Best Apps For Older Adults - Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Introduction to Best Apps for Older Adults

Despite a common perception that older adults are slow to adopt technology, research has shown that seniors are increasingly gravitating towards the use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI can improve their quality of life and increase their independence in a variety of ways.

When one first hears the term artificial intelligence, they may think of speaking robots or ultra intelligent software systems that can mimic human thought or activities. Though in its most complex form, AI is approaching the mimicking humans, there are many simpler applications that you likely already interface with on a day to day basis:

Face ID to Open Your Phone
Social Media
Google Search
Smart Home Devices

As you can see, it is not as scary as one might read in the headlines, here are several areas where AI can be particularly useful to older adults:

Health and Wellness

Telemedicine and Virtual Health Assistants: AI-powered platforms can facilitate remote consultations with healthcare providers, making it easier for older adults to access medical care without leaving their homes.
Personalized Health Monitoring: Wearable devices and health apps can monitor vital signs, remind users to take medications, and alert caregivers in case of emergencies.
Disease Prediction and Management: AI can analyze health data to predict the onset of diseases and manage chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease through personalized treatment plans.

Best Smart Watches for Seniors – (a compilation from articles under the Resources section at the bottom of this article)

Apple Watch Ultra 2 – Expensive, yet rugged, full featured fitness watch: Heart health notifications, ECG app, fall and crash detection and notification, alarm siren.

Apple Watch SE – More affordable fitness watch with fall and crash detection as well as SOS notification. Also includes heart health notifications.

Google Pixel Watch 2 – track variations in your skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep to help you spot possible changes. Get help with Emergency SOS and Fall Detection if you’re feeling unsafe or if you’ve had a hard fall. Safety Check alerts your close contacts if you don’t respond to a set check-in timer. Assess your heart rhythm for atrial fibrillation with the ECG app and easily share results with your doctor.

Fitbit Sense 2 – All-day stress detection with cEDA and daily Stress Management Score, ECG app for atrial fibrillation assessment. Irregular heart rhythm notifications, SpO2, and health metrics dashboard.

Garmin Vivoactive 5 – A robust fitness watch with features for those in a wheelchair: Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked).

Apple Watch Series 9 – Take an ECG anytime. Get notifications if you have an irregular heart rhythm. See how much time you spent in REM, Core, or Deep sleep with sleep stages. Temperature sensing provides insights into overall well-being and cycle tracking. Fall Detection and Crash Detection can connect you with emergency services in the event of a hard fall or a severe car crash. And Emergency SOS lets you call for help with the press of a button.

Daily Living Assistance

Communication: For those with hearing or speaking disabilities, smart communication devices, such speech to text applications to enable users to read instead of listening to communicate. Amazon Echo Show 8 is an example.
Smart Home Devices: Voice-activated assistants like Amazon Echo Dot or Google Nest with Google Assistant can help with tasks such as setting reminders, controlling home appliances, and providing information.
Robotic Companions: Social robots can offer companionship, remind users of their daily routines, and even help with simple household tasks.
- Chat Robot ElliQ is designed as a tech-enabled social companion to alleviate loneliness and isolation. The device looks like a small table lamp with an eyeless head that lights up and swivels. ElliQ is designed to proactively initiate conversations with its users or suggest potential activities such as physical exercises, trivia games or informational discussions on nutrition, to name a few.
- 1. She can do practical things like remind individuals to take medications and do health checks while also tracking health metrics like sleep, mood and pain.
Safety Enhancements: AI-powered fall detection systems and emergency response solutions can provide immediate assistance in case of accidents. See the Apple Watch SE and other smart watches
Smart Locks – Smart locks can allow you to live key free as well as allow easy access to friends and loved ones. They use a keypad system with an entry code and many can respond to remote control. These devices are not advised for those with memory issues. Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt

Cognitive and Social Engagement

Cognitive Training Apps

AI-based apps can provide brain exercises and games to help maintain cognitive function.

Lumosity is a longtime brain-training-app that has features that many other apps have copied. It offers a free version and numerous challenges that test memory, attention, flexibility and problem-solving skills through games, tasks, and other activities.Happify is different from other brain-training apps in that it focuses primarily on general mental well-being, with games and activities that reduce burnout and anxiety, and manage grief. This app may potentially benefit aging loved ones and caregivers alike. Happiness and a positive attitude influence the brain’s ability to grow, expand, and improve.

Brain Wars is a phone App and is for those with a competitive streak. This brain-training app aims to increase cognitive power and mental concentration through live challenges that seemingly never end, and its rules are straightforward and easy to learn quickly. Games include quick math, matching, tracing, and much more, and the interface is colorful and high contrast, but simple. The app allows you to play new challengers or friends through feature that allows users to connect with individuals worldwide. Brain Wars is meant to be used with larger, tablet-like devices.

Social Connectivity

AI can help older adults stay connected with family and friends through video calls, social media, and messaging platforms.

Oscar Senior is a specialized app for smartphones and tablets, designed specifically for older adults. This all-in-one software solution facilitates communication between seniors and their loved ones with its user-friendly design. The app features large, easy-to-find buttons and widgets with large text. Initiating a video call is simple, requiring just a couple of button presses.

Facebook Messenger is an instant messenger service owned by Facebook.

More than just a mode of consistent communication, Facebook messenger also gives companies ways to deepen their relationships with clients. Facebook launched Messenger in the Summer of 2011, after acquiring a messaging app named Beluga.

Though Facebook Messenger is owned and managed by Facebook, the app is separate to the social platform. You don’t have to be a Facebook account holder to use Facebook Messenger.

Owned by Facebook, WhatsApp is a free app and one of the best video chat options for seniors, thanks to its robust privacy settings. Messages and call data are protected with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only those in the conversation can access or read them.

FaceTime is the built-in video chat app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users, making it the best option for those with Apple devices who communicate primarily with other Apple users.

Virtual Reality (VR) Experiences

AI-driven VR can offer immersive experiences, allowing older adults to explore new places and activities from the comfort of their homes.

Meta Quest offers standalone headsets that require no wires, computers, or other external devices. Just slide on the headset, and you’re ready to go.

PlayStation VR headsets, on the other hand, need a PlayStation console, such as a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5, to function. The console connects to the VR headset with a cord, transporting you into your chosen virtual environment.

Playstation VR Headset (Refurbished) – More affordable…

Google Cardboard is another VR headset option, which works with your smartphone. It’s an excellent low-cost choice for seniors to test out VR before investing in a higher-end headset.

Financial Management

Managing finances can be complicated for seniors, given pensions, social security and IRA distributions and the like. Luckily, there are AI apps that can help you manage budgets, track expenses, and provide insights into spending habits. This article, from Yahoo Finance, gives you 6 options.

Learning and Entertainment

Game and E-learning Platforms

AI can offer personalized learning experiences, making it easier for older adults to acquire new skills or pursue hobbies. This article, from “agespace”, gives you 10 choices in this arena.

Entertainment Recommendations

AI can suggest movies, books, music, and other forms of entertainment based on individual preferences.

Likewise App – The Likewise app helps you quickly find selections made for you by learning what you like. Along with help from Pix, your personal entertainment companion powered by AI, and real recommendations from real people, you can discover even more ways to find your next favorite book, show, movie, and podcast!

The best recommendations- Personalized to your unique tastes, Likewise learns what you like to give you personalized recommendations.- Ask Pix to provide recommendations immediately. Pix will get to know you and your preferences which will be used for future recommendations.-

Queue – Find Movies & Shows – Queue is the easiest and most fun way to track your movies and shows, discover new things to watch, see where things are available to stream, and share what you’re watching with your friends and family.

Transportation

Ride-Hailing Services: AI-powered apps like Uber and Lyft can provide convenient transportation options for older adults who may not drive.
Autonomous Vehicles: In the future, self-driving cars could offer a safe and independent mode of transportation for older adults.

Support and Caregiving

Caregiver Support Tools: AI can help caregivers by providing tools for monitoring and managing the health and well-being of older adults.
Community Engagement: AI can connect older adults with community resources, support groups, and local events.

By leveraging these AI technologies, older adults can enhance their independence, improve their health and well-being, and stay connected with their communities. In addition, they will find these applications can make many activities and chores more convenient.

Resources

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Best Apps For Older Adults – Artificial Intelligence (AI)