|
Oct
8
|
Posted by cameron
October 8, 2007 |
|
It seems that a lot of people are working to cash in on an aging boomer population and help the elderly in the process. I have broken this post down into “Here Today” and “Here Tomorrow”, which will post tomorrow. Back to back posts on some of the ways technology is helping in the lives of boomers and the elderly.
Here Today:
-
Robot housecleaning help is already here. You can get models for washing the floor, vacuuming and even cleaning the pool. Gutters? No Problem. In case you are wondering, you can pick one up for around $500. Here is one supplier.
-
E-books so that those who love literature can listen to it. For those with a hearing problem you can get e-books to read on just about any subject these days. You can run them on a PC or on handheld devices like the Sony Digital Reader Book.
-
Indoor golf allows those who can’t get around the course to still swing a club. You may feel like you are in a video game as you watch the ball on a projection screen, at least you get a few swings in. For the real enthusiast you can even get one in your home. Come to think of it. This is an idea for all ages. See one here.
-
Special tools and gadgets for folks who love gardening and “can’t get up”. These will be reviewed in an upcoming post.
-
Special diopter adjustments for SLR camera viewfinders. Very handy for those wearing glasses. Ever found yourself struggling to see even those large screens on modern point and shoot digital cameras? Consider switching to an SLR and use the viewfinder.
-
I’m not so keen on this one but there is a home sensoring system on the market that monitors activity in an older persons home through an array of motion sensors (thankfully, non visual). Hot buttons can be “sprinkled” around the home for emergency response with automatic notifications to those that need it. You can read more here.
-
It seems there is a race to offer online health history records for various use in a network or just for your self so it migrates with you. Here you can get a glimpse of the future. One such database is free and offered by Microsoft at healthvault.com. They raise some good points about why you might want to consider it, and I quote; “Imagine controlling the flow of your health information. Whether you need to search the Web for the most up-to-date treatments, catalog existing health records, receive test results, or monitor current physical readings — HealthVault gives you the control you need.” In other words, in the future you will own your records, not the doctor or hospital. The technology companies will push contextual information to you. Web MD is about to be joined by some giants in the tech industry.
-
Therapy Tiles is a unique application of technology to the world of exercise or rehab. Tiles on a floor or wall light up to show the next movement you must make; either pushing against that tile or stepping onto a tile. Either way the pattern of tile illumination is governed by what exercise or rehab you need. See this.
I’m excited to see what tomorrow brings!
Comments
