I remember iPhones were in the early adoption phase. Boomers looked on in amazement. These devices lauded by the and middle age but seen approached with skepticism by the elderly – many were intimidated. Little did they realize the smartphone would become so ubiquitous and useful.
I remember many elderly receiving their first iPhone. It was amazing to watch them look at their phone and press all the little icons just to see what they would do. When my grandmother first got her phone, her favorite app was Candy Crush.
Today’s smartphones and their apps really do offer a lot of conveniences for seniors. And during the stage of life when some seniors begin to disconnect because of limitations and distances, smartphones have been improving the quality of life for many. Seniors can remain connected and lead more interesting and fulfilling lives. So much is available at their fingertips, like news, weather, and entertainment.
Health Apps
Today’s smartphones have a vast array of built-in monitoring features and available health apps. For example, iPhones can sync up with the iWatch or a Fitbit to monitor such things as heart rate and blood pressure. There are even some apps that can do an EKG. With these advances have come a great sense of empowerment. You can take control over your health and remain proactive in seeking care and treatment.
Apps like GoodRX offer seniors a convenient way to look for discounts from local pharmacies. They can shop around and find the best prices and GoodRX also offers plenty of coupons. Drugs.com provides a lot of useful information regarding prescription drugs. Users can verify the shape and color of pills, read up on all the side effects, and check for any drug interactions.
Today, seniors are much more active. Cell phones offer a myriad of fitness related features and apps to track your exercise activity. One of the most popular fitness apps is MyFitnessPal. It can keep track of nutrition and exercise, and offer helpful advice for both. It also offers the convenience of barcode scanning to easily access a product’s nutritional profile.
Word with Friends
Another great gaming app for older adults is Word with Friends. Seniors will find it rather familiar because it’s a lot like Scrabble – a game that they probably grew up playing. It’s also a fun way to stay connected with those around you. Sometimes games can take days or weeks to play out which makes it a great way to stay in touch with your loved ones.
Audible
Many boomers grew up reading. It is a pastime that seems to be slipping away either because of faltering vision or the increasing hectic pace of modern times. Older adults are simply not reading as much as they used to. Audible allows access to a wide range of books that can be enjoyed while exercising or during any other leisure time.
Ride Sharing Apps
As our older folks enter their later years in life, they begin to lose the desire or the ability to drive. Ride sharing apps like Uber and Lyft provide a level of mobility and independence that may have become difficult to maintain. The elderly now have a new sense of freedom to visit their loved ones or simply go out and run errands without having to depend on others.
Social Media Apps
Social media apps like Instagram and Facebook have become increasingly popular among the elderly. They are a great way to keep in touch with family members and friends. These apps allow them to see what’s going on in their social circles and provides them with a sense of connectivity that often diminishes with age and distance.
Now, they no longer need to wait for their children or grandchildren to send them photos. They can log in and see everything that’s happening in their lives and interact with them. These apps are also a great way to meet new friends with similar interests. Facebook and YouTube are the top two social media apps used by seniors. According to AARP, 71% of adults over 50 are you using Facebook on a regular basis.
FaceTime
The FaceTime app is available exclusively on Apple tech products (although similar apps also available on other platforms). FaceTime brings people together like never before. Who could have imagined 50 years ago that we would be talking so effortlessly by video phone. It is loved by the elderly and young alike as a way to stay connected and have intimate one-on-one conversations with the people you cherish most. It makes no difference if you’re around the corner or around the world, Apple has really made video conferencing as easy as it can be.