Top Technology Trends Improving the Lives of Older Australians

While some older Australian’s might feel trying to adapt to the latest trends and technologies is unnecessary, there has actually never been a better time in life to be tech savvy and learn about the many benefits that come with embracing new technology as we age.

Becoming acquainted or reacquainted with smart technology can have several physical and mental health benefits and here we discuss a few of the many reasons why engaging in smart technologies such as smartphones, tablets and home automation can boost your overall quality of life.

Smartphones

A smartphone is an easy way to make your daily life easier and richer. Paired with an internet connection, you will receive access to services like Skype, FaceTime, Viber or Whatsapp to contact friends, children and grandchildren in a virtual face to face environment. In an age where distance increasingly separates families, talking online can ensure that you touch base with your loved ones.

As an alternative video chat, you can also get updated via email or Facebook. You can set up a group on Facebook where you, your family, and your friends can all share stories, photos and videos.

Wearable Technology

Today, the development of wearable technology is being used to change more than just our social habits; these devices are being used to improve our everyday life, health and safety. Wearable technology has a variety of different uses, ranging from smart watches, smart glasses, fitness trackers, health monitors, navigation devices, and even smart clothing.

Wearable technology enables everybody to become more accountable for their own personal fitness and to help to lead healthier lives – an increasingly important consideration as our population ages.

Wearable technology has the potential for a big impact on healthcare advancement and providing more independence and a better quality of life for older Australian’s. Already, wearable medical technology is improving the lives of people with diabetes, heart conditions and other illnesses. As the technology advances further and more people adopt wearing devices and sensors for healthcare, there is potential for the medical industry to access a vast database of non-personal medical data for further research and development in the healthcare industry in Australia.

Meanwhile, smartphones & fitness trackers are available to help motivate you to get more exercise, lose weight or get a better night’s sleep. These wearable devices will gently prod you to work toward your goal, encourage you along the way, and praise you when you get there. They can record your activity, while the associated apps interpret the results and send you frequent messages to let you know how well you’re progressing, provide you with comparisons on previous days and keep you motivated towards your health and fitness goals.

Tablets & E-Readers for Easier Reading

Continuing to read as you age is a great way to maintain cognitive health. You might find a good read more stimulating for the brain more than watching movies or even listening to audio books. Reading also helps to maintain your working memory muscles.

E-readers like Kindles or tablets are a great way to keep reading wherever you are in the world, without the need to carry a whole library of books to keep you entertained. You can use a tablet for access to a bigger screen and a more user friendly experience. With this technology, you can have thousands of books in your collection, all in one handheld device. With an E-reader you can easily adjust the size of the text to make reading easier on your eyes.

Home Automation

Automated curtains, blinds, and shutters provide convenience, style and comfort. As we continue to age, home automation has a range of other advantages that make daily tasks less taxing and can be the key to greater independence.

As we age and mobility starts to decrease, taking care of simple tasks around your home can become difficult and an inconvenience. Having curtains and blinds opening and closing using a smartphone app or by the touch of a remote control can streamline this mundane task so you can remain comfortable in your own home and not fuss over opening heavy blinds or leaning over furniture to reach the cord each time you want to change the position of your window coverings.

While automatic timers can be used to manage your home’s temperature and manage energy bills, as well as let in sunshine to help improve the comfort inside your home.

Automatic Lighting

Automatic lighting is convenient, but it’s also a great safety feature for any home. Security lights outside your home can give the appearance to a potential intruder that someone is always at home and deter them.

Sensor lights that illuminate dangerous stairways, obstacles and areas to ensure that you won’t hurt yourself at night.

Automated lighting is a popular option for older Australians and provides added peace of mind.

Smarter Smoke Detectors

Rather than simply beeping, smart smoke alarms enhance your safety and security by telling you the nature and location of the danger in your home. They can test for carbon monoxide as well as smoke and they can also self-test their batteries and sensors to let you know when they need replacing. If you have hearing problems, smart alarms can be integrated with strobe lights or other non-auditory warning systems. They can also send alerts to your smartphone or the phone of a relative or friend. That way, you can be alerted to the danger even if you’re not home. Perhaps more importantly, if you’re asleep or immobilised, someone can still be notified and contact emergency services for you.

With the Somfy myLink ^™ system, you can control your blinds, curtains, roller shutters, awnings and RTS enabled lighting using your smartphone or tablet. To learn how Somfy motorised solutions can help you, visit your nearest retailer.