Technologies facilitate the “Aging in Place” for the elderly
As more baby boomers are reaching their retirement ages, the aging population becomes a more serious and emerging issue to the United States. In order to assist the elderly to age happily and healthily, it is critical for the policymakers and private sector to understand on how to maximize the elderly’s satisfaction and quality of life in the aging process, while alleviating and preventing aging-related health problems.
The concept of “Aging in place” emphasizes the seniors’ abilities and preferences to age in their own living environments, while maintaining their independence and social relationships for as long as possible (Davey et al. 2004). According to the AARP, 90% of the elderly in the United States preferred to age in the comfort of their own homes, rather than staying in institutional care facilities (AARP, 2012). However, home unsafety remains a huge issue for the elderly.
Many private-sector companies provide technological solutions to support seniors’ efforts to age in their own homes. For example, beds that automatically raise and lower themselves decrease the efforts for the elderly to climb in and out, and reduce stress on the joints. Moreover, installation of smart lighting with voice-activated controls provides the elderly with bright environments throughout the home, while reducing energy costs. Furthermore, a company — Suitable Technologies combines mobility and video conference in an application, which provides the platform for care-providers to instantly be present with the elderly in needs, during an emergency. The medical specialists can also use this application to visit their elderly patients for appointments, which reduces the effort for the elderly to travel from their homes to the hospitals, especially while they are in physical pain.
Reference:
Davey, J. A., de Joux, V., Nana, G. and Arcus, M. (2004). Accommodation options for older people in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Centre for Housing Research, Christchurch.
AARP. (2012). The United States of Aging Survey. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/learn/research/the-united-states-of-aging-survey-2012-aarp.pdf
