Believe it or not, technology plays a huge role in the world of senior care. And this role is growing more day by day. Recently, a display held in China showcased many different new concepts and technologies. All of these were geared toward helping improve the quality of life for senior citizens within the most populous country in the world. Some of them were far fetched, while others were not only very practical, they were only a step beyond what most people currently use with their smartphones and home systems.
Technology continues to play a growing role in the senior care industry.
One such example was a bracelet that could send out medical alerts when an accident or fall had occurred. Similar to a medic-alert bracelet where a button is pushed and emergency crews are called, this new bracelet could be used anywhere, instead of just within the home. Working through a 4G type network, this bracelet could not only detect when a fall had occurred, but it could also send emergency crews the location of where the person wearing the bracelet was along with an estimate of what the severity of the injuries was.
Another prominent piece of technology that was on display was a car with rotating seats. This design was a display of high tech ergonomics designed to help seniors and anyone else with disabilities or mobility issues be able to get in and out of a vehicle with greater ease. Not only did the seat rotate in and out of position electronically, the seats also were capable of extending and raising or lowering to the optimal height so that sitting down and standing up could be done as effortlessly as possible.
Concepts like these will inevitably take quite a while before they are available to the public on a widespread basis. So even though we might not see these items in the next five years or so (or ever, depending on marketing and development), we can trust that innovations are occurring that will make lives for our elderly parents a little bit easier. Senior care is a tough field, but the course of history has consistently shown us that where there is a need, a solution will often appear. And right now, there are more needs emerging in the world of senior care than ever before. This need will only grow as the proportion of seniors in our communities grows. That’s why using high tech devices will become more and more of a reality in our lives, and those of our moms and dads. Not all new developments will be great, but over the course of time, new ideas will continue to emerge that make life easier for us and those that need help.
If you act as a family caregiver, or your parent receives in-home care, then these developments are even more exciting. They are all designed to help our loved ones retain their independence for longer periods of time. This is a goal that many of us have, including those of us that work as professional caregivers. By using new technology appropriately, we can make our loved ones’ lives even better.
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