Assistive Technology for the Elderly
With age, the ability of people to live independently is likely to decrease. To perform various activities and daily tasks, assistive devices can help elderly people. A House of Common Library report states that the UK’s older population is expected to increase with people over 65 making up 24% of the total population by 2043 i.e. 17.4 million people.
According to a report by Government Office for Science, more than 70% of population growth between 2014 and 2039 will be among the over 60 age group, which is an increase from 21.9 million people. As per the WHO, over 1 billion people from all over the globe require at least one assistive device.
With an increase in non-communicable ailments and the ageing world population, it is expected that by 2030, over 2 billion people will require at least 1 assistive device, with many elderly people requiring two or more such products.
What are Assistive Devices and Assistive Technology?
Assistive technology or AT is any method or service to help elderly people or individuals with disabilities carry out daily activities that may be impossible or challenging without assistance. For older people, assistive technology can be an amplification instrument to aid in hearing the sound, or a walker to assist mobility. It enables many individuals to spend an independent life without needing long-term home health care or nursing services.
Benefits of Assistive Devices
Note that assistive technology and devices are all about improving the quality of life of a person by improving their social interaction and living standards, and by offering greater independence. Some benefits of assistive devices include:
- Enables seniors to live an independent life
- Improve the quality of life
- Allows social interactions
- Help older adults age in place
- Ensures safety of seniors
- Maintain older adult’s health
- Improve convenience
- Rebuild confidence for elderly people
The Different Types of Assistive Technology & Devices
There is a wide range of assistive devices for older adults to support their lives. Today, you will find different innovative assistive devices in various categories including mobility aids, cognitive aids, hearing aids, communication aids, low-vision devices, and more.
1. Telecare Systems
It is a device that offers continuous and automatic real-time remote monitoring for emergencies to help disabled or elderly people who live alone. The Telecare system uses a telephone line to connect various sensors across the home to a selected person. In case an issue arises, the sensors automatically activate the alarm or send a notification to the related person.
2. GPS Trackers
GPS trackers enable a person to know the location of someone who is away from home. It is particularly helpful for people with diseases like dementia. This assistive technology provides many advantages to people with disabilities, elderly people, and carers as well. The tracking and location features offer “peace of mind” to both wearer and carer. It helps older adults safely move across the community and get help when required.
3. Communication Aids
Such assistive aids enable people to hear, speak, and see. The communication devices help elder people send and receive messages. Such technologies may include talking devices, hearing aids, telephone amplifiers, big button phones, voice command devices, and simple-to-use mobile phones such as TTfone.
It is a simple mobile device that comes with a wide range of helpful features for older people. The assistive features of TTfone include an emergency assistance button, dock charger, loud volume, clear large fonts, and easy menus. TTfone has a wide range of assistive mobile phones for elderly people.
Here are some benefits of using this big button phone for older adults:
- It is easy to use for elderly people
- The best device for people with partial sight, thanks to dual screen
- It has large clear fonts
- The emergency assistance button is programmed to help during emergencies
- A loud volume feature makes it an ideal choice for people with hearing issues