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How To Use Technology To Stay Connected As We Age: Social Media, Smartwatch & Smartphones
Staying connected is incredibly important, particularly as we age. As we get older, we may feel lonely, isolated, or have reduced mobility, so maintaining social interaction with the outside world is crucial; technology is a great way to do that.
In 2020, about 80% of UK adults aged 55 and over were online – Age UK
With more of our ageing population using the internet, it is a fantastic platform for staying social. There are so many technologies, apps and channels, such as social media, smart watches, video calling, and so much more, that can be utilised to help people stay connected with friends, family, and loved ones.
In this blog, we will look at the most popular platforms for our ageing population to use to help them stay connected.
Let’s get started.
Social Media
Over the years, social media has become increasingly popular, and it is a brilliant tool for staying connected with friends, families, and loved ones. It is also great for reconnecting with school friends or long-lost relatives.
For these reasons, it is no surprise that social media is becoming increasingly popular among the ageing population.
According to Age Uk, 37% of internet users aged 65-74 use social media each week.
Among over 55s, the platform with the highest daily reach is Facebook (62%), followed by WhatsApp (53%). Facebook is also the social platform where they spend most time – on average 46 minutes per day.*
Facebook community groups are also a brilliant way to stay in touch with what is happening in your neighbourhood and surrounding towns.
Smartphones
Smartphones can be utilised beyond their traditional calling and messaging functions to help our older generation stay connected. FaceTime is a pre-installed video calling tool (available only on Apple devices) that can be used via the internet. It is a brilliant way to video call your loved ones.
Smartphones also provide access to millions of apps on the app store to help keep you connected. Some great apps for our ageing population include:
- WhatsApp – a popular messaging app to message, call, and video call your connections over the internet.
- Strava – an exercising app where you can track and share your progress with your connections.
- Our Digital Mobile Telecare Watch app – ensures a connection with your loved ones through GPS location and notifications. This gives loved ones peace of mind that their elderly parent or grandparent is well and safe.
- Wordle is a daily word puzzle game you can share with friends and families.
Smartwatches
Smartwatches are a brilliant way to stay connected with your friends and family straight from the convenience of your wrist. Along with basic features such as a clock, they also boast several features that allow you to stay connected with your loved ones through
- Receiving calls and messages straight to your wrist
- Social media notifications.
Our Digital Mobile Watch has so many amazing additional features for your lifestyle and wellness, including:
- Receive calls and messages straight to your wrist.
- Step counter to monitor your fitness levels
- Vital signs monitoring such as pulse, temperature and blood pressure.
- GPS Tracking
- Our digital mobile telecare watch app ensures a connection with your loved one through GPS location and notifications. This gives loved ones peace of mind that their elderly parent or grandparent is well and safe.
Our Digital Mobile Watch goes one step further than any other smart watch as it offers an emergency telecare function which gives direct contact to an emergency monitoring centre.
Image Source: https://james.care/en
Conclusion
Utilising technology is a brilliant way to stay connected with friends and family, particularly where mobility is limited. You can stay connected with your loved ones through the power of social media, smartphones, smart watches, video calling, and more.
Our Digital Mobile Watch allows you to stay in touch with your loved ones socially through receiving calls and in case of an emergency through GPS tracking, vital signs monitoring and access to an emergency call centre – 24/7.
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Red Button
Operated by Red Alert Telecare Ltd,
3 The Courtyard, Orbital Park, Ashford,
Kent, TN24 0SY
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Red Alert Telecare Ltd, the operators of this service have the following accreditations
