Independence is crucial for seniors. When an older person begins to struggle with daily tasks in their home, they may start to feel depressed or become isolated. They might even end up moving to a care home when that’s not absolutely necessary.

In fact, there a huge number of gadgets available that can help make an elderly person’s day a little smoother and easier. Some older people may find that devices can help them stay safely in their own home rather than moving to a relative’s home or a care home.

What sort of devices can help an elderly person? In this blog post, we’ll run through some key technologies and helpful items that can make all the difference when it comes to independence.

Dosette boxes

Let’s start with a simple one – dosette boxes. Also called pill organisers, these plastic containers help older people to keep track of their medicine. By distributing pills into individual compartments for different days or times of day, dosette boxes help ensure that no doses are missed or taken twice. These devices work great in combination with technology like a personal alarm that lets you set reminders telling you when it’s time to take your medicine.

Smart home assistants

Virtual home assistants can be a great addition to your home – in fact, around 29% of adults aged 50 and over have purchased digital assistants, according to AARP.

Digital assistants for seniors, such as Amazon Alexa, are designed to blend nicely and discreetly into your home. With Alexa, you’ll need a smart speaker like the Amazon Echo to get started, and you’ll need to activate the voice settings. The Alexa is great for anyone, acting not only as a virtual assistant but also as a smart home controller (if you have smart bulbs and plugs in your home), an entertainment source, music/radio speaker and much more.

They are particularly useful for those who have mobility/memory issues or medical requirements. You can receive reminders to take your medication at a certain time, add something to your shopping list, turn off the lights or even ask for a recipe suggestion via a simple command.

However, there are privacy concerns around smart speakers and how they collect information. Some people can also find them too complicated and difficult to set up. In addition, smart speakers can be hacked so it is wise to be selective about what information you are sharing with the assistant.

Smartphones

A typical smartphone can also be a great tool for independence in the hands of a tech-savvy senior. It allows them to set alarms, chat with family and access the same some of the same voice-activated virtual assistant technology that smart speakers provide.

However, some seniors prefer simpler phones – and these are available too. You can purchase a phone with a pared-down interface or even a phone designed for older people with dementia or who are blind. To learn more, see our introductory guide to mobile phones for the elderly.

E-readers

These are great for those struggling with eye strain or who can’t hold heavy books. Devices such as the Kindle allow you to adjust the text size, are very light to hold and are much kinder to your eyes while reading.

Independence as a senior sometimes means clearing out clutter and moving to a smaller home that’s easier for an older person to clean and maintain. In this situation, an e-reader could really help. Rather than dusting shelves full of paper books, an older person can use electronic versions. What’s great as well is that e-readers have accessibility features like larger font options, which can help older people with weaker vision.

Smartwatches and health tracking devices

In 2023, around 11% of people aged 56 plus owned a smartwatch, according to Statista. One option is the Apple Watch, some models of which allow seniors to monitor their heart rate. Another is the Fitbit, which also offers heart rate monitoring, as well as blood oxygen monitoring and sleep tracking.

You can also get a personal alarm that resembles a smart watch. An alarm of this kind, like the SureSafeGO, combines safety features like fall detection and an emergency button with a few health features like a step counter (in some models) and medication reminders. An advantage here is that the alarm is designed with large-size features to be visible for older people with weaker vision.

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that a pulse oximeter or a blood pressure cuff can be very helpful to some older people if they have certain cardiovascular or lung conditions. Since there are often no physical symptoms of high blood pressure, it’s not a bad idea for elderly people to keep an eye on this important health indicator.

In terms of watches, if an older person isn’t keen on the idea of a smartwatch, there are still options that can make life a little easier. For example, a talking watch reads out the time for an elderly person who is blind.

Household gadgets

Not all gadgets for seniors wanting to live independently are high-tech. Some are designed to simply help out with everyday tasks. Here are some unique household gadgets you may not be aware of:

Jar lid remover

We all struggle with opening jars at times, and these simply make opening jars much easier, helping to prevent potential injuries.

Button hook

Another handy gadget for the elderly, these can help seniors with arthritis who have reduced grip or reduced eyesight. They allow you to hook a buttonhole over a button in one simple move.

Long-handled objects

You can purchase long-handled hairbrushes, shoehorns and more, which help make daily tasks easier to perform by yourself.

Key turners

These are very cheap but can be of great use for those who struggle with reduced grip or shaking hands. They usually come in the form of a rubber fob that fits over the head of your key to make easier to hold and handle when opening the door.

Home alarms

Although it’s always important to keep your fire alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in good order, this is even more important for seniors, who might be less aware of problems occurring in the home due to weaker hearing or sense of smell.

Take a look at our article on five types of alarms to keep older people safer at home.

How a SureSafe GO can help elderly people to stay independence

Personal alarms for the elderly can play a significant role in helping seniors to be independent and active. While other alarms typically prevent activities from going wrong, a personal alarm is there to help after something has gone wrong. For example, if an older person falls, the alarm should detect the fall and begin calling friends or a response centre for assistance all on its own.

If you’d like to know more about how a personal alarm could help you or an older person dear to you, we’re happy to chat with you and explain. Just ring 0808 189 1671, reach out by live chat or request a call back.