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Tools to Live Independently Longer

One of the biggest concerns as we grow older is remaining relatively independent, and avoiding reliance on the “kindness of strangers”.

Luckily, an emerging crop of products and services have the potential to help with that. This Topic Hub is the place to start to see our research on the topic of staying independent for longer.

Featured Research

Which Medical Alert

Seminar 3: Which Medical Alert? And Who Needs One?

Medical Alerts are well known “safety” devices. However there are many different types, and there are very few resources to help decide which type is best. Tech-enhanced Life has for years been evaluating different products in this category. While we do not believe there is such a thing as a “best” medical alert, we do think there are often a handful of “best” products for specific individuals (the right features depend on lifestyle).

In this talk, we will explain how to decide which type of medical alert is right for a specific person, and introduce you to the detailed coverage on Tech-enhanced Life that will enable you to pick a specific product that works for the person in question.

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Seminar on Loneliness and isolation, Seniors

Seminar 2: Tools to Minimize Loneliness and Isolation

As many of us have been reminded during the pandemic, isolation and loneliness are very undesirable. But isolation is a frequent accompaniment to aging, as people lose mobility, lose the ability to drive, and lose members of their circle of friends.

While we have not found the silver bullet to solve these challenges, we have found a number of useful technologies that can help stay in touch with friends at a distance. There are also promising new solutions with the potential to help with making new friends, or with meeting people with similar interests. In this talk, we will dive into the details of these solutions, as well as frame the problems and describe how Longevity Explorers have approached avoiding social isolation.

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Technologies for Aging in Place

Seminar Series: Technologies for Aging in Place. Semester 1

Wondering which products and services can help an older adult live independently, with autonomy, as long as possible? Sign up for this seminar series to learn the answers.

Together with a community of older adults called the Longevity Explorers, Tech-enhanced Life has spent the last 8 years exploring the intersection of aging and technology, and evaluating a wide range of products and services designed to help people live independently for as long as possible. In this seminar series, we synthesize what we have learned.

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Aging in Place Technology and Gadgets

Aging in Place: Why Technology & Gadgets Matter

In my mind, there is a compelling argument that the right gadgets and technology can make aging in place more successful and less expensive. And by more successful, I am thinking in particular of higher quality of life, more autonomy, and less dependence on the kindness of strangers. I don’t think this argument gets made much in the media or by the aging services industry though. So here it is.

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Safety vs autonomy. Independence.

Staying Independent as an Older Adult: The Challenges

Staying “Independent” as long as possible is one of the most important priorities for many people as they age. But what do older adults really mean when they talk of being “independent”, and what are the obstacles to staying independent?

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Additional Research in this Topic Hub

 

 

Future Seminars

 

We plan for a second semester of this seminar series in which we cover additional topics. The exact timing and topics are “a work in progress”.

If you are interested in being part of semester 2, or have specific topics you want us to cover, feel free to let us know.