I know how you feel: You're excited to give your parents or grandparents a tablet or smartphone that will make their lives easier. You've spent hours setting it up with all the pictures, apps, sounds, contacts, and games you know they'll love. And then they don't like it or can't use it.
We are in the midst of a deadly pandemic that targets the vulnerable – and therefore the elderly. Too many elderly people have lost their lives to COVID-19 so far. Technology, especially wearables, telehealth and comprehensive contact tracing, are proving to be very useful in preventing more deaths. Elderly people need to know how to use technology and get the most out of it. These technologies will help them, so it’s time to integrate them into lives .
We know how hard it is for older people to embrace something new (and often it's just as hard for us). Let's look at some products that are going to be useful for them – or if you're reading this article yourself, they're going to help you:
Portable technology products
Just like the Apple Watch or Fitbit, there are simple wearables for seniors that can be further customized. Some features work particularly well with braille-style features, helping visually impaired people identify which button to press to alert staff, and a blue light flashes when the device. Other devices allow you to unlock a door from a distance. Still others are designed to alert nurses with the push of a button.
Telehealth (the concept of providing health care through communications and information technology)
Seniors need medical care and regular monitoring. The most effective and safe way to stay in touch with your doctor from home is telehealth. Telehealth is not just a typical video call. Instead, doctors can remotely monitor a patient – e.g. check their temperature, weight, oxygen level and more. Seniors can add family members to video calls they have with doctors to ensure everyone knows exactly what is going on.
Contact tracing
Contact tracing is probably one of those terms you hadn't heard of before the COVID-19. Contact tracing, and the ability to track down someone who has had direct contact with an infected person, is crucial to eliminating the spread of COVID-19.
However, for aged care communities, contact tracing is nothing new. In any vulnerable community, staff know they need to move quickly to eliminate any communicable disease. To address this, contact tracing is the ultimate contact tracing tool, with the ability to track the locations and interactions of patients and staff with unparalleled ease.
