Many people focus on saving up enough money for retirement and that’s as far as the planning goes. They might also think about which vacations they’ll be taking.
There is less planning regarding the things you’ll need to age gracefully during your retirement. There are a lot of things that need to be planned out to make sure that you get the most out of your retirement.
One thing that also tends to be ignored by many is the fact that technology is often there to lend seniors a helping hand. Many devices and software will help retirees take better care of themselves so they can continue to live independently for as long as possible.
In this article, we will go over several devices that will allow you to live the life you want in retirement.
Fall detection
A fall is generally what leads to the loss of independence when it comes to seniors. It usually ends up causing other health problems that begin to spiral and cause many issues over time.
The best thing to be done is preventing falls in the elderly from happening. If a fall does happen then it needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible to prevent any larger issues that happen the longer treatment takes to arrive.
Fall detection is a very important software that is found in many different types of devices. It is featured in things from hearing aids to fitness trackers.
If you live alone then having a medical alert system that includes fall detection will ensure that you get help quickly even if you aren’t able to use the voice activation or press a button. The emergency services in your area will be alerted within seconds of the fall and arrive to help.
If you are an active person and like to ride a bike or go on hikes then using a fitness tracker can help you avoid a dire situation in an emergency in case you fall and are incapacitated. It allows you the freedom to explore without being anxious about emergencies should they arise.
Fitness trackers
Exercise and activity are extremely important for seniors as leading a sedentary lifestyle is a cause of many health problems when we age. Having a device that will act as a personal trainer is a boon for many seniors.
A fitness tracker can create a personalized exercise routine that takes age, weight, and ability into account to help seniors stay active. They will also give reminders to get moving when they detect that the user has been inactive for too long.
Some of these trackers will also record and report on health metrics such as heartbeat rate and how much sleep the user is getting.
A report can be viewed over time so the user can understand if the routine they are using is helping them and their health. They can use the data to make adjustments to their lifestyle and habits.
Smart home
The Internet of Things has solved a lot of problems that seniors have when it comes to managing their homes. It has made it possible to retrofit an old home into a modern smart home. Devices are now able to communicate with each other and make for a seamless experience that allows you to have a lot of upgrades without spending a fortune.
For instance, smart thermostats will help the homeowner control their heating and air conditioning with minimal intervention. The savings are considerable when using smart thermostats since they use AI to understand how much heat is needed, at what times, and in what areas of the house.
They usually have sensors so they detect when a person is in a certain area of the home the most. It will send the heat or air conditioning to that part of the house and leave the rest to avoid cooling the entire house when it isn’t being used.
Smart security systems will keep the seniors protected since they allow you to see what is happening outside the house. Cameras are activated by motion detection with an alert being sent to the user. Then you can see on your smartphone what is happening around the house.
A smart toilet with a bidet combo is not part of the Internet of Things but is highly technological and can help those with mobility issues. They give seniors the ability to maintain their hygiene without ever needing to use their hands. They clean themselves with a jet of warm water and then dry off with a warm air blower attached to their toilet.