5 Tech Gifts for Seniors That Could Save Their Life

Tech gifts for seniors are great gifts – modern technology even has the potential to save a life. Seniors are embracing technology at a fast rate, and it’s changing their lives for the better. According to one study, the use of technology by the elderly population significantly contributes to a better quality of life; ensuring seniors are happier, healthier, and safer.

Many tech devices exist in the market today, and people are taking advantage of them. Care communities are already using a range of artificial intelligence-powered tools like sensors, robots, and software to address various senior needs. For example, they’re using monitoring devices to collect residents’ data more easily. Sensors and other AI-powered devices also give healthcare professionals better visibility into resident’s health and so on.

While it comes to tech for seniors, there’s nothing like one-size-fits-all. It’s therefore essential to consider the physical needs, lifestyle, and interests of the senior before picking a tech gift. A good example is a GPS for dementia patients or webcam for isolated residents in senior living communities. With that in mind, here are the top 5 tech gifts for seniors that could save their lives.

Fall monitor

A fall monitor is one of the best tech gifts for seniors since it could save their lives with emergency response. That’s because falls – or the fear of them – can have a heavy impact on the quality of life of older adults. Your loved one, like other seniors, may be afraid of falling and, as a result, limit their social activities and engagements.

This may result in forced social isolation, physical decline, feelings of helplessness, and depression. But with a fall detection device at hand, your loved one might feel free to move around, knowing that help is just around the corner, should they fall.

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A fall detection device is a thoughtful tech gift for seniors, especially since slips and falls are prevalent as adults age. According to the CDC, an adult aged 65+ suffers a fall every second in the US.

From these falls, more than 32,000 die, and 1 in 5 end up with an injury like a head injury or broken bone. An automatic fall detection system ensures older people get help fast when they fall. This could mean the difference between life and death.

The best part is that fall detection devices are often built into wearable bracelets, watches, hip-worn devices, or pendants. So, they aren’t just a lifesaver but also a beautiful addition to their overall look. Most fall detectors automatically detect falls, making them a perfect gift for the elderly.

Easy Webcam

An Easy webcam is yet another best tech gift for seniors that can help with recording video or webcam monitoring. Studies have shown that older people who regularly communicate with their loved ones are generally happier and healthier. They also experience low anxiety, depression, and chronic illness and have better cognitive health, increased longevity, and improved mobility.

Staying connected is especially critical to the quality of life in memory care. According to an Alzheimers.net post, dementia patients can recall how an event made them feel, even when they can no longer remember names and faces.

But maintaining close contact with your loved one who lives far away or in an assisted living home can be hard. That’s when an easy webcam can make a huge difference. Gifting your loved one with a webcam shows your desire to engage them face-to-face.

With such a tech gift, you can keep in touch with the seniors in your life while seeing their faces and expressions. It’s a more personal experience than a traditional phone conversation and a perfect way to maintain a long-distance relationship.

With a webcam in place, your loved one will be able to interact with the rest of the family and see everything as though they were there in person. But most importantly, it will give you a glimpse into the level of care your loved one is getting. With webcams, you could tell whether they are neglected, abused, or well-cared for.

Smartwatch

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Watches have always been a great gift choice for years. They are one of those gifts you’re confident your loved one will appreciate. Smart watches are trendy and thoughtful but could also be a lifesaver, especially for seniors. Those designed for seniors can monitor vital signs, play music, answer voice messages, detect falls, track senior location, measure workouts or walks, etc.  

A smart device can handle a range of critical things that matter in the life of an adult. For instance, it will remind independent seniors of important events like doctor appointments or time to take drugs, and so on. A smartphone could do all these things – but a smartwatch is more beneficial since it’s wearable and always with your loved one at all times.

On top of that, a smartwatch provides an early alert of incidents ranging from high stress to heart rate. It also provides continuous daily risk assessment and detects warning signs of deteriorating health issues in independent living patients and those in care services. Some watches can even be set up as fall detection technology. This allows medical attention to be offered at the earliest opportunity.

Home security

If your senior loved one lives independently, then a gift that enhances their security can be a great idea. Seniors often feel vulnerable at home and worry about break-ins and intruders. They may also overlook health and safety hazards like carbon monoxide, smoke, or frozen pipes because of age-related issues. Home security can come in handy in such cases and give you and your loved one some refreshing peace of mind.

A home security system is a significant investment, but one that’s absolutely worth gifting your loved one. This is especially true for seniors with mobility issues, delayed reaction times, and deteriorating hearing. With such a system in place, you can easily monitor the home and allow your loved one to be more independent. Seniors can also easily alert authorities about any medical emergency – all with a tap of a button.

Examples of home security systems in the real estate industry include video cameras, glass and motion sensors, home automation, alarms, lighting, etc.

Smartphones and virtual assistants

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Virtual assistants (VA) like Siri and Alexa can be great tech gifts for the elderly. Once set up, these technologies can do so much for the senior. For instance, one could use the tech to call for help, communicate with loved ones, or learn anything. Some assistants can be used as medical alert systems.

The interaction, albeit with a virtual assistant, may reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Social isolation increases a person’s risk of premature death.

In addition to VAs, you can buy smart tools like smartphones or Kindles for senior entertainment. This will open up your loved one to a whole new world that’s engaging, fun and diverse.

There you have it, the top 5 tech gifts for seniors that could save their lives. Whether your loved one is getting home care services or is in a short-term or long-term stay facility, these products and services will help ensure a better quality of life.

The Best Things to Give Your Loved One in a Nursing Home

Nothing can replace your love and attention when it comes to things to give your loved one in a nursing home. But there are a few things you can get to brighten their days and make their life more comfortable – most of which we'll discuss in this article.

Before you set out to buy these things, keep in mind that:

With that in mind, here are the best things to give your loved one in a nursing home:

Games and fun

Spending days, weeks, or months in the nursing home can get boring. Your loved one needs something to brighten up their days, all while engaging their body and mind. And what better way to achieve that than by getting them fun games. Games are exciting and entertaining and can also improve their daily life skills, memory, and overall mental health. The best part is there's no limit to the fun items you can get them. Here are some quick picks – but you can always find more.

·       Board games and puzzles

Board games never really go out of fashion. If your loved one has a friend who doesn't mind gaming, this should be your ultimate choice. Games like jig-saw puzzles, puzzle books, dominoes, chess, cards, scrabble, word search, and backgammon are perfect for old members in nursing homes. It’s even better when there’s some candies and snacks to share.

·       Adult coloring book or audiobooks

Coloring books are fun, just as they are engaging. And with lots of time to spare in the nursing home, your loved one will surely love to color to keep busy. But if they are not the type that loves to color, you can opt for something more entertaining and calming, like an audiobook or a print-book. In the latter case, make sure the words are large enough so they don’t strain.

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Coloring books are a great way to stimulate memory and overall mental health.

·       Art and craft supplies

For your loved one in the nursing home, creating art and craft pieces is not only a smart way to use imagination but also maintain dexterity in hands and fingers. There are plenty of art and craft supplies to match vast needs. Just find out what your loved one wants. Here are some good examples:

Flashlight and reading light

Flashlight and reading light come in handy at night. They allow your loved one to carry one with activities without disturbing their roommates. With these lights, the elderly can read or play their games at night, or even search for items. When shopping for flashlights, find those that use LED as they shine brighter and keep power for long. You may also want to find beautiful reading lights so it adds to the room’s décor.

Stationery and other writing supplies

The baby boomer generation loves the pen and paper. It would be thoughtful of you to give them a nice piece of paper, an envelope, and stamps. It's pretty hard for residents to get stamps. It's even harder to get cards for all occasions – whether it's birthday or Christmas and so on. When you give them blank cards, stamps, and envelopes, they'll be able to write to their loved ones during holidays, which is just great. You can also add in some dairy, notepads, pens, pencils, and other stationery that will allow them to write down or document things/events.

Toiletries

Most nursing homes provide toiletries for their residents. But as you know, you can never have enough of some things. Besides, these homes only provide select toiletries – like tissues and soap. So always want to ensure that your loved one has enough supply of other toiletries they need. Toiletries like lip balm (in seasonal flavors), aftershave, deodorant lotion, body spray, etc., are always a good gift idea. Do, however, ensure that your loved one is not allergic and can safely use these items. Most nursing homes have a locking cabinet for specific toiletries to ensure they aren't stolen or ingested mistakenly. As a caution, you can label the bottle with the owner's name.

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Home Décor

Your loved one will be staying in the nursing home for a while. So you might as well make it as homely as possible. Depending on how their rooms look, you can get the wallpapers, carpet, lovely covers, and so on. You may also bring flowers to liven up the room. But the vase should be easy to clean and appealing too. Again, be cautious while picking flowers, so they don't look like the "get well soon" flowers.

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Flowers are a great way to show someone you love them.

Senior-friendly clothing and footwear

Clothing is one of the top choices when looking for things to buy for a loved one. And with plenty of variety available in the market, there's no limit to what you can get. Since your loved one is in a nursing home, you want to find clothing and footwear that are warm, cozy, safe, and stylish too. Your elderly still want to look sharp even in the nursing home.

·       Comfortable clothing

When shopping for clothes, go for those that are comfortable and easy to wear. Try to avoid clothes with tiny zips or small buttons as they are hard to maneuver. Opt for wrap-around styles instead. Again, choose fabrics that are machine-washed and dried and avoid those that need special care.

·       Gripper footwear

You also want to find comfortable, breathable, and adjustable footwear. Gripper slippers or socks are a great option as they keep the cold feet warm and are easy to put on. Besides, these can keep your loved one safe by lowering the chances of slip and falls.

·       Shawls and wraps

Shawls, blankets, wraps are always welcome. Blankets can transform the room while keeping your loved one warm and cozy. And since the elderly always seem to be cold all year round, wraps, wearable sleeved blankets, shawls, button-up sweaters etc., are a perfect choice.

Show them love

Everyone – including those in a nursing home – enjoy a little love. You can show it to them whenever you visit. Sometimes even a simple visit can go a long way to brightening up their day! We all know how short-staffed some nursing homes can be. Simply spending time with your loved one is an incredibly valuable gift. You could also get them something funny or cute to look at when you are not around. If your loved one loves cats, you might be able to get them a cat. And if they are more of teddy bear lovers, then a stuffed toy would work the magic. Of all the things to give your loved one in a nursing home, time is going to be the one that is truly cherished.