Mobile Apps are the way to go when it comes to connecting with social media in today’s world. There are several types of apps and each have their own purpose. For seniors that find it hard to get out of the house, some apps provide a way to stay in touch with family while others offer health and wellness benefits. There are also apps that provide ways to keep your brain sharp and your memory more focused. Other apps provide up to date information on weather patterns when you do need to get outdoors for unexpected trips. Some apps are just for plain entertainment. Whatever the reason, there is an app for almost any situation. Below are the top 10 apps for seniors to use. Many of these apps are completely free to download; although some may come with a cost to use. The good news is they are usually under $3.00, with the exemption of the Lyft app and Red Panic Button app.
1. GoodRx app(free)
Struggling to pay the high cost of prescriptions? GoodRx can be your answer. Many seniors are now taking advantage of this discount app. With medical insurance prices rising, seniors are looking for more help when paying for prescriptions. The GoodRx app offers lots of savings by comparing prices and discounts from over 70,000 U.S. pharmacies across the Nation; saving you around 80% of the total retail cost. The discount app is not just for seniors, however. The app can be used on all members of the family, including discounts for your pet! The GoodRx app is available at participating pharmacies such as Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Safeway, and CVS. Keep in mind, GoodRx is not insurance. The savings are based on pharmacy retail prices. The best part of this prescription discount card app is that it is completely free to join. There is no expiration and no fees or obligations, including no credit card check required.
2. Pillboxie app($1.99)
Pillboxie is one of the top friendly medication reminders that is perfect for seniors and all adults that have trouble remembering to take their pills on a regular basis. The app reminds the person to take their medication at scheduled times that the individual sets up themselves. The app allows seniors to customize medications by color and type and provides a visual picture of which pill is due that day and at what time. The app even lets you know if you skipped a dose and records how you are feeling afterwards. Designed and developed by a registered nurse to make life easier when on medications. Pillboxie can be used on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. If you are still not sure if the app is right for you, check out their great reviews from other happy customers. The app only cost $1.99 to get started.
3. Red Panic Button app($2.99, fees for some features)
For seniors, it is always good to have family nearby to keep you feeling safe and away from danger, whether it be from a fall or an accident, or something even more dangerous. However, many elderly or disabled individuals are still in need of care and are left alone by themselves for days or certain times during the week. Therefore, the Red Panic Button App is so important to have. The Red Panic Button App provides seniors with the option to just ask for assistance by simply opening the app and hitting the red button in the middle of screen. As soon as a person presses the red panic button, a message goes out to the right group of people that can address your need immediately. They will even call the local police and EMT’s standing by. Getting this app will not only make you feel safe, it will also bring comfort to your loved ones that you are in good hands. The cost is only $2.99. However, some features may be added for another fee.
4. Lumosity app(Free)
Luminosity is one of the most upcoming brain training apps for all ages, especially for seniors. It was created by top scientists and game designers to allow you to train your mind, keep track of scores throughout the games available, and help people look at games in a new light. The app allows seniors to play a variety of cognitive games to keep their mind active and increase their memory. Many illnesses can affect the brain as one gets older, this includes memory loss and disorientation at times. Yet with this app, it will help seniors keep their brain sharp and their attention span to increase. The Luminosity app is used by over 60 million people worldwide and a great way to pass the time. The games on the luminosity app not only are for cognitive use, they help with mathematics and language comprehension. To check out the types of games listed and available, click this link. To make sure Luminosity is working to its best capacity, scientists check the efficacy of Lumosity periodically. They do this by conducting a randomized study by using of crossword puzzles. Luminosity app is available on these platforms: Android, iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad.
5. Skype app (free)
As most of America are home these days, it is not easy to communicate physically with our loved ones or friends like we used to. However, the boom of video conferencing has made it more convenient for everyone, including seniors to “see” the people they care for. The Skype app helps people to visually connect with family and friends, especially during this time in society when everyone needs to keep their distance. The Skype app is completely free to use and there are no installations required. This is a great communication app for seniors because it is like having your family, right in your living room! The Skype app is also useful for video conferencing with coworkers and bosses when there is a meeting to attend and you cannot get out of the house. You can even record your meeting and connect with up to fifty people with the skype app.
6. Magnifying Glass With Light app ($1.99)
The Magnifying Glass with Light app is very useful for all who need a little help. As we all get older, it is not surprising that our eyesight tends to not be as clear as it once was, such as reading small print. The Magnifying Glass with light app is an awesome addition to have on you iphone or ipad. The app is completely free to use and provides a way to illuminate and magnify words found in books, magazines, newspapers, and even restaurant menus. Developed by Falcon in Motion, this app is one of the best-selling restaurants reading helper. The app is great for restaurants with dim lighting, reading small print on medicine bottles, and reading in bed after you have already taken off your reading glasses. The app can also help seniors with walking outside in the dark. The basic cost for the app is $1.99.
7. The Weather Channel app (free)
Many seniors need constant updates of what the weather is like when they head out the door. After all, no wants to get stuck without an umbrella. To prevent surprises, the Weather Channel app is the go-to app for all who have either busy schedules or just want to keep up with outside interferences. These mobile alerts will provide forecast predictions on severe weather, tracking where the storm is heading and how to prevent seniors from getting in the middle of a terrible situation, so they have ample time to get indoors. The Weather Channel app provides live radar maps, weather alerts, and accurate storm tracking on a daily or hourly basis so you are never unprepared with your raincoat. This app also allows seniors to plan their outings up to two weeks in advance. The app allows you to also predict seasonal allergy risks. The Weather Channel app is Dark Mode compatible, giving seniors a great viewing experience. The app is available on the iphone platform and it is completely free.
8. Lyft app ((free to download, but cost to use)
The Lyft app is one of the most useful apps that are available for seniors. No one wants the struggle to call a taxi or rely on family for a ride to the doctors or the grocery store. With this pandemic, many families are keeping their distance anyway, so it makes better sense to contact a Lyft provider in just a few clicks. The Lyft app itself is free, though depending on your destination, depends on the cost. It is considered courteous to also tip the driver. Wherever your destination is, the lyft app will help you set it up, provide the safest and quickest route, and pay right on the app as well, making it very convenient for seniors. Due to the recent pandemic, the app is constantly keeping up with updates from the CDC to keep all their drivers and riders safe and healthy. After all, your wellbeing always comes first. With the Lyft app, you also have nine different ways to ride. such as affordability, direct routes, or comfort-style riding. Each provide several price ranges so it is good to ask before making a commitment with the driver.
9. Blood Pressure Companion app ($.99)
The Blood pressure App is one mobile app that all seniors over sixty should have on either their iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. The app tracks the senior’s blood pressure, heart rate, and weight. It tracks the information through a log or chart, or through a histogram. The Blood pressure companion app also allows for easy reading of both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements through comprehensive reporting while allowing seniors to create weekly or monthly reminders for good measurements and when to make doctor appointments. If the readings are ever abnormal, it will determine the problem or issue of what caused the abnormality, making it easy to contact and share the problem to your doctor. Seniors can customize the color range, add a passcode for extra security, offers both lbs. and kgs. recordings, and supports a Wi-Fi backup and restore function. All in all, this app is worth to download on your phone, no matter your age.
10. LibriVox app (free)
The LibriVox app is a special type of app for seniors that are visually impaired or just needs some assistance in small print reads. Unlike the Magnifying glass app, that make it easier to “see” the words, the LibriVox app provides audio assistance. The LibriVox app has helped seniors listen to their favorite books from a wide range of authors. There are thousands of books to listen to and audiobooks are a great alternative for seniors who desire to keep reading yet may not have the ability to read because of their sight. To get started just browse the selection by category through either author, title, genre, or language. The website provides the latest audiobook releases for your enjoyment and it is completely free! The LibriVox app uses the iphone as its platform.
How Mobile apps have changed the way we live
With the advance of technological devices, the use of mobile apps has become our main way of communicating to the rest of the world. In an average household alone, almost every member (minus the dog) owns their own cellphone; whether it be the state of the art newest upgrade of the iOS Apple iphone or an earlier model that just allows you to talk, text, and play a game or two. This is a huge change compared to twentieth century living, where there was only one phone in the whole house, and it was normally stuck on the wall in the kitchen or sitting on the nightstand in the living or family room. Mobile apps are basically applications that have been downloaded to the phone that allow the user to achieve a specific goal or task such as buying services and goods. For seniors, having the right type of applications on their phone is a matter of more than entertainment, it can save their life. The above list offers the best ways seniors can communicate to other individuals or get the right assistance through services provided on the app when they need it most.