20 years ago if I told you that there was a wireless product that you wore around
your wrist that sent data to a company to make sure you were getting enough to eat,
exercising, toileting, etc. you would have probably thought I was crazy! It’s not far
fetched anymore. Technology is changing the face of aging. We’re living longer and
the many needs in the senior care industry are rising as well as the cost of senior
living. Seniors are outliving their money and the burden has been put on the family.
Our dramatically increasing senior population is now seeing the impacts of how
technology can increase their quality of life and lower healthcare costs. From helping
them stay connected with loved ones, staying healthy and safe in their homes even
when they’re alone to helping make caregiving tasks for the family less burdensome
and stressful. According to United Healthcare, staying socially engaged is just as
important to healthy aging as genetics and maintaining a healthy body. I think I
speak for most in this industry of technology for seniors when I say that we are not,
by any means, trying to replace the human touch. There is no replacement for
physical human interaction, but for those who can’t always get out of their house as
often or have family out of town, social media, video chat services, and even emails
can help supplement seniors’ social interactions.
Here are some helpful tips and services that may be able to help you or a loved one:
• Safety first! There are many different wearable buttons that a senior can
easily press, whether it’s worn around their neck or wrist, and notify
emergency responders. Some do much more than that- such as GPS trackers,
monitoring ADL’s (activities of daily living), fall detection, and the ability to
have a two-way conversation with someone from the device.
• Keep your bodies & minds moving. From video games such as Wii Fit or any
others that are controlled by motion to a personal virtual yoga instructor,
there are so many options! There are many ways to provide fun, light physical
activity from their own living room for both mind and body.
• Medication Management is crucial to your health! Seniors living alone find
it challenging to manage their own medications. Most seniors take anywhere
from 5 -19 pills a day! Taking advantage of services and technology that help
remind them of taking their medications on time will help reduce missed
medications and prevent medication errors.
There are now many ways to stay healthy and connected as we age with so many
advances in technology today and it doesn’t have to break the bank.
By Keri Fuchs, Founder & CEO of VirtuCare Corp, A Healthcare Advocacy and
Personal Care Management Agency; 10 years in the Senior Care Industry and
Emergency Medical Field. Keri Fuchs has made it her life’s mission to advocate for
our seniors and disabled in our community giving them and their caregivers the
tools and resources they need to live a great quality of life.
Keri Fuchs
(775) 771 -4449