It’s increasingly clear that technology has an incredible power to increase human wellbeing. For example, devices ranging from pacemakers to AI surgical robots have been tested or used to improve people’s health.

Wearable technology is one field that’s currently advancing, with many pieces of tech now available. And one thing that wearable tech is particularly good at is monitoring.

That’s exactly why wearables have so much potential for assisting seniors. Elderly people are more likely to have health conditions and to experience accidents like falls, so monitoring is an invaluable way for them and their families to keep an eye on their health and wellbeing.

What exactly can wearables do in the realm of senior health monitoring? Read on to learn all about how wearables are changing the game when it comes to health monitoring for seniors.

What are wearables?

Wearable devices are just technological devices that are worn on the body. So, anything you wear could potentially be made into a wearable device – including glasses, clothing and jewellery.

Wearable tech is great for monitoring because it’s always with the wearer, so it offers a perfect opportunity to keep track of their key data on a constant basis. This can be revolutionary in healthcare because it allows for potential advance warning of negative health trends – plus the ability to get help fast if an emergency does occur.

In other words, wearables can help seniors, carers and medical professionals be proactive when it comes to health, working to prevent health crises rather than just reacting to them after they happen. And wearables can keep seniors connected with others, too, which is critical for maintaining their independence if they are living alone in their own homes.

What needs can wearable technology meet?

The monitoring provided by wearable devices benefits seniors in numerous ways, from everyday health checks to once-in-a-lifetime situations.

Health data monitoring

One of the most obvious and well-known uses of wearable tech is for health data monitoring. Key information about factors like heart rate, blood oxygen, body temperature and blood pressure can help seniors track whether they’re reaching their goals. It can also flag if these measurements are going into dangerous territory.

This is transformative – a huge difference from just getting “snapshots” of an older person’s health each time they visit the doctor. Wearables that monitor health data can give a fuller picture of a senior’s health, including how different measurements change over the day. And wearable device measurements can also help to avoid “white coat syndrome,” where people’s blood pressure gets high because they’re nervous about visiting the doctor.

With this better understanding of their own health, the older person wearing the device can talk to their doctor or take action before things get worse. For example, if their temperature gets too high during activity, they could take a break and ensure it’s back to a safe zone. And if the monitor suggests their blood pressure is regularly too high, they can consult their GP about ways to lower it.

Activity monitoring

Activity monitoring is also a popular use of wearable tech. Simple pedometers or step-counting devices have been around for a long time. Today, step counter functions are often added into more complex devices like personal alarms or smart watches. And more advanced wearable devices can track activity in other ways, too. For example, they may be able to track distance travelled or calories burned. That all adds up to a great way of understanding more about an older person’s health.

Experts in ageing know that elderly people need to get exercise for many reasons. It helps keep them strong and stable, lowering their chances of a fall. And research suggests it may also improve mental health and even stave off dementia.

So, being able to monitor activity levels on a day-to-day basis can make a huge difference for both seniors and their families. Older people can set goals for their own activity, and “gamification” in devices could even encourage them to exercise more.

Emergency assistance

Personal alarms are a type of wearable device that are designed to protect seniors in emergency situations. But they can also be helpful during everyday life.

One way personal alarms may differ from other types of wearable tech is that they are primarily designed for communication with others, unlike devices that are mostly for the wearer to track their own achievements or data. A personal alarm is typically a body-worn device that allows the wearer to call for help by pressing just one button, which is sometimes referred to as an SOS or panic button. This function is crucial in situations where the senior is experiencing a health emergency. It’s also essential if they’ve fallen and are now unable to stand up, which is a situation that could otherwise result in the older person lying on the floor for hours or even days.

More advanced personal alarms may also have automatic fall detection. This means that sensors in the device are always working to detect a fall. If the device judges that a fall has occurred, it will call for help by itself, even when the wearer is unconscious or unable to press the SOS button.

All in all, these functionalities can be literally lifesaving for an elderly person. By ensuring that help comes fast, they can also reduce the harms from medical emergencies or falls, which means more independence and better quality of living for seniors.

GPS trackers

GPS trackers can be very useful for seniors who live alone because they allow the senior’s loved ones to keep an eye on their whereabouts. This means that relatives can ensure the alarm wearer has got to their doctor’s appointment on time, for example, or that they have made it home safe on an icy night.

What’s more, GPS tracking can be powerful when combined with other types of wearable devices. With a personal alarm with GPS tracking, a senior who presses their SOS button can be located fast by helpers.

GPS tracking can also help in dementia care, such as in situations where an elderly person is in the early stages of dementia but at risk of getting a little bit lost while they’re away from home. And if an elderly person has more severe dementia and is prone to wandering, a dementia tracker device can allow their family to locate them fast.

Dementia care

Indeed, wearable devices have great potential when it comes to monitoring the health of elderly people with dementia. It’s well known that seniors with dementia may not be aware of how their body is feeling, and that can lead to negative health outcomes. For example, they may not notice that they are feeling too hot or too cold. As a result, they could start to suffer from heat exhaustion, or they might become distressed but be unable to explain why.

A wearable device for a dementia sufferer could help carers to track key data like body temperature and heart rate, allowing them to respond to issues faster and prevent health emergencies from occurring.

However, one issue here is that elderly people with dementia may remove their wearable devices. In this case, families can opt for lockable devices.

What forms does wearable tech come in?

There are countless ways for seniors to wear their wearable tech. Some are cutting-edge, while others have been around for a decade or more. Here, we’ll run down a few of the most popular types of wearable tech.

Smart watches or wristbands

Ask most people to picture a wearable device, and they’ll probably imagine something worn on the wrist. This could be a smart watch, a wrist-worn activity and health tracker device, or a wrist-worn personal alarm that resembles a smart watch.

This form of device is popular because it’s like something people are already used to wearing – a watch. And the device’s position on the wrist allows it to monitor heartbeat and other health stats conveniently.

Pendants

A simple pendant can be a better alternative for an older person who doesn’t like the feeling of a wrist-worn device. Personal alarms can often come in a simple talking pendant form, for example.

Smart rings

Smart rings are a newer alternative to wrist-worn health and activity trackers. Like wristbands, they take advantage of a position next to blood vessels in the skin to track health data. And they can have a sleeker appearance, which is more appealing to some.

Smart textiles

So far, we’ve discussed some forms of wearable devices that are already established in the market. What’s on the cutting edge of wearables, then? One possibility is smart textiles. These could be textiles that show different patterns, depending on user inputs. Or they could be clothing that responds to the wearer’s movements. In 2022, MIT researchers discussed using smart textiles to help prevent diabetic people from developing ulcers on their feet. Another option could be smart socks that detect physiological signs of distress in people with dementia.

Get a simple yet powerful device to help seniors in emergencies

Clearly, there’s a wide range of wearable technology to choose from, with options to suit seniors with a variety of health goals or medical conditions.

But one wearable device that’s a must-have for many seniors is a personal alarm for the elderly. And at SureSafe, we’ve ensured that our personal alarms have all the key features that you need – including one-touch SOS buttons, automatic fall detection, GPS tracking and more.

If you’d like to learn more about an easy-to-use, affordable wearable device that can make all the difference in preserving older people’s independence, get in touch with us! You can contact our expert team by phone at 0808 189 1670, through our live chat or by requesting a call back.