Cara has always lived alone since her husband died. Their children have families of their own, and she refused to live with any of them because she has always valued her independence. But just short of her 70th birthday, she slipped in her bathroom and her hips hit the side of the toilet bowl. If she’s lucky, she can move without pain for a few hours. On most days, her lower body feels numb and she has to take painkillers to make the pain in her hips go away.
She’s one of the many people who, in their senior years, have to live with the consequences of age. Muscle pains and bone problems are common in seniors. Even those who were physically active during their youth will usually feel the burden of age on their muscles and bones. Although there are a lot of rehabilitation programs and therapies for these this kind of things, their bodies are not as responsive as they once were. Cara, for example, has gone to rehab the past two years and although that helped her function, it doesn’t dull the pain when it comes.
Thankfully, Cara and so many others don’t have to rely on families, caregivers, and assisted-living facilities. They can take care of themselves because of technology. Instead of moving into a senior care facility, Cara invested her money in CHS Healthcare products such as ceiling hoists and floor lifters that will help her navigate her own home. These and many other equipment and services allow Cara to live her life to the fullest.
Robots
Robotics is all the rage now in senior care. Aside from Amazon’s Alexa, there’s also ElliQ, Intuition Robotics’ “sidekick for happier aging.” In a nutshell, these robots will initiate a conversation by contacting the seniors’ loved ones. They also remind the seniors to take their medication or to go for a walk. The robots can check the weather and recommend if it’s okay for a walk. They can also send photos to loved ones and start a video call.
These robots are so intuitive that they can even tell jokes. Some are even programmed to alert the seniors’ loved ones if they are not responding to a conversation. There’s even a robot pet that can foster meaningful connections with their caretakers. The only difference—and perhaps, the most important feature—is that the seniors don’t have to feed or wash these robot pets.
Mobility Equipment
Lifts and trolleys are not the only available equipment for mobility today. They can also have mobility wheelchairs or scooters to help them get around the house or even go out for a “walk.” If they want to do grocery shopping, they can go to a store by themselves as long as there’s a cab that can take them. This kind of independence is what most seniors seek. They don’t want to be a burden to their families. They don’t want to be taken care of. Thanks to these devices, they can move around on their own.
Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)
This device has been around for a while, but it has never been as accurate as it is now. With a push of a button, seniors can call for emergency response if they fall, slip, or suddenly have medical troubles. The device can also detect a fall without the seniors having to push a button. It will alert the family members of what happened, and alert emergency services. If the seniors are out for a walk, the GPS will still allow emergency health workers to find the seniors if they fall or slip, or become unresponsive.
Smartphones and Tablets
Can there ever be a talk about technology without smartphones and tablets? Look, the only thing that seniors have to learn about the use of smartphones is to make and receive a call. That will enable them to contact you or call for an emergency when they need to. If they can learn how to use social media and play online games, that’s good, too, because these will take their minds off their worries.
Smartphones and tablets have so much more to give. They can be programmed to alert the seniors to take their medications as they tend to be forgetful. These devices can also lock and secure the homes if they are linked to the home security system. The PERS device is also usually connected to a smartphone for easier tracking.
In the future, there will be more devices and equipment that will help seniors live a fuller life. When it is time for you to retire, you’ll be surprised how these technologies will shape your life. Though it is hard for the seniors’ loved ones to understand why many of them don’t want to move with their children or transfer to an assisted-living facility, all you can do for now is to respect their decisions and hope these technologies are enough for their needs.