Useful Apps: Older Adults, Seniors & Boomers

Useful Apps for Seniors and Boomers

This is the homepage for Tech-enhanced Life's Curated Collection of Useful Apps for Older Adults, Seniors & Boomers.

We believe that smartphone Apps have huge potential to improve the quality of life of older adults. But most Apps are developed for 20 year olds, and are not necessarily ideal for older adults. We have a research initiative devoted to finding useful apps for older adults, and evaluating them. We collect the results of our research on this "topic hub" page.

If you want to learn more about our work, you can read about our Apps for Older Adults Research Initiative and the Useful Apps Club.

 

Browse the results of our Useful Apps for Older Adults initiative below.

 

 

Featured Content: Useful Apps: Older Adults, Seniors & Boomers

 

Low Vision Apps for iPhone and Android

Low Vision App Overview

Here is an overview of useful Apps for people with Low Vision. It includes Low Vision Apps for the iPhone and for Android devices.


 

 

Anyone for Tennis, by Caroline Mustard

Best Art Apps for Adult Learners

What are the Best Art Apps to start with on iPads, iPhones, and Android devices? I’ve been teaching people, especially those close to my own age, how to use their iPads, iPhones and Android devices creatively since I fell in love with painting and drawing on my iPad 5 years ago.  And this is always the most asked question. In this article I will be discussing different art apps you can use to turn your iPad or android tablet into a canvas or sketchbook and start creating up a storm.


 

 

Best Pill Reminder App

Best Pill Reminder App: Explorer Choice

We set out to pick the best pill reminder app to share with the explorers in our Useful Apps Club. This article describes which features we selected as important and why; summarizes the results of our tests; and shares with you some details about the two Medication Apps we want to recommend, each of which is good for a slightly different life situation.


 

 

Best Medical Alert App: Comparison testing

Best Medical Alert App: Bake-off

We set out to find the best medical alert app for our Longevity Explorers who wanted to use their smartphone as a medical alert system. We focused on monitored medical alerts, found only three that looked promising enough to test, and did extensive, hands-on, comparison testing. One App emerged as far superior to the others.


 

 

Driving, Ride-Hailing, & Transportation Apps

"Getting Around" is the first theme we are exploring in our "Useful Apps for Older Adults" initiative. Being free to get from one place to another when you want is a very important ingredient of an independent life. Here are Driving Apps, Ride-hailing Apps, and Transportation Apps that can make that easier and more convenient. 


 

 

rideshare app comparisons

Get A Ride Anywhere - New Options for Older Adults

This article is about some exciting new alternatives that make getting from point A to point B by car much easier than in the past for those who don't want to, or are not able to, just jump in their own car. We consider Uber, Lyft, Flywheel, taxicabs, and recommend the best rideshare app for older adults.


 

 

how to use uber app

How to use Uber, the ride sharing App

We think ride sharing App's like Uber are a great new resource that can help older adults get around more easily. This article (with videos) will describe how to get a ride using the Uber smart phone application, after first downloading the App and setting it up.


 

 

Grandparent apps: exploring

Exploring Grandparent Apps

“Once you are a grandparent, almost nothing seems as important as interacting with your grandkids, and helping them and their parents as much as you can.” But, if you can’t visit, or live a long way away, how do you maintain the sorts of deep interactions you long for?

This group of four older adults from the Longevity Explorers thought “there should be an App for that”, and set out to explore the space of “Grandparenting Apps”.


 

 

Magic Carpet Apps for That

As I mentioned in the introduction to "My Internet Enabled Life, you can see the world while sitting at your PC in your own house or apartment. Here is a list of websites that offer an amazing assortment of places to visit, theater performances to watch, TV series, and movies.   


 

 

Quickly Getting Help for a Friend in Need

"Hi, this is Lisa. I'm not sure I can take care of myself right now. Can you bring me some food?" I found that scary sounding message on my voicemail one Saturday morning. It started me on a journey to coordinate care for a close friend. I learned several things that I'll share with you. I hope that if you are ever faced with a similar situation, my experience will help you.


 


 

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apps, apps for seniors, apps for boomers, useful apps

Last Updated: April 23, 2020.