Devices, Tools, Objects relating to better quality life as grow older.
The Longevity Explorer groups have frequently brought up the complaint that their TV remote is too complicated. It's a recurring theme any time one asks about technology design and examples of poorly designed gadgets.
In my DIY solutions to the challenges of my older relatives, I often use a “Button” to trigger an Alexa Routine. It keeps things simple, and avoids them needing to remember a specific “phrase” to speak. However, it is not so easy to find the right button. This solution explains the options, and which buttons I prefer.
One of the Longevity Explorers found a problem when her mother (in a nursing home) kept inadvertebtly touching the screen of her Echo Show, disrupting the video call. Here is my solution to that problem.
Caption: My Samsung Z Flip 3 Mobile Phone. Here are my experiences with two mobile phones I have used over the last 6 months. From my perspective (a tech-savvy older adult), one was really bad. The other was “OK”, but definitely not “for everyone”. Read about my experiences below. Google PIXEL 5. … Read more
Isn’t there a simple solution using a smart plug with Alexa to turn the plug off after a fixed time? Yes, and this describes how to set it up.
Have you ever plugged in a device, turned it on and later forgot it was still plugged in? If this was a device that consumed a lot of energy such as a clothes iron, electric hotplate, coffee pot, tea kettle or a space heater you might have wasted some power or even have caused some damage.
The Dementia Door Minder is a solution to the problem that arises when a person with dementia gets up at night, leaves the house, and wanders off.
Caption: L: Apple Watch + FallCall Lite App; R: Unaliwear Kanega Watch. With a number of fall detection watches now available, many older adults and their families are wondering about getting a smart watch with fall detection instead of a more conventional medical alert pendant — or just as an added safety tool … Read more
This solution notes when a person with dementia gets out of bed, and can guide the person to the bathroom, remind them to return to bed if they stay up longer than desired, and alert a caregiver if they stay up too long, but avoid unnecessary alerts if the activity is within parameters set by the caregiver.
For those of us caring for a loved one with dementia, nocturnal bed exits can be an overwhelming problem. The problem gets even worse if the person with dementia leaves the house at night without anyone knowing.