March 1, 2023

The Latest Tech Innovations for Seniors

About Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living offers multiple care levels for seniors in more than 600 communities nationwide. Brookdale helps you find the right care plan for yourself or your loved one. With amenities such as transportation services, salons and private dining rooms and activities such as gardening, fitness classes and trivia nights Brookdale caters to a wide range of interests and needs.

brookdale associate helping resident with wheelchair

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have brought a lot of things to a halt for a couple of years, it certainly didn't slow down the march of technology and innovation! And no place exemplifies the state of progress better than the annual CES technology trade show (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas.

CES 2023 featured some seriously cool gadgets aimed at making life easier, safer and more entertaining. And amidst the ridiculously large TVs, color-changing cars and cutting boards with built-in TVs, there was a host of innovative tech devices that have the potential to really improve the lives of our aging population. Here are a few of our faves.

HAPTA

HAPTA is a handheld smart makeup applicator from L’Oréal and its Lancôme brand that aims to allow users with hand tremors to more easily apply mascara or lipstick. The stabilizing handle contains motion sensors and an onboard computer that distinguishes intended hand movements from unwanted tremors, then directs two motors to counteract the tremors and stabilize the tool, allowing for a more accurate application of makeup.

Why this matters for seniors: Getting ready for an evening out or some other special occasion isn’t just for teenagers! The ability to beautify and engage in a little self-care should be open to everyone, and having a little more control over your appearance could do wonders for confidence and feelings of independence. Plus, the applications for this tech may apply beyond a “fierce and fabulous” beauty routine. A tool with the potential to mitigate hand tremors could potentially help to restore function in many practical areas of day-to-day life.

Kalogon Orbiter

Kalogon’s Orbiter smart cushion is a wheelchair cushion that is designed to help prevent pressure injuries by using intelligent redistribution technology to prevent any one part of the body from being compressed for too long. The cushion monitors pressure changes within air cells and adapts to the user's defined preferences in real time via an iOS or Android app. In the app, the user can update their seating profile and define areas that require additional pressure relief or added firmness.

Why this matters for seniors: As we mentioned above with the Bedsore-M device, preventing pressure ulcers goes a long way toward promoting senior health and comfort. For seniors who aren’t bedbound but often use a wheelchair to get around, this customizable pressure-ulcer prevention device could be a game changer.

Samsung Relumino

The existing Relumino app that you install on a smartphone is a visual aid designed to help individuals with low vision by connecting their smartphone to a VR device that augments the world around them. The app uses Samsung-developed AI to dynamically outline edges and rebalance colors, making it easier for people with low vision to enjoy TV shows, movies and games. In addition to the regular mode, Relumino also has a Color Invert Mode that inverts the color and displays it in high contrast to make reading text easier. The app includes features such as zoom in/out, screenshot, and blur reduction. At CES 2023, Samsung presented its updated “Relumino Mode,” which will be incorporated in some of Samsung’s forthcoming smart television products to further help people with low vision or vision impairment to see TV content more clearly.

Why this matters for seniors: For people who experience a decline in vision as they age, this tech can help them maintain their independence and continue to enjoy engaging with television or their other favorite activities. It’s an exciting take on how virtual or augmented reality can make people’s lives better in the real world.

XanderGlasses

The XanderGlasses website declares, “Everyone should come with subtitles!” We love that! The company’s main product — XanderGlasses, powered by Vuzix — uses augmented reality (AR) technology to enhance communication for people affected by hearing loss. How does it do this? These smart glasses display real-time captions of what other people are saying, providing a transcript of conversations in a generally unobtrusive manner. This technology aims to address, in a cool, modern way, the frustration and isolation that can result from the effort of straining to understand others in conversation.

Why this matters for seniors: Seniors affected by hearing loss can sometimes find themselves struggling to socialize because they have difficulty following conversations, even with the use of hearing aids. Smart glasses that enable them to engage more fully with their world could potentially help reduce feelings of isolation and increase the quality of their personal interactions. What’s not to like about that?