stay healthy through medication reminders, exercise and food apps.
So if you’re worried about your parent or grandparent’s safety, physical and mental health, here are a few of the must-have apps;
- Skype: An ideal app for video conferencing and instant messaging for free or very little cost; compatible with any smartphone or tablet, seniors can stay connected with loved ones and feel like they are with them as they can see each other irrespective of being anywhere in the world.
- WhatsApp: Allows sending text and video messages, exchange snaps, free and easily navigate-able, it’s a great option for older adults.
- Flipboard: A great invention that allows you make a digital magazine by connecting it with your social media accounts and your favorite news and interesting sites, flip pages to see and enjoy!
- Stitch: This is a companionship app for meeting romantic partners and expanding your social circle.
- Prismatic: A popular news app among seniors which allows them to choose stories based on their interest, easily accessible and suggests news articles you may find attention-grabbing.
- Luminosity: To keep senior’s mind challenged with puzzles and mind games, this app was designed by neuroscientists to boost memory, attention and abate the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
- Kindle (with Audible): Ideal for seniors as with this app, downloaded books that can be read in large print, adjust screen brightness, use night mode, also no dictionary is required as the meanings are just a click away. Audible makes it convenient for seniors with vision problems to have the book read to them.
- Words with friends: An addictive, fun and mentally engaging game app similar to scrabble that allows to be socially connected by challenging friends and family.
- Spotify/ Pandora: For music lovers, with the help of this app, one can listen to commercial-free music, share and save your favorite music creating your own ‘radio stations’.
- WebMD: A highly reliable app which can respond to your questions with specialist answers, delivers updated information via daily mini-magazine
- Motion Doctor: This app can act as a guide for seniors requiring physical therapy while recovering from injuries.
- iBP Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is a matter of serious concern, especially for people in their old age as it can lead to disastrous consequences. Keeping a track of your blood pressure over a certain time period was never this easy. All you need is a separate monitor to display the readings.
- Lively: Sensors placed around the home such as on the refrigerator, doors, cupboards send activity signals to this website to monitor movement and activity which is relayed through messages and photos to family members and friends.
- FitBit: An inspirational app for older adults to keep motivated and active. This application helps users keep a track of their calorie intake, heart rate, sleeping patterns, hydration levels, and physical activity and also achieve new health goals.
- Pillboxie/Medisave: Medication reminders for forgetful adults who may miss a dose, this app helps them remember the times, color, type and dose of medicines so that their treatment plan is secured.
- Fall Detector: helps you to know through automated messages if an older adult has fallen, if there is no movement for a long period of time, an alert is sent so you can check on them.
- Voucher Cloud: Download discount vouchers for cinemas, restaurants, stores leisure activities and enjoy amazing deals. Ideal for a family reunion or shopping.
- Evernote: A versatile app that combines all your notes be it in the form of videos, images, photos, audios into one system and syncs it so it can be accessible through any device.
- Seniors Phone App: Large, clear buttons for calling or texting, sending SOS messages, location finder makes any phone easily accessible for seniors.
- Mint Bills and Money: This app really comes handy for reminding and paying all your bills on time, monitors bank accounts and credit cards once you set it up.
Regardless of how rapidly and/or tech-savvy gets or how fast we evolve as humans, one thing that cannot be replaced is the love and affection of the ones near and dear to us. While, apps and support systems for seniors are in abundance, there is nothing quite like the home care that a human can provide them. Though I agree that the hustle and bustle of the world keeps us from providing them the care they deserve, but the least we can do is ensure that our parents and the seniors in our home are well taken care of.