The elderly and technology aren’t as mismatched as you might think! With age, as most of us tend to lose the ability to move, stay active and take care of their health – technology comes as an aid to assist them during old age and fill in for all the difficulties faced during old age.

As our parents and grandparents age, they want to do it actively, independently, and gracefully. And technology is being viewed as a big disruptor that allows them to achieve those goals in the form of devices that aid elderly citizens. With smart-living technologies, health and remote care, and wellness and fitness monitors – elderly care has become more assistive and easier than before!

Today there are assistive tools and devices that act as a caretaker for old age and help the elderly in walking, speech, vision, eating, and even sleeping well. These external aids don’t just contribute to empowering the elderly seniors with independent movements and communication but also enable the caregivers to effectively and safely take care of the elderly like they would want to.

Here are some of the important devices that help aid elder citizens:


Communication Aids

The key to a satisfying old age is communication! Communication aids are assistive devices solving potential communication difficulties that an older person might encounter. The most accessible are smartphones. Your loved ones won't feel isolated and alone as long as they have access to smartphones through which they can contact and share their feelings with you in the form of messages, video calls, etc. For those with speech impairment, there are speech-generating devices that can give them a voice again. Elders who aren’t equipped with smartphones can take the assistance of a home attendant for the elderly to call their loved ones and communicate.

Memory Aids

Forgetfulness is a part of the natural aging process. But the ones suffering from dementia struggle even more in remembering their medical schedule, eating food on time, or even forgetting little things around the house. While nothing can beat the human touch and the power of home care nursing, there are some assistive devices empowering senior citizens by reminding them of things they need in their daily life. Memo reminders, automatic pill dispensers, and systematic alarms are some aids that can help senior citizens remember the things they might easily forget.

Personalized Alarms

Personal alarms are like 24/7 help for seniors who need constant monitoring. It means that you are just a button away from them. On pressing the button, personal alarms alert either you, a chosen contact, or a monitoring team that allows you to talk to your parents instantly and seek help or assistance. For grandparents who need constant monitoring, setting personal alarms also means that they can alert you when they need water at midnight or aren't feeling well anytime.

GPS Tracking

If you need constant awareness of where your seniors are, GPS tracking is the best solution. It comes in the form of wearables. When seniors are wearing them in the form of wristbands, they can be tracked by family members easily.  If you are a home attendant for the elderly with dementia, who are prone to wandering, GPS trackers can be great assistive aid and a low-cost solution.

Telecare devices

Much like burglar alarms and sensors, the telecare system is designed to detect movements around the house. These act like digital activity monitoring systems that can alert you when something is amiss or out of the ordinary like your loved ones forgetting to close the doors or them not getting out of bed beyond a particular time etc. These are especially helpful during the nights when all are asleep and yet there needs to be constant monitoring of the senior citizens or when you are traveling and want to keep a check on your parents.

Home safety and security

We are in the area of smart home systems where you can ensure the safety and security of your house through a variety of smart devices and sensors that pair together to ensure a complete check of your home safety. These include intelligent locks, smart doorbells, smart lighting, fire alarms, smoke detectors, water overflow sensors, movement sensors, security cameras, and a whole bunch of accessories that can help you keep a check on your home from miles away, and that too through just your smartphone. When taking care of your elderly parents and grandparents, home safety and security devices can be a big help to let them live independently while utilizing technology to keep them safe and secure at all times.

Screen readers and visual aids

Visual impairment should not stop senior citizens from accessing the unimaginative world of technology we have today like smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Assistive technology exists to help people who struggle to navigate through these devices. Screen readers read out what is going on the screen while visual aids help in using technological tools by feeling the buttons. While most devices today have screen reader options built into the accessibility controls, you can also use other apps built especially for people with visual impairment.

Elcare is a 24/7 elder care service provider dedicated to assisting and improving the quality of care taken for aging parents and grandparents. Elcare focuses on the physical, mental, and emotional wellness of elders through a variety of at-home services like elder care assistance, home attendants for the elderly, home care nursing, etc. Moreover, our caremates empower the elderly to get equipped with technology so they can independently communicate with their loved ones, find the information they need, and are able to use technology to their advantage. If your parents are struggling through their old age and you are looking for someone to assist them through their daily activities, know more about our health & wellness advisory and other services. Call us at +91-80459 14567.