Contents
- Help Is Right on Your Wrist in an Emergency
- Keep an Eye on Health and Daily Activity
- Medication, Appointment and Daily Reminders
- Stay Connected Without Always Finding Your Phone
- A Smartwatch Can Help You Stay Independent
- The Hardest Part? Getting Everything Set Up
- Smartwatch & Mobile Device Help in Prescott Valley, AZ
Smartwatches aren’t just for tracking workouts or checking texts without pulling out your phone. In fact, there are 5 reasons every senior should consider using a smartwatch. For seniors, a smartwatch can be a surprisingly useful tool for safety, health, communication, reminders and maintaining independence.
Modern smartwatches from Apple, Samsung, Google and other manufacturers have become easier to use while adding features that can be particularly helpful as we get older. In addition, research into wearable technology for older adults has explored benefits involving mobility, fall-related safety, activity tracking, heart rhythm monitoring and sleep.
If you or a family member has been considering a smartwatch, here are five great reasons seniors should consider wearing one.
1. Help Is Right on Your Wrist in an Emergency
One of the biggest reasons we like smartwatches for seniors is simple: they’re usually with you.
Depending on the watch and how it is configured, a smartwatch may allow you to call a family member or emergency services directly from your wrist. Cellular-equipped models can offer even more independence. This is because some can make calls without requiring your smartphone to be right next to you.
Many watches also include GPS location features, which can help determine your location during an emergency.
Some models take safety even further with features such as fall detection and Emergency SOS. For example, when properly configured, these features can provide an extra layer of reassurance for seniors who live alone or spend time walking, exercising or traveling independently.
Of course, smartwatch safety features vary by model and should never be considered a replacement for appropriate medical care or emergency services.
2. Keep an Eye on Health and Daily Activity
You don’t have to be training for a marathon to benefit from fitness tracking.
Something as simple as seeing how many steps you’ve taken today can provide a little extra motivation to get up, walk around and stay active.
Depending on the model, a smartwatch may monitor things such as:
- Daily steps and activity
- Heart rate
- High or low heart-rate notifications
- Sleep patterns
- Workout activity
- Blood oxygen trends on supported devices
- Certain irregular heart-rhythm notifications
A large review of wearable technology research involving older adults found that commonly studied uses include mobility, activity recognition, fall-related applications, arrhythmia detection and sleep monitoring.
These features do not replace your doctor or medical equipment, but they can provide useful information about everyday activity and health trends.
3. Medication, Appointment and Daily Reminders
This may be one of the simplest smartwatch features, but it’s also one of the most useful.
A smartwatch can provide a gentle reminder right on your wrist when it’s time to take medication, leave for an appointment, make a phone call or complete another daily task.
Unlike a phone that might be sitting on the kitchen counter, plugged into a charger in another room or buried in a purse, a smartwatch is typically right there on your wrist.
Best Buy also highlights medication and daily activity reminders as a particularly useful smartwatch feature for seniors.
You can also use timers and alarms for everyday things like remembering something in the oven, checking the laundry or getting ready to leave the house.
4. Stay Connected Without Always Finding Your Phone
“Where did I put my phone?”
We’ve probably all said it.
A smartwatch can make everyday communication much easier because calls, text messages and notifications can appear directly on your wrist.
Depending on your watch and phone, you may be able to answer calls, read messages, respond to texts or contact family members without ever picking up your smartphone.
Some cellular smartwatches can even make and receive calls when the paired smartphone isn’t nearby. However, this generally requires a compatible cellular model and service plan.
For seniors, that convenience can also become an important safety feature. For example, if you’re outside, in another part of the house, or simply can’t find your phone, communication may still be only a tap away.
5. A Smartwatch Can Help You Stay Independent
Perhaps the biggest benefit isn’t one individual feature — it’s what all of those features can accomplish together.
A smartwatch can provide communication, reminders, activity information, and certain safety features from one small device worn on your wrist.
That can provide additional confidence for seniors who want to continue living independently. At the same time, it gives family members some extra peace of mind.
Technology doesn’t have to become more complicated as we get older. When it’s chosen carefully and set up correctly, it can actually make everyday life simpler and more convenient.
The Hardest Part? Getting Everything Set Up
Buying the smartwatch is often the easy part.
Pairing it with your phone, signing into accounts, adjusting notifications, increasing text size, configuring health features, setting up Emergency SOS, adding emergency contacts, and figuring out which settings you actually need can be another story. For clarity, setting up so many features can feel overwhelming.
That’s where Tuff Techies can help.
Our technicians can help with smartwatch, smartphone, and mobile device setup and support so everything works together properly. Moreover, we can also take the time to show you how to use your new technology instead of simply handing it back and sending you on your way.
Whether you’re setting up an Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, Google Pixel Watch, or another wearable device, we’ll help make the technology easier to understand.
Smartwatch & Mobile Device Help in Prescott Valley, AZ
Tuff Techies is a local, family-owned and operated tech support company in Prescott Valley, helping seniors and families throughout the area get more out of their technology.
Need help setting up a new smartwatch, pairing it with your phone, adjusting settings or learning how everything works?
Tuff Techies is here to help.
Visit us at 4593 N Robert Rd, Suite B, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314, call (928) 710-7632, or schedule an appointment online.
Technology should make life easier, and sometimes you just need a Tuff Techie to get you there!
