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Tech Tips for Your Senior Parents

There are so many ways to enrich the lives of your elderly parent who lives at home. It is now easier than ever to allow your mom or dad to age in place without having to worry about their health and safety. It used to be a risky decision to allow a mom or dad to age in the home they have lived in for years but it is now more common than ever. Technology, medicine, and the right help such as an elder care specialist make it possible to age in place safely.

If you are still concerned about your mom or dad living at home you need to consider hiring elder care providers. This may be the best resource and helper a senior needs to live longer on their own when you are not able to help as much as you wish. Elder care can be beneficial for all people but especially seniors who may need the extra help.

On top of elder care providers, there is a ton of technology that can change the way a senior lives. You will have to take the time to sit down with a senior and teach them how each piece of technology works. Here are five tips that may help seniors learn their technology and benefit from all types of gadgets.

Start With a Computer

If a senior already has a computer this is great news. Every senior should learn and understand how to use a computer because they can then use this to learn other gadgets. They can watch videos on new tech devices and figure out most things for themselves. Using a laptop or computer as a learning device can make a senior feel much more independent. Instead of calling for help each time they need to do something they can just research it on their end.

Teach Them to Use Tech to Stay Connected

Not everyone will live close by and a senior can get lonely easier than you think. Sure, they want to remain independent for as long as possible but they also need to keep being social. An elder care provider can help give a senior rides to events and activities but not everyone will attend those. Teach a senior which platforms will allow them to make video calls and keep connected with the friends and family they love.

Integrate Technology Into Their Routine

Maybe you want to set up a time where the grandkids call every morning before school or summer camp. This not only helps a senior feel comfortable with new technology but it helps build the connections to family and may help prevent a senior from feeling too lonely. Don’t be afraid to add tech time into a senior’s daily routine.

Balance Online and Offline Technology

Too much of anything can be bad and that is the same with technology. Using a platform to talk to friends and family and staying connected is a wonderful thing to add to a daily routine. However, there also needs to be time set aside to do other things and walk around the neighborhood or do activities at a local senior center. There should be a healthy balance.