Today’s generation of seniors is inundated with an explosion of high tech products aimed at improving their safety and independence and enhancing their lives. At the touch of a button, they can instantly visit “in person” with family and friends through Skype, wear a necklace that responds with emergency assistance, and even stay safe from wandering with specialized sensors attached to clothing or shoes.
The difficulty becomes how to encourage older adults (and those who care for them) to change from a low-tech mindset to embracing all that’s available to them. A recent Caring.com survey showed that as few as 15% of families caring for senior loved ones are actually utilizing technology. The major hurdles?
- Stigma. Many seniors see the use of technology products, such as medical alert jewelry, as a sign of lost independence.
- Support. Troubleshooting technology products that aren’t working correctly causes many seniors and their caregivers to give up on trying to get the gizmos to work.
- Time. Finding time to learn and try something new is particularly challenging for busy family members.
If you’d like to try and incorporate a little technology into your loved one’s home care plan but are facing these trials or others, call on Home Matters’s home care services for help. Our sensitive and patient caregiving assistants can help overcome the technology hurdles by:
- Making recommendations for technology that suits a loved one’s senior care needs and personality
- Setting up and providing information on how to use the technology
Whether it is setting up a personal medical alert system or teaching someone how to enjoy applications on a tablet device, we can help seniors stay connected to family and friends and enjoy life to the fullest!
