By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    UV damage to eyes
    Warning Signs of Long-Term UV Damage to Your Eyes
    December 9, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    The Ultimate Healthcare Recruiting and Staffing Guidebook
    March 21, 2022
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    Getting Back in the Game: Sports Injuries Rehabilitation Tips
    May 31, 2023
    4 Signs It’s Time to See a Therapist
    May 24, 2023
    11 Ways To Modernize Your Private Practice
    May 17, 2023
    How to Recognize the Signs of Hormonal Imbalance in Men
    May 29, 2023
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Dealing With Grief in the Healthcare Field
    July 28, 2020
    tax shelter
    Consumer-Directed Tax Shelters
    March 12, 2015
    What To Know About Current Trends In Healthcare And Aging
    September 6, 2018
    Latest News
    MRI Sedation Options: What You Should Know Before Screening
    May 17, 2023
    What is the Process of Creating Medicine from Nature?
    May 2, 2023
    Choosing the Right Treatment Option for Varicose Veins
    May 2, 2023
    What Are Wrong-Site Surgeries and How Do They Occur?
    April 27, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 5 Ways Technology Benefits a Seniors Health
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health care > 5 Ways Technology Benefits a Seniors Health
eHealthHealth careMedical InnovationsTechnology

5 Ways Technology Benefits a Seniors Health

Nurse Susan
Last updated: 2018/04/02 at 4:16 PM
Nurse Susan
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

 

Contents
TelemedicineMedicine Adherence AppsCombat social isolationDiagnosing PatientsPost-surgical recovery support

You may have heard that the number of Baby Boomers in the U.S. is quickly growing but did you know that the latest population projections have adults 65 and older outnumbering children by the year 2035? That’s the first time in U.S. history where that has been the case, and it has many industries, including health technologies, paying attention.

Even though millennials are known as the “tech generation”, more and more seniors are embracing the benefits technology has to offer too, especially when it comes to their health and well being. Don’t miss this quick list of helpful ways technology can improve senior health:

Telemedicine

One of the biggest hurdles seniors face as they age is transportation. Often if a senior still has their license, they are more likely to avoid dangerous conditions like nighttime or rush hour driving thus limiting the hours in which they leave the house. And if they don’t have a license anymore, they have to rely on recruiting help and finding rides for everything from running errands to going to appointments.

More Read

healthcare cybersecurity

3 Pressing Healthcare Cyber Security Challenges and How to Address Them

Cutting-Edge Medical Innovations Are Disrupting Healthcare
Top 10 Reasons to Improve Medical Website Accessibility
The Top 5 Considerations for Successful Medical Device Software Development
The Vital Role of Medical Interpreting Services In Healthcare

Telemedicine solutions where seniors can “meet with a doctor” via live video chat on their computer simplifies how they get the healthcare they need without the hassle of getting to a doctor’s appointment. For simple illnesses like allergies, colds, and strep throat, telemedicine partners like “Doctors on Demand” sync patients up with board-certified doctors who can assess symptoms, order tests, and even write prescriptions.

Medicine Adherence Apps

The Mayo Clinic estimates that 50% of people with a chronic illness don’t take their medicine as prescribed. This type of non-adherence both negatively impacts patient health as well as increases the financial burden on the healthcare industry as a whole. For seniors specifically, factors like lack of caregiver support and complicated drug regimens make it difficult to stick with a medicine schedule.

Technology lends a helping hand in this respect via pill tracking and reminder apps like MediSafe, CareZone, and Pillboxie. Digital applications offer loads of helpful features like alerting patients when it’s time to take medicine, reminding patients when it’s time to refill prescriptions, and even tracking doctor’s appointments and important medical ID information (like allergies, blood type, etc).

Combat social isolation

The climbing rates of depression and anxiety among seniors may surprise you. Although retirement is pictured as a care-free time of travel and leisure, the truth is 4 out of 5 seniors has at least one chronic illness and many find themselves overcome with stress due to health and financial woes. Loneliness and social isolation can exacerbate existing conditions and be detrimental to overall health outcomes.

Seniors can use technology to combat social isolation even when they can’t get out of the house. Free, online video chat tools like Skype and Google+ Hangouts make it easy to connect with family and friends face to face, while specialty headphones for the hearing impaired ensure they don’t miss a word of the conversation. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter also help seniors connect with friends online, look at photos, check out upcoming events near them, as well as engage with support networks.

Diagnosing Patients

Researchers at Stanford University have developed an algorithm known as ChexNet that interprets x-ray images and diagnoses certain pathologies like pneumonia. A 2017 paper on the machine learning algorithm shared how within a month of working at diagnosing various pneumonia pathologies, the algorithm was outperforming actual human Standford radiologists in accurate diagnoses.

What could this mean for seniors and other patients? Because of weakened immune systems and certain age-related ailments, seniors are especially susceptible to pneumonia. When left untreated, this type of lung infection can be life-threatening. Not only can artificial intelligence like ChexNet in the health space help make faster, more accurate diagnoses, but treatment based on more efficient assessments could improve health outcomes for seniors too.

Post-surgical recovery support

Major surgery is always a big deal, no matter your age. For seniors healing from surgery to repair a broken hip or replace a worn out knee joint, however, even more, vigilant attention to recovery is required to stave off long-term mobility issues. A 2015 Journal of the American Medical Association study found it was post-discharge complications that led to the most hospital readmissions after surgery signifying a glaring need for improvements in post-operative care that happens once a patient returns home.

Health technologies like Seamless MD, ReHab, and the Pulse Postop Care app equip patients with post-surgery guidelines they need to speed up healing and avoid unwanted complications. Connecting with doctors by sending them pictures, checking in with daily progress, and even learning new recovery exercises and pain management tactics can go a long way in helping seniors recover in the best way possible.

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Nurse Susan April 2, 2018
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article How to Help Teens with Depression
Next Article What are the Protections for Mentally Ill People Under the American with Disabilities Act?

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

medical bills
Who is Responsible for Paying the Medical Bills After an Injury?
News June 1, 2023
sports injury rehabilitation
Getting Back in the Game: Sports Injuries Rehabilitation Tips
Health May 31, 2023
brush your day
How Many Times A Day Should You Brush Your Teeth?
Dental health May 29, 2023
Chiropractic Laser Therapy: A Beacon of Hope for Chronic Pain Sufferers
Chiropractic Laser Therapy: A Beacon of Hope for Chronic Pain Sufferers
Therapies May 29, 2023

You Might also Like

medical answering service
Technology

How Medical Answering Services Can Improve Patient Care

May 25, 2023
pet health apps
News

9 Best Apps for Pet Owners Trying to Keep their Animals Healthy

May 22, 2023
Biotechnology
Technology

What Are The Benefits of Biotechnology?

May 17, 2023
CRM for pharmaceutical
Technology

The Top Benefits of CRM Tools for Pharmaceutical Brands

May 11, 2023
//

We influence million of users and is the most authentic source of information on healthcare business and technology news.

Quick Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US

© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?