Smartphones have become increasingly popular among older adults due to accessibility, user-friendly interfaces and the convenience they add to daily life. According to a study conducted by the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University, technology use among older adults has actually been linked to better overall health, fewer chronic conditions, and lower rates of depression. Due to the increased use of smartphones, new apps are constantly being designed and added to the App Store (for iPhone users) and Google Play (for Android users). While apps are made available to everyone, there are a wide variety of apps that are specifically designed with older adults in mind. From brain games to medication management, there’s an app for everything and everyone.
Apps for Managing Healthcare Needs
As older adults age, managing their health can become more difficult, especially if they suffer from cognitive loss or other memory conditions. These apps help older adults take charge of their healthcare and manage their own needs more independently.
- MediSafe. This medication reminder app allows its users to customize their interface with their own individual medications and dosing schedules. MediSafe will even warn you when a combination of medications may cause complications and unwanted side-effects. Family members can access their loved one’s medication, measurements and appointments all within the same platform. They can even receive a notification when their loved one misses a dose.
- GoodRx. Managing more than one chronic condition can get expensive. GoodRX compares drug prices at different pharmacies so you don’t have to. In addition, this app will send you coupons to help you pay less than the cash price for your prescription.
- Abridge. Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment feeling confused about what your physician told you? Well, you’re not alone. Abridge is an app that can be used to record the conversation at the doctor’s office. It highlights parts of the conversation around medical terms, so if you want to hear the conversation again, you can. It also creates a transcript of the conversation and provides definitions to medical terms.
Apps for Better Organization
It’s hard to keep track of doctor’s appointments, family events and other special activities throughout the week. Our smartphones can help us stay organized and help reduce feelings of stress, especially when it comes to remembering important tasks.
- LastPass. This personal password management app safely stores and automatically fills passwords across your devices. This app minimizes the need to type in passwords for a passwordless experience. The next time you forget your email password, think about downloading LastPass, where all your passwords are stored securely in one place.
- Find My iPhone. Have you ever lost your phone and can’t remember where you put it? iPhone users can look up their phone’s location by using the Find My iPhone app. This allows users to sign into their iCloud account which gives them access to their devices’ locations, making it easier to find them when they disappear.
- Todoist. This task manager app will automatically sort your tasks and help you prioritize your most important items. You can also allow family or friends to access your to-do list and add tasks as they come up.
Apps for Entertainment and Brain Health
Apps are great for keeping people entertained and connected. Whether it’s reading a book, training your brain or playing word games, there’s something that will keep you entertained.
- Words with Friends. This is one of the most popular games on the app store. Popular to Scrabble, Words with Friends allows you to play with or against your friends. Not only will this keep you entertained, it’s also good stimulation for your brain!
- Luminosity. This app helps train the brain skills that matter most—memory, processing speed, and problem-solving. Luminosity takes tasks from the lab and turns them into fun games. The app will interpret your scores to offer actionable feedback and rich insights into your cognition.
- Duolingo. Learn any language with Duolingo. This app offers quick, bite sized language lessons that turn learning a new language into a fun and engaging activity. You’ll be fluent in Italian in no time!
- Elevate. This app is a brain training tool that helps you improve your skills in reading, writing, speaking, memory and math. As you train, the program will adjust to your skills and measure your performance across skill groups to see how you compare with others.
- Spotify. Music is medicine, especially if you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Spotify is a music player that allows you to listen to anything you can think of. Just type in a musician or song and enjoy the music.
- Audible. This app is a platform for audiobooks, podcasts and originals from various genres and sources. You can try this free for 30 days and enjoy unlimited access to thousands of titles. This is great for older adults with low-vision who love reading but find it difficult.
- Wordle. In this popular New York Times app, you get 6 chances to guess a 5 letter word. Wordle gives you clues along the way, but each day presents a new challenge.
Apps for Simple Interfaces
If you’re struggling with the design of an iPhone or Android, these apps might be for you. Older adults can struggle to use a smartphone, but there are some apps specifically designed to solve this problem. These apps provide simple interfaces so you can find exactly what you want more efficiently.
- BaldPhone. This platform replaces your phone’s interface to a big, simple and friendly one. It was designed with older adults in mind, especially for individuals with motoric problems and those who need a visual aid. It’s free, open source, and doesn’t contain advertisements.
- Senior Homescreen. This app is specially crafted to help older adults use their smartphones more effectively. This is best for seniors who don’t use many different apps on their phones. Senior Homescreen offer three apps automatically configured for easy-access.
At Inspīr we know how important it is for our residents to stay connected with their loved ones. We offer tech support to help them discover everything they need to stay in touch, even from afar. Our technology, including Temi robots, makes reaching out as simple as a click or a call so your friends and family can share in life’s special moments
