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Pill Boxes, Pill Organizers: Recommendations

There are many, many pill boxes and pill organizer solutions to choose from in your local drugstore or on Amazon. Unsurprisingly, not all of them are equally good. The Longevity Explorers have strong views about what to look for in a pill box. Here are their recommendations, and a list of the "things to watch for".

Read: "Pill Boxes, Pill Organizers: Recommendations"

Advance Directive Forms, Apps, & Online Guides

Advance Healthcare Directives are a critical part of planning for end of life. In this article we dig into exactly what they are, how you use them, how you get help understanding them, and what we have learned about online resources and Apps for completing an Advance Directive Form.

Read: "Advance Directive Forms, Apps, & Online Guides"

End of Life Planning

End of Life Planning was the exploration of the month at several Longevity Explorer circles. Here is what we learned about end of life planning, including things like advance directives, healthcare powers of attorney, POLST forms, MOLST forms, and living wills. If you are thinking some end of life planning might be timely, either for you or for a family member, read this.

Read: "End of Life Planning"

A Professional Fiduciary: What is it? Do you need one?

Wondering what a Professional Fiduciary is, when you might need one, and how you would find a good one? We asked professional fiduciary Kim Schwarcz to explain.

Read: "A Professional Fiduciary: What is it? Do you need one?"

Designing User Interfaces for an Aging Population

Designing for Older Adults: Interview with Dr Jeff Johnson

In this interview with Dr. Jeff Johnson — who with Dr. Kate Finn literally "wrote the book" on designing for older adults — Jeff discusses with Richard Caro a variety of topics relating to designing better products for older adults.

Read: "Designing for Older Adults: Interview with Dr Jeff Johnson"

From MD to Alexa Skills Developer: My Journey

Retired physician, Dr Bob Kolock, shares his new "hobby": Alexa Skills Developer. He describes how he came to be interested in Alexa, and describes some of the 13 skills he has developed. Many of these skills are useful for older adults, and Dr. Kolock's perspective from "both sides of the stethoscope" makes them especially intriguing.

Read: "From MD to Alexa Skills Developer: My Journey"

Older Adults Online: Behavior, Trust, & Design

Our Longevity Explorers frequently comment on just how poorly they think most Apps and websites are designed — when viewed from the perspective of an older adult. So we were excited when a Silicon Valley startup enlisted our help to answer a variety of questions about how older adults really do interact online.

Read: "Older Adults Online: Behavior, Trust, & Design"

Can Alexa Help Fight Loneliness and Isolation?

Perhaps it seems counterintuitive that an artificial intelligence(AI) might help combat loneliness and isolation. But as our Longevity Explorers evaluate the latest version of Alexa, paired with the Amazon Echo Show, which has an excellent video call capability, we are starting to see great potential for these products to do just that.

And while there are a variety of initiatives evaluating the potential of interactions between older adults and Alexa (Amazon's artifical intelligence) as a way to reduce loneliness, we think the communication capabilities of the Echo Show may make possible deeper human to human interactions (with friends and family for example) as well.

Read: "Can Alexa Help Fight Loneliness and Isolation?"

Amazon Echo Show: Older Adults Explore

Our Longevity Explorers have been testing the Amazon Echo Show and exploring its capabilities. With the ability to make phone calls and video calls on request, Alexa and the Amazon Echo Show have added important capabilities since our community of older adults first explored Alexa back in 2017. Learn what these "seniors" think is (or is not) useful about it; what questions they have; and what they think needs improvement.

Read: "Amazon Echo Show: Older Adults Explore"

Medical Alerts: Just Tell Me What To Buy!

"I don't want to become an expert on medical alerts. Just tell me what to buy." is something we often hear. We've found the answer depends enormously on the specific lifestyle of the person enquiring.

Most people fit within one of a handful of broad "personas". Choose which persona best matches your lifestyle, then see which medical alert devices we recommend for that persona.

Read: "Medical Alerts: Just Tell Me What To Buy!"

View more analysis and explorations

The Gilhoolie Jar Opener

The Gilhoolie Jar Opener is a device intended to make easy work of opening tight jar lids and bottle caps.

Read: "The Gilhoolie Jar Opener"

Five Wishes

Five wishes is an online service that enables you to create an advance directive.

Read: "Five Wishes"

Retirement Lifestyle Coaching by Larry Jacobson

This is an online video coaching program, designed to help you plan a fulfilling and meaningful retirement. It's delivered by Retirement Coach Larry Jacobson, based on his personal experiences of retiring and learning how to plan his own retirement.

Read: "Retirement Lifestyle Coaching by Larry Jacobson"

Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers

This is a book about planning retirement for those aging alone (solo agers). One of our explorers brought it along to a meeting and recommends it.

Read: "Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers"

Image of CallToU Wireless Caregiver Pager Smart Call System 2 SOS Call Buttons/Transmitters 2 Receivers Nurse Calling Alert Patient Help System for Home/Personal Attention Pager 500+Feet Plugin Receiver

CallToU Caregiver Call Button

CallToU is a wireless call system intended for indoor use to alert the intended helper that assistance is needed by the user.

Read: "CallToU Caregiver Call Button"

View more listings of products, services and learning resources

To Women's Clothing Designers: We Need to Talk!

Explorer Judy expects pockets in garments when she is shopping for new clothes.

A Few of Our Concerns: Online Fear, Built-in Obsolescence, Dealing with Scams

We are a new Longevity Explorer group: The Bayley Longevity Explorers in Cincinnati, Ohio. This discussion segment is our first ‘real’ more involved, in-depth, and meaningful discussion as an Explorer group. It was a very good first meeting! This discussion segment is about some of the...

Brain Health, Charles Denby @ Providence

Charles Denby spoke about the Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center at Rhode Island Hospital program’s research registry, which now includes more than six hundred individuals. One of the benefits of being in the registry and followed over time is the researchers’ ability to identify...

Balance: Staying Stable When Things Are Changing, Dr Brian Hay

Dr. Brian Hay Balance - Staying Stable When Things Are Changing by Longevity Explorers: Recent @ Providence

We may have laughed at the ad, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up,” but with one third of people over the age of 65 having at least one fall a year, falling is very serious. Jerianne...

SilverSmart Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The SilverSmart Tech Center on the Passavant Campus has been researching, demonstrating, trialing, and piloting assistive technology devices and systems designed for seniors for ten years!

Resources for Medicare and More, Providence

In this meeting we had two guests, both United Way employees and counselors for Rhode Island’s Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). They presented the group with a number of resources available to RI seniors and answered questions about Medicare options as well as many other statewide...

Explorers discuss Medicare at Providence meeting

Older Adult Boxing, Senior Olympics

The Cincinnati (Bayley) Longevity Explorers talk about the importance of being physically active; especially as older adults. A couple of Explorers very fondly talk about the boxing classes they are currently taking. Tai Chi and wishing for a Cincinnati-hosted Senior Olympics are also...

Pill Holders @ SF

SF Longevity Explorers discuss the pros and cons of a variety of pill holders.

Pill Organizers at San Francisco Longevity Explorers

Wearable Technology V. Experimental Smart Watch Applications

Wearable Technolgy V. In the final portion of his presentation on wearable technology, Prof. Mandokiya described some experimental uses of smart shoes and smart watches to help physicans who are prescribing an incremental walking program after vascular surgery for patients with peripheral artery...

Wearable Technology IV. WearableTextiles

Wearable Technology IV. Continuing his presentation on the ways in which research can inform the development of health applications for wearable technology, Prof. Mandokiya described the work of his own Wearable Sensing Lab at the University of Rhode Island, with its focus on wearable e-textiles...

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Medical Alert Systems: Help

We kept getting asked "which medical alert system is best?"; and "how do I choose the right medical alert system for me?". This independent, objective, hands-on research tries to answer those questions. If you are looking for a medical alert system, either for yourself or for an older adult such as a parent, this piece of research is for you.

Choose the Right Medical Alert System for YOU

Useful Apps Club

Unlock the potential of your smartphone or tablet to improve your life. The Useful Apps Club is for older adults and Boomers who have a smartphone or tablet (or are thinking of getting one) and need help to turn it into a useful tool. We are focused on finding Apps that can change your life, and teaching you how to use them.

View: The Useful Apps Club

Reduce Fall Risk

Read the "best of the web" on: Avoiding Falling. Our team of clinicians and citizen analysts has scoured the web for the best available answers to a set of questions designed to help you make falling less likely, and make the consequences if you do fall less bad.

View: Avoid the Perils of Falling

Guide: Home Sensor Systems

Read our report on this new category of products, designed to help seniors stay at home longer, and to help their families worry about them less. There are important lessons to be learned about which ones work, and for which types of circumstance they are optimal.

View: Home Sensor System Guide

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Pill Boxes, Pill Organizers: Recommendations