Nowadays there are so many innovative and useful gadgets available to assist the elderly in going about their everyday lives. These can be anything from tech gadgets, kitchen appliances or contraptions that even assist with just getting dressed. It’s really just a matter of convincing your elderly loved one to give new gadgets and tools a try!
Electronic Gadgets
- Amazon Echo is an internet connected device designed to respond to your voice and the natural way you speak. Alexa has been specifically geared to understand Australian accents and slang! You could for instance ask Alexa the weather forecast, set reminders, play music, or read the news. The date and time will also show in large easy to read letters and numbers. It even allows video chat calls!
- Television remotes now do a lot more than they used to, and are made much more user-friendly. With large buttons for volume, changing channels, powering on and off and making it simpler for the elderly to navigate.
- Mobiles and Senior phones with huge one touch buttons, auto-answer, and the option to block unknown callers are available. There are a number of providers that offer these phones.
- Phone Apps. There are millions for Communication, Safety & Tracking, Music, Movies, Recipes, Health & Fitness, Games, Shopping and much more. Check our Blog here on how to download an App and more on Phone Apps.
Assistance Gadgets
- An electronic power lift recliner chair is perfect to help get out of a chair. It’s functional and reliable and some of them even offer massage functions!
- Shoehorns help with putting shoes on when you can’t bend over.
- Dressing sticks can assist when mobility is a challenge. A lightweight wooden stick with a hook helps with changing into and out of garments.
- Shower seating, toileting and bath aids and grab bars are all equipment designed to assist with independence whilst maintaining hygiene.
Daily Living and Kitchen Gadgets
- One-hand can openers and one-hand jar openers are useful for the elderly without a lot of strength or grip needed.
- Kettle Tippers are handy for those with arthritis or reduced physical strength, as there is no need to lift the whole kettle as there is a raised tilting platform to pour from.
- Modified one-handed cutting boards as well as a variety of general kitchen aids used to assist with peeling, cutting and chopping.
- Gripping aids can be placed on utensil handles, key turners and even tap turners.
- Adapted cutlery and crockery helps with poor grip, decreased muscle tremor and reduced dexterity. These are angled, soft coated and easy-grip helping the elderly to eat independently.
- Reaching aids and hand grabbers come in different styles and lengths. They mitigate the risk of the need to reach up or bend down to pick up items.
- Magnifying viewers, adaptable scissors and safety bars can also enhance independence, confidence and safety in managing daily tasks.
There are so many gadgets designed with assisting the elderly in mind. There are any number of care aids and healthcare equipment companies that sell and also hire out equipment and gadgets. Aldi also have a disabled and elderly equipment week twice a year, and the selection of products available and prices are quite reasonable. Certainly, any new equipment or gadgets you invest in will help your elderly loved one with their independence, confidence and mobility, so it’s never too early to start looking!
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