Did you know that nearly 30% of the 46 million older people who live in the US live alone1? These elders take pride in their independence and personal freedom, but these benefits are not without peril.
Limited in-person interactions might make them feel lonely, which can lead to depression.
Living alone also implies that there is no one to react to a senior’s cry for assistance, which can be dangerous; something as simple as a minor fall can be fatal when there’s no one to help.
Luckily, we’ve got the solution to these problems.
Read on to find out more about 10 incredible apps that can significantly improve the safety – and quality of life – for elderly people who live alone.
They help seniors stay independent, social, and feel safe. The best part? You don’t need to be tech-savvy to use them!
Helpful Apps For Seniors Who Live Alone
1. Snug Safety
The Snug Safety App deserves to be top on the list because it helps you live your life fearlessly. It is a free daily check-in app that was created for seniors who live alone.
It is simple to use and intuitive, and no matter how comfortable (or uncomfortable!) one may be with new technology, using it is a walk in the park.
All you have to do is simply tap the large green button on the app at a specified time of day. In response, you get a positive motivational quote and are given the all-clear for the remainder of the day.
Conversely, if the button isn’t pressed, the app will notify an emergency contact so they can directly get in touch and make sure everything is well.
With the help of the Snug app, brief check-ins have become a daily habit. It makes seniors living alone know that in case they’re unwell, their loved ones can get the hint ASAP.
It, therefore, gives seniors comfort and provides caregivers with much-needed peace of mind.
Snug Safety is free and available on both iOS and Android. A paid dispatch plan is also available, under which a Snug Safety dispatcher will call you if you miss a check-in to ensure your safety.
The dispatcher will also go the extra mile to alert the local police and your emergency contacts if you don’t respond.
Click here to learn more about Snug Safe
2. Pill Monitor
Nearly nine in ten (89%) adults 65 and older take one or more prescription drugs2.
Unfortunately, a significant portion of these has no idea why they are taking their medication. Others choose to ignore it because of the side effects, while others just simply forget.
Whatever the case, medication may be the difference between a senior’s continued good health and a fatal illness. That’s why having a consistent reminder while living alone is vital.
The Pill Monitor app (available on the Apple App Store) can ensure that you never forget to take a pill.
You can schedule medication reminders with this app by day, date, and time. You can even send your doctor a list of the drugs you’ve been taking. It’s free on iOS, but Medisafe Meds & Pill Monitor is a good Android substitute.
RELATED: Best Pill Reminder Apps
3. Live Transcribe
This next app is a real-time speech-to-text app that is only available for Android devices.
Even though Live Transcribe (available on the Google Play Store) is still in beta, it functions wonderfully well. The software analyses your speech as you talk and converts it into sentences.
You can choose from any of the 70 languages available and change the text that appears on the screen. To keep the talks civil, this software also offers the ability to hide foul language. The app’s only restriction is that it needs to be connected to the internet.
Unfortunately, iOS hasn’t yet added this capability, but Voice on your iPhone still offers great speech-to-text conversion that operates in real-time and will be useful when you’re having challenges typing yet need to send a message.
4. iOS Accessibility Features
Although this one is not an app, it’s worth mentioning. It is an all-in-one option that helps seniors stay independent. That’s because it makes it easy to adapt to technology. To access such features, navigate to Settings > General > Accessibility.
These features include zoom, which increases the size of texts and icons on the phone, VoiceOver, which gives audio feedback for each action, using the iPhone camera as a magnifier to be used when reading, and a handful of others.
5. Relax Melodies
Last but not least is an app that helps with insomnia, one of the struggles of the elderly.
While you may not have a person to share a meal, talk and relax with, then sleep, the melodies from this app will put you in a deep sleep within minutes.
The app comes with a selection of relaxing tunes to aid in unwinding and is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for free.
It contains a variety of sounds that one can combine and contrast to suit their preferences. You can, for example, start with a running river, then add a bonfire and a rainstorm.
Moreover, to prevent the app from draining the battery while sleeping, you can create a custom timer.
Personal Safety Apps For Seniors
Older folks who live alone may find it frightening and lonely. Such elders must go above and beyond to feel secure.
The majority of the time, they set up security cameras, smart locks, motion sensor lighting, close relationships with neighbors, and so forth.
Other apps that help increase the sense of safety include the following.
1. Senior Safety App
It is endorsed by medical professionals around. It’s a free app that allows caretakers to monitor their seniors remotely.
They can check on their alarms and reports as well as establish their whereabouts. They also detect network changes, entry and exits from geo-locations, and phone inactivity for an extended period.
Named as one of the best apps for taking care of seniors who live alone, the Senior Safety App can give seniors peace of mind that someone is watching closely. That in case of any emergency, they can detect and respond within minutes.
2. Ada — Check Your Health
This app was created by a team of doctors to help seniors get fast access to medical information.
Why does that matter to elderly people who live alone? It brings them peace of mind and calm. A good number of seniors struggle with anxiety, dementia, and confusion, especially under stressful conditions.
With a digital medical app, however, they can feel safer and more grounded. That said, with the Ada app, users can explain their symptoms and respond to a series of questions to find probable causes and treatment alternatives.
They can obtain prompt, precise results to put their minds at ease. It’s free and very vital for safety and care.
3. Snug Safety
As was already mentioned, Snug Safety provides you with confidence that if you need assistance, someone will be alerted.
It provides daily check-in services for individuals who live alone. Every day, the app checks in with you, and if you answer, it shares a thought-provoking statement.
If not, it sends a message to your emergency contact alerting them that you may need assistance.
Simply provide your name and email address to create an account, after which you can select your emergency contacts and daily check-in due date. From there, you’re good to go!
4. FallSafety Home
Seniors who live alone are more likely to fall because they lack assistance in difficult activities. Luckily, this app can be used to detect falls automatically. It’s simple to set up, and if you subscribe, you may add up to five emergency contacts for free.
The FallSafety Home app runs continually when you set up an account, whether or not you are using your phone. It has a built-in accelerometer that will immediately detect a fall from an elderly loved one, and a panic button will show up on the screen.
By pressing the button, your emergency contact(s) will be informed, giving you a lifeline just when you need it.
Apps That Can Help With Loneliness
Loneliness and isolation can worsen and become more pronounced as we age. It can harm physical health, promotes harmful behaviors, and may even raise the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are two apps to help with that.
1. Happy
With a simple tap, you can access the secret to happiness by downloading this app. Whether you’re in the mood for a friendly talk, need to vent, or your daily obligations are getting too much to bear.
The Happy app connects you with a “Support Giver,” who is a supportive, understanding listener who is available around the clock. It’s confidential, supportive, and easy to use.
2. HearMe
It is one of the best applications for overcoming loneliness. HearMe helps seniors text chat with a qualified volunteer to improve their mental health and welfare.
It’s designed for those who simply want to chat, whether it’s for a serious reason (death of a loved one, extreme solitude, huge life changes) or just a yearning for human interaction.
Wrapping Up
These are the apps we think are the best for elderly people who live alone. In their own ways, each of these apps has something unique to offer to the elderly who live alone.
They can help them track their medication, access their phones better, reach their emergency contact faster, detect falls, socialize, name it!
As seen, seniors may enhance their quality of life while still safeguarding themselves and their personal lives at home with little assistance from technology.
Use a combination of the three categories to feel safer, independent, and happy.
Did we miss any app that can help elderly people? Tell us, and we’ll add it to the list.
Sources:
- https://www.msdmanuals.com/
- https://www.kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/data-note-prescription-drugs-and-older-adults/
- https://androidappsforme.com/android-apps-for-seniors-living-alone/
