Empowered Aging: How Technology Helps Seniors Thrive

Whether you want to keep up with the grandkids, feel more secure in your home or facilitate everyday tasks, technology can be a helpful tool as you age. Consider this: Two-thirds of older adults surveyed by AARP see technology as a way to enrich their lives—by making daily to dos and aging easier.

If you’re wondering how technology can do all that, keep reading! We’ll dive into tech tools that can simplify your life, talk about the benefits of technology for older adults and offer tips to help you stay safe online.

Top Tech Tools for Seniors

Consider how tech tools like these can simplify life as you age:

1. Food delivery services: Grocery shopping can be tricky as you get older, especially if you’re dealing with transportation issues or mobility challenges. But with apps like Instacart, you can get groceries delivered right to your door—and even speak to a live specialist on the senior support line. Need a break from cooking? Use your AARP membership at bistroMD to purchase discounted, chef-prepared meals—just heat and eat!

2. Transportation services: Whether your driving days are behind you or you’d just rather have someone else deal with traffic and parking, ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft can take you where you want to go with a couple of clicks. An Uber senior account offers a simple app and the ability to use health benefit cards to pay for eligible trips, while Lyft Silver has live phone support and cars that are easy to get in and out of.

3. Social apps: Want to chat with loved ones across the miles? If you’re part of the 72% of older adults using Facebook, you’re likely already connected with friends and family on social media. From there, it’s easy to use Facebook Messenger to send and receive text messages and photos—and even enjoy live video calls. To keep your connections strong, you can also download multiplayer gaming apps like Words With Friends for some healthy competition (and fun!).

4. Smart home devices: For maximum convenience and safety in your home, consider adding a smart speaker, video doorbell or voice controlled lights. Alexa and Siri can give you the headlines, play your favorite music and provide appointment and medication reminders—so you never miss a thing. If you live alone or have limited mobility—or you just want some extra security—video doorbells like Nest and Ring let you communicate with visitors and even unlock the door with your smartphone or tablet. Adding a smart light in your bedroom or bathroom can also decrease your risk for a fall while getting up to go to the bathroom at night.

5. Medical alert systems: Whether it’s a watch, pendant or smart speaker, emergency contact systems offer safety and confidence as you go about your day. iPhone users seeking an ultra-discreet wearable may like the Apple Watch SE, which has built-in fall detection and crash detection, plus a side button to easily call emergency contacts. If you’re an Alexa fan, consider Alexa Emergency Assist, a subscription service that can quickly connect you to live responders as well as your emergency contacts if you need help.

Benefits of Technology for Seniors

Still on the fence? Here are just a few ways embracing technology can benefit seniors and their loved ones:

• Supports independence. Tech tools allow you to get what you need, when you need it—often at the touch of a button.

• Provides peace of mind. You and your loved ones can rest easier knowing there are safeguards like security and medical alert systems in place.

• Fosters connection. Technology provides a helpful way to engage with friends and family as often as you’d like.

• Promotes mental stimulation. Learning to use new technology challenges the brain, which can keep your mind sharp and reduce the risk of cognitive impairment.

• Offers convenience. Tech tools can help with tasks like shopping, cooking and even answering the doorbell, simplifying and streamlining daily life.

3 Easy Ways to Stay Safe Online

While technology has many benefits, it’s important to be cautious with your personal information. Here are some quick tips to help you stay safe online:

1. Update your devices. Turn on automatic updates for your computer, tablet and phone for protection against the latest security threats. That way, you can be sure you’re always using the safest version of the software.

2. Use strong passwords. Choose an unpredictable combination of numbers, symbols and lowercase/uppercase letters. Avoid standard patterns like ABCDE, QWERTY and 12345, and don’t include personal details like your birthday or anniversary. Create a unique password for each account, and keep track of everything with a secure password manager like NordPass or RoboForm.

3. Stay private on social media. Change your Facebook settings from public to private so only the people you’ve connected with can see your posts and photos. Avoid posting phone numbers, addresses, pictures of your property or vacation dates—and wait until you’ve returned before sharing your fabulous getaway photos. Never respond to messages from people you don’t know, even if they claim it’s an emergency.

Help Is Available

Got questions? We have answers! Head to your local library, community college or ArchWell Health center for free technology classes to gain confidence-boosting skills. You can also take free courses online through AT&T and Senior Planet, or watch tech tip video tutorials for seniors.

ArchWell Health is here to help you enjoy everything life has to offer. Visit your local center to discover how our team can support your ongoing health and independence—with as much or as little tech as you want! .