For adults with dementia and their loved ones, modern technology is opening up a whole new world of possibilities, allowing seniors to age in place while remaining safe, active, and connected to their families.
Institute on Aging’s Companioa is at the forefront of this new wave of development. Their Tech Talks bring together dementia patients, caregivers, and tech companies to help develop solutions that will empower seniors to age with dignity, independence, and joy.
Benefits of technology for dementia patients and their caregivers:
Modern technology has given us the tools to improve virtually every aspect of life for aging seniors. Companioa uses programs designed to help connect a patient and their care team by synchronizing schedules, organizing medical data, and providing medication reminders.
Within just the last few years, artificial intelligence and home monitoring tools have allowed for huge advances in physical safety tools. Technology is working to help detect falls, but also to help determine whether a fall requires intervention. Other alert systems can help monitor location, so that Alzheimer’s patients aren’t in danger of getting lost when they leave home.
Video calling is one of the most basic examples of how technology can help. Socializing is important for seniors, and research even shows that maintaining social bonds can help slow and alleviate some of the early symptoms of dementia. Remote communication has become a nearly ubiquitous part of life in recent years, and it allows seniors to remain connected with loved ones who might live halfway across the world.
Music is an important tool for seniors. It can have a profound impact on memory and emotions, and it can also help elderly adults maintain physical fitness. For their adult day program at IOA’s Enrichment Center, Companioa utilizes SingFit, which is designed specifically for improving cognitive health through music.
Potential barriers between seniors and technology use:
While elderly adults are increasingly tech-savvy, they don’t have the same comfort level as many young people.
They might be more resistant to trying new programs or apps; “I’ve gone this long without it, so why do I need it now?”
Technology is frequently not optimized for people with common symptoms of aging, such as loss of dexterity, vision, or hearing.
No matter your age, it’s difficult to keep up with the rapid development of technology. The field is changing constantly.
Many people have no idea where to start, or which tech companies to trust, especially when it comes to critical issues of a loved one’s health.
How Companioa is helping seniors and their families access new technology:
Institute on Aging’s tech innovation specialist, Stephen Johnston, says that it’s important for Companioa to “bridge the gap” between tech companies and the people who will be using their solutions, especially when it comes to something like dementia care. It may not be the most visible or glamorous use for cutting-edge technology, but seniors and their caregivers are a large potential market for start-ups. More importantly, there are countless potential applications that could have a very real and meaningful impact on day-to-day life — it’s just a matter of figuring out which problems need to be addressed.
At their Enrichment Center in the Presidio, the Companioa team hosts regular “Tech Talks,” where caregivers, seniors, and family members are able to talk directly to developers and tech start-ups. They can ask questions and point out problems or solutions, ensuring that developers are aware of potential pitfalls. The issues that seniors and their caregivers face are specialized and unique, and most developers don’t have enough experience with them to create useful solutions.
The reverse is also true; because the world of tech changes so rapidly, many caregivers might not even be aware of what is possible. Companioa aims to educate seniors and their caregivers, expanding their understanding of new technology and teaching them how to utilize it in their day to day lives.
For those who feel uninformed, or don’t know what companies to trust, IOA is able to serve as a trusted authority in the constantly changing world of technology.