The importance of new technology for seniors
Older adults want to be active, socially demanding, to promote the welfare for others. Information technology can improve the quality of elderly people’s life. The Internet is a place where a lot of information, chances for social interaction and entertainment are available. Studies show that retired people especially those aged between 55 and 70 years want to acquire new knowledge in the field of psychology, culture, science, languages. It is said that the age is rather a state of mind and depends on the character but the aspiration to study and develop abilities remain in human life for a long time. For the majority of elderly people, life is an intellectual adventure. Knowledge can be accessed via the Internet and the media, as well as via specialized organisations for older students. The ability to adapt to rapidly changing innovations declines with age, especially with the retirement and at the same time there is a great loss of a large number of social contacts.
Today the use of information technology is a necessary condition for an older person to adapt to society and to improve the quality of his life. However, there are seniors that still hesitate to embrace technology into their lives. Possible reasons for that are the difficulty in learning technologies, doubts about technology’s benefits, lack of support or the though of being too old. The aim of technology is not to make our lives more complicated. In fact, technology can help everyone to be more informed in order to take right and well-informed decisions. Technology has a lot to offer to seniors, if they understand how to use the tools in safe way. Technology use can be beneficial for older adults. Its use is associated with better self-rated health, fewer chronic conditions, higher subjective well-being and lower depression.
Although that there is a significant digital gap between young and older people, a growing number of older adults are going online. More and more seniors are discovering the benefits that technology provides and the positive impact that has on their lives. They enjoy using social network sites, playing online games, or just searching for information about certain topics.
Benefits for seniors when using new technology
Learning how to use technology can provide significant benefits to people of all ages, including seniors. Below you will find some of them.
Technology:
- Connects families and friends: One of the biggest benefits that technology offers, is the ability to socialize and communicate with other people. It brings the communication gap, continues families ties and strengthen bonds. There are so many applications that help people connect with their families and friends. Seniors can use skype or zoom to interact with their loved ones, emails if they are familiar enough with writing or even social media and sharing thoughts and pictures. The ability to communicate combat the feelings of isolation and loneliness of seniors that live alone.
- Provides mental stimulation: Cognitive decline is a natural part of ageing. Remaining mentally stimulated can slow the decline of cognitive skills. Learning new things and involving in activities that challenge the brain can protect the brain from dementia. Learning new technologies provides mental stimulation and keeps the brain active.
- Increases safety: None senior has to be afraid to live alone and no family member has to worry about their older people. There are so many devices, such as personal monitoring devices, that allow seniors to feel safe during their daily life in their home. Family members can monitor older people and be informed for every change noticed. Moreover, there are several security systems which send notifications to family members if something happens. Those systems help seniors to feel safe and family members feel that they are protecting their loved ones.
- Encourages exercise: There are many games and apps that urge people to leave their couch and use their entire body. The Internet is also full of videos with exercises routines for those who want to try harder. Those activities can offer to seniors fun, empower them, enhance their self-esteem and have the sense of achievement.
- Helps with health care: Technology can make the health care easier. Caregivers can monitor their patient’s health at a remote setting. There are applications that remind to seniors to take their medications via notification from their smartphone and avoid losing their doses. If the senior does not confirm that he receives the medication, a notification will be sent to the caregiver. The hospitals have programs that maintain medication lists and health history for each patient and doctors have easy access to test results. Technology and those programs allow seniors and their families to know all the information needed about their health.
- Offers fun: There are numerous games and apps that could be download to senior’s devices and offer entertainment. The games not only entertain them, but also boost their memory, enhance their cognitive skills or even get their body moving. Moreover, there is the opportunity of watching series or movies and listening to music. There are numerous of movies and TV streaming services that are quite easy to use and seniors have access to all. Internet has so many possibilities and it covers the wishes of seniors.
- Fosters independent living among seniors: Technology can make people feel independent. As we mentioned above, there are many apps that care about their health. Caregivers can manage the health of their patients remotely. There are also gadgets for house-cleaning that makes the seniors daily routine easier and comfortable. Technology makes older people to feel confident and happy knowing that they are able to live alone and independent.
- Helps seniors stay informed: Seniors can know everything about what happens not only to their country, but around the world. They can search information about every topic that they are interested in. Internet provides information about everything and seniors are happy that they can be updated constantly.
What is the most important to remember is that technology helps elderly people have a more busy, entertaining and exciting life, meet new people, learn new information, explore the world from the comfort of home and live safe and independent.
Graphic 3. How can technology help seniors?
