The Best Home Technology For Seniors

Seniors, until relatively recently, might not have considered the possibility of aging in place, meaning they stay in their homes. Instead, there was often the automatic assumption that older people would move in with family or they would go to an assisted living community or nursing home. 

This isn’t inherently true anymore. More seniors and their families are seeing the benefits of aging in place. 

There are still programs where people can receive home care and services, but they remain in an environment that’s familiar and comfortable for them. 

Technology has made a lot of this possible even though just a decade ago, it might not have been. 

If you’re a senior and you hope to age in your home and remain independent, or you’re helping a loved one plan for their future, understanding the available technology can help you figure out the best strategy. 

The Benefits of Aging in Place

There’s a reason staying in your home is becoming the preferred option for so many Americans. 

First, you can stay in a place that’s comfortable and familiar for you. Moving can be physically and mentally stressful. For older people, it can cause more confusion, and it can also lead to mental health symptoms like depression. 

When you’re in your home, even if you need some help along the way, you can also retain your sense of independence and empowerment. That’s important, and it’s key for aging with dignity and continuing to enjoy a good quality of life. 

Financially, it can also make more sense. Assisted living and nursing facilities can be incredibly expensive. There are programs that can cover some of the costs of in-home care, which is almost always going to be less expensive than out-of-the-home options. 

If you have grandchildren and family members who come visit you often, you might also want them to have a home where they come to and make memories rather than visiting you in an impersonal place. 

How technology helps

Loved ones who have an aging parent or family member often worry they’ll be lonely or disconnected from the world around them. Technology can go a long way to help avoid these risks. 

For example, during the pandemic, when many people were isolated from their older relatives, they worked on helping them learn how to use technology like video chat platforms. It became a way to socially connect, catch up and avoid isolation, even with physical distance. 

There are also a lot of ways that technology can make life easier and more convenient for older people, in addition to providing their loved ones with peace of mind. 

Even just having a smartphone is a tremendous asset for older people. You can use a mobile device to get news, email, and apps that help you stay on top of your health and remind you when it’s time to take medication. 

Technology use among older people is associated with better self-rated health, a higher subjective sense of well-being, lower depression, and even fewer chronic conditions. These benefits were discovered during a study by the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University. 

Below, we talk more specifically about some of the ways technology helps facilitate aging in place. 

Mobile apps

There are a growing set of mobile apps geared toward the needs of seniors

Some of these include:

There are so many other types of apps with wonderful features for seniors. For example, we know that older people need to keep their brains active and engaged. Online games and app-based games are good ways to do this to help prevent cognitive decline. 

Safety technology

While many of the things above are more about fun and leisure, there are plenty of technology options for safety. These include:

Home automation

Home automation is great for people of any age, not just seniors. Some of the ways you can use home automation include:

With the American population aging, there is a big push for society to rethink what it means to get older. So many of us hope to be as independent as possible for as long as we can. 

That means that companies are likely to continue introducing technology and gadgets that facilitate this desire. The more you can take advantage of technology, the more connected you can be with your loved ones, and the better you’ll feel about them continuing to live independently. 


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