It’s no longer novel to enjoy the company of your friends on Facebook or appreciate the ease of Instagram – after all, it was a baby boomer, Tim Berners-Lee who invented the World Wide Web!  It should, therefore, come as no surprise that seniors continue to create, adopt and use new technology. From ordering groceries to making doctor’s appointments online, the ease of technology is quickly becoming ingrained in our lives.

The World Economic Forum says that we’re all more digitally connected than ever before, which makes sense, and that approximately 70% of American seniors are connected to the internet.  Devices such as smartphones, computers and tablets are a part of their daily lives to stay informed, connect to friends and family, shop, make travel plans, and make reservations for travel and transportation.

“The march toward an ever-aging society underscores a major demographic and technological shift – the well-being of many of aging boomers will increasingly depend upon technology.” writes the World Economic Forum.

Seniors who use the internet, tend to view technology in a positive light and are likely to increasingly incorporate digital and voice-activated technology into their daily lives. According to Pew Research’s Tech Adoption Among Older Adults, 58% of adults aged 65 and older say technology has had a mostly positive impact on society, while roughly three-quarters of internet-using seniors say they go online on a daily basis – and nearly one in 10 go online almost constantly.

We’ve rounded up our top 3 useful apps which prove that technology can be a great addition to your life.

• Audiobooks 

Remember listening to the thrilling stories on the radio every afternoon, excited to find out what happens next?  With audiobooks, listening to your favourite classic, the novel that everyone’s talking about or staying up to date on current biographies and world views has never been so easy!  Instead of slogging away behind a book, you can download and listen to your chosen audiobook while you cook, catch up on your knitting or while painting or drawing. Who said multi-tasking is overrated?  

You can find thousands of books on Audible.com, part of Amazon.com.  Via the Audible app, you can download books on any device – your phone, computer and tablet – which makes it easy to take your book with you wherever you go. 

You get a 30-day free trial and thereafter a small monthly subscription fee of $14.95 or R210 (based on a R14 to $1 exchange rate), you get a monthly credit to purchase a book.  Where you get value is that you can purchase any book with your credit, even if the book’s price is more than your subscription fee.

Listen and re-listen as many times you want to and never lose your place!

• Peace of Mind

Life360 is a family locator, which shares the real-time location of your “circles” – the groups you create on the app, which could include your family, teammates and friends.  It alerts you when members of your Circle has arrived at their destination and it can even let you know when someone is running late.  

With this handy app, available to download on all smartphones, your family knows that you’re safe and vice versa.

• Medication Reminder and Tracker

Ever forget to take your medication?  We all have! Now you can keep track of your medication, as well as doctors’ appointments and refill reminders through an award-winning free app called Medisafe.  

Not only does Medisafe remind you to take your pills, you can also add a “Medifriend” to give you family and caregiver support.  In addition, you can add a health journal and a reminder to refill your scripts – you can even be reminded of your “as needed” vitamins and supplements.

Oasis Life and Technology

At Oasis Life, we believe that technology is an integral part of our modern lives, which is why all our homes are fitted with high speed Fibre-to-the-home as a standard feature. 

In addition, we offer a 24-hour emergency call-button system, which transmits wirelessly via a wearable bracelet and/or buttons located in your home, so that you are, at all times, to communicate your emergency with immediate response at hand.