These days, older adults are inundated with an explosion of high-tech products centered on improving their self-reliance and safety and contributing to life enhancement. At the touch of a button or two, we can instantly visit “in person” with family and friends through Skype, wear a necklace that connects with emergency services when necessary, and even remain safe from getting lost with specialized detectors attached to clothes or shoes. Seniors and technology seem to be made for each other!
The issue becomes how to inspire seniors (and the family members who care for them) to switch from a low-tech mentality to embracing all that’s available to them, something that is continually top of mind for us at Stay Home Care. A recent Caring.com report revealed that as few as 15% of families caring for aging loved ones are actually making use of technology.
Several frequent hurdles:
- A perceived stigma. Many people may see the use of certain technology, such as medical alert pendants, as the loss of their self-reliance.
- Finding help. Troubleshooting problems with technology leads many older adults and their caregivers to give up on attempting to get devices to work.
- Lack of time. Finding time to learn and try something new is particularly challenging for busy families who take care of their loved ones.
If you’d like to try to integrate medical technology into senior caregiving but are dealing with these complications, call on Stay Home Care, the leading provider of elderly home care in Nashville and the surrounding areas, for assistance. Our proficient and patient care professionals can help tackle the technological barriers by:
- Making recommendations for technology that suits a senior’s personality and issues
- Setting up and providing training on how to use the technology
Whether it is educating on how to enjoy applications on a tablet device, or setting up a personal medical alert system, we can keep older individuals connected to friends and family and help them enjoy life to the fullest. Contact us any time online or call 615-964-7726 to learn more about our customized Hendersonville home care and care throughout the surrounding communities.