By Rosanne Rogé, CSA, RFG, CFP®
Managing Director
Like many things, aging is certainly not what it was years ago. Today, older adults can age much more gracefully with the help of advances in healthcare, as well as cutting-edge technology. According to the Society of Senior Advisors (CSA), below are some of the most recent innovative technologies geared towards older adults.
SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY:
Woohoo
This tool allows caregivers to look after elderly parents, children and even pets using an interactive and intuitive interface. It uses a smart camera and voice control, allowing you to connect and control every device in the home.
Lookout Smart Door Viewer
This upgraded version of a security camera uses facial recognition to allow friends and family access to your home. It also pairs with Amazon Alexa.
WEARABLE TECH:
IQbuds
These wireless earbuds are the “hearing aid” of the future. They boost noise control technology that automatically calibrates the earbuds to the wearer, allowing it to tune out noisy environments or amplify the user’s ability to hear more clearly in crowded places.
MobileHelp and Samsung GearWatch
This wearable medical alert device offers emergency response capabilities, as well as fitness-monitoring, GPS and cell phone features.
ADT Health on Samsung GearWatch
This is a personal emergency response system that connects the wearer to a specially-trained ADT agent at the push of a button. It also features a fitness tracker – like the number of daily steps and heartrate.
BOTS:
Cutii
We’re not living in The Jetsons world just yet – but this robot does use vocal and facial recognition to perform a collection of activities, such as scheduling doctor appointments and contacting family members.
Buddy
Buddy can hold a conversation, play music and monitor your home – similar to an Amazon Echo. However, Buddy has a face and wheels, and is “open source,” which means he will continue to evolve and learn over time.
SMART DEVICES AND SOFTWARE:
Lenovo Smart Display
This smart device is a voice-activated helper complete with both a speaker and a screen, so that you can play music, make phone calls and ask questions using Google’s search tools and browsers. Everything about this device is larger and bolder to keep things simple, and help people utilize voice commands rather than the touch screen.
Invoxia Triby Speaker
Triby is another voice-activated speaker that pairs with Amazon Alexa– but it’s battery-powered. It can play music, get news, set alarms, and can also control smart home devices.
Corti
When someone calls 911, Corti is a software that can run in the background during the call and can analyze the caller’s words, the victim’s breathing pattern, and even check for symptoms of cardiac arrest. It can then prompt the dispatcher to ask specific questions or walk the caller through CPR.
You can learn more about each of these innovations by visiting the Society of Certified Senior Advisors.
Aging in place used to be very difficult – and it still can be. However, consistent updates in technology can give both caregivers and the aging population peace of mind. Be sure to check out our other articles related to aging, “Top Resources for Caregivers” and “The Impact of Aging on Financial Decision Making.”
If you or your loved ones have questions regarding wealth management or financial planning, please contact us at 631.218.0077 or at info@rwroge.com to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our senior wealth advisors.
