The World has experienced impressive achievements, but perhaps one of the greatest would be the advancement of life expectancy. Back in the 1800s, the average lifespan was about 30 years, today it is 73 years old. To add to this with the advancements in hygiene, and healthcare, people can expect to live longer and healthier lives.
Population shift
While this is good news, it also brings concern over an aging society. For example, in the mid-60s there were around 129 million people over the age of 65 years old, while today there are around 750 million which is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2100. Additionally, in the 1960s there were close to 20,000 centenarians which is estimated to reach 19 million by 2100.
As the population continues to age, the demographics of the World are shifting. Recent statistics estimate that the number of people over the age of 65 years old has grown from around 129 million people in 1965 to 750 million.
Technology following the shift
How we are aging is changing, and we are living longer and healthier lives. While technology has also been making leaps and bounds, even more new monitoring and predictive technologies will be needed to help with this population shift in healthcare to move towards preventive healthcare to track noncommunicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease.
Perception of age is also evolving. People want to stay active and independent for as long as they can, and this is where AgeTech can lend a hand. There are plenty of products that can help to make daily life easier and combat feelings of loneliness, but those that can monitor health and well-being on a regular basis are not always accessible. Most of these devices have traditionally been for professional use only, to go along with being rather large, and expensive.
This is where modern innovation enters the aging arena. AgeTech solutions help to meet the needs of an aging population by providing products and services that are designed to make aging easier.
Aging in place with AgeTech
Technology continues to advance, with AI and loT helping to make them more user-friendly and covering multiple purposes in a single compact and affordable product that is easy to integrate into our lives. AgeTech solutions are vast covering, smart home devices, robotics, digital health, mobility, health tech, education, entertainment, communication, fall prevention, exercise, and much more.
From watches to clothing and mats, these new technologies are becoming easier to adapt to the lives of the elderly. Unfortunately, more than 65% of people over the age of 50 still believe that technology is not designed for them, according to AARP.
However, the right devices can really make a difference in preventive healthcare, and the seamless coverage of technology can help to monitor health with real-time data collection that can be synchronized with approved connected applications that can be seen by healthcare providers, caregivers, and loved ones to provide regular health updates and peace of mind. Keeping track of health metrics is a game changer for those who wish to keep their independence and stay at home.
There’s an app for that
The more this age group is exposed to these technologies, the more likely more and more will be able to continue staying healthy at home, monitoring areas of their lives that they need to improve upon to prevent illness and avoid accidents.
Home devices can monitor movement around homes, and can be programmed for different schedules or routines to provide verbal reminders, which can also be linked to wearables and other devices such as lighting and thermostats.
Smart devices like wearables to track steps, sleeping patterns, oxygen levels, and heart rates can alert them to abnormal patterns.
Smart bath mats collect data on movement, balance, weight, and such to help improve anomalies.
App-driven automatic pill dispensers can make sure that medication is not missed.
Others can monitor and help to optimize diet to improve metabolic health or diabetic fluctuations. There are a variety of different smart devices and software that can help to provide insight and monitor loved ones that also continue to evolve and keep their needs in mind.
Companies recognizing the importance of support
Larger tech companies and startups are also making partnerships to help get smart technology into the homes of older people such as AARP and its Agetech Collaborative systems trying to bring more user-friendly tech to help the older generations age in place more comfortably.
More companies are beginning to recognize the importance of supporting the aging population by investing in developing accessible tools and devices to provide new innovations for the aging population to effectively track their health and promote safety and independence so that they can enjoy spending more time with their loved ones in the comfort of their own home.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.aarp.org/research/topics/technology/info-2023/2023-technology-trends-older-adults.html
https://agetechcollaborative.org/
https://worldhealth.net/news/aging-place-agetech/
https://worldhealth.net/news/bridging-digital-gap-senior-health-and-happiness/
