Someone once said, “Once you have glimpsed the world as it might be, it is impossible to live anymore complacent in the world as it is.” That seems to be the way things are going with the integration of technology into the lives of older adults. If the pandemic has done nothing else, it’s certainly led the way for older individuals to embrace technology in order to function and thrive in today’s world. In fact, a recent post detailing an AARP survey of tech trends among older adults noted, “Tech has gone from a nice-to-have to a need-to-have for Americans 50+.“ And a recent Pew study confirms that trends were already reflecting a greater embrace of technology by older adults even before the pandemic began– But in the past couple of years, with the advent of Zooming, online ordering, podcasts, and streaming content, the pace of the embrace has picked up significantly.

And the areas of daily activity that have been digitized and techno-wrapped for seniors have expanded as well. While many of the tech advances used by seniors have centered around clinical and health-related concerns, there has also been a huge increase in the number of start-ups and services addressing matters of financing and budgeting, scheduling, connecting with others, and supporting an independent life for seniors who live in the community. In fact, with the older population set to exceed over 54 million people, businesses and entrepreneurs recognize a growing (and well-to-do) audience of needs and products that can be met with technology. 

A recent blog post in Aging and Health Technology Watch noted four trends to be watching for 2022: First, in-home care services via telehealth and “Hospital at Home” start-ups will expand, as the interactions of older patients with the formal health care system have changed and evolved during the pandemic. For example, take a look at the new company Dispatch Health, which can send virtually hospital-level care to your home, so you can avoid hospitalization. Second, look out for the ever-expanding universe of smart displays and voice-activated gadgets, in your appliances, devices, and even vehicles (are you hearing that Siri?) Third, sensors will continue to shrink and evolve to track your health and well-being in real-time with little of the burden of earlier versions that were bulky or invasive. Finally, as more and more hearing devices come on the market without the need for a prescription or audiologist, hearing technology will continue to be disrupted. For one example, take a look at the newly introduced Eargo 6 hearing device, which will automatically adjust to optimize hearing in whatever setting you are in and which will include a “mask mode” so that you can better hear someone speaking through a mask!

And to provide you with a few more “tech support” products that are now available for use in your home, consider the following: First, as introduced at the most recent 2022 Consumer Electronic Show (CES), there is the Independa Health Hub. Using a new LG brand smart television, this software will make it easy for you to video chat with your caregiver on the television screen, or access a menu of professional services, just by clicking your remote. Need a dental consultation? Want to check in with your pharmacy? Maybe take a Spiro 100 exercise class? All easy as pie with this one centralized system on your smart tv. For more on this hub of health, grab your remote and click here. Or, worried about your blood pressure but unhappy with your “cuff” skills at home? There’s a new device designed by University of Missouri engineers that looks like the finger clip pulse oximeter you may have bought during Covid but is actually an easy way to check your blood pressure in 5 seconds, along with your body temperature and respiratory rate. So put away your bulky blood pressure device and read here. And to discover an additional array of tech gadgets that will likely become a part of your life in the years to come, click here for more products for older adults revealed at this year’s CES gathering.