As seniors enter retirement or financial situations change, there are resources available to help manage budgets, track spending, and plan for expenses. According to the Survey of Consumer Finances, 60% of people aged 65 or older have some debt, including medical, credit card, and housing debt. With senior debt rising and technology growing, it is advantageous to use online budgeting tools and apps to avoid financial despair and enjoy retirement.
There are so many ways for seniors to enjoy the convenience and security of voice devices. It’s important to stay on top of the latest features and changes to the setup to make the best use of these devices. Whether you’re a senior living independently at home or enjoying the comforts of a retirement community, just about everyone will find some helpful tips here for making the most of the Amazon Alexa service. If you’re a caretaker or family member supporting a parent or grandparent, you’ll find some of these features very useful in helping your family member stay safe.
Digital fatigue is a state of mental exhaustion that is a side effect of our modern, ever-connected life. We are rarely more than a few inches from our mobile devices. We use them for every conceivable purpose. We are always "on" and constantly connected through social media, email, text messages, calls, and more. For many people, work or other forms of digital entertainment follow them on digital devices all hours of the day. This constant deluge of information leads to a feeling of being overwhelmed and burnt out.
Signs of digital fatigue include:
Cars are a big part of American culture. For many, learning how to drive was a sort of rite of passage. You likely remember getting your first vehicle and some of the adventures you took with it. We love our cars, and we take them everywhere. Our homes, neighborhoods, and even cities are built around cars as a primary method of transportation. However, as we get older, we might begin to realize we need our car less and less. Alternative methods of transportation might even be safer and more convenient.
In previous blogs, I reviewed how to create and set up an account on four of the most popular social media networks: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.
This blog will explain a similar process for TikTok, a video-sharing social media network created in 2016. TikTok quickly gained popularity and became the most downloaded app in 2019. Today there are 689 million users, surpassing the number of users on Twitter and Pinterest.
Although TikTok is widely used by younger generations, with 42% of users aged 18-24, there is a place on TikTok for older users. Even though users aged 55 and older only account for four percent of all TikTok users, many seniors have become viral users such as @omsteve, @lindaontherun, @erikarischko, @gilbert_and_jonie, @ocdocdonecutediva, @grandma_droniak, @orifbone, @happygirlil, @charlesmallet, and more. Among other senior TikTok users, these users have reached up to 4.4 million followers by sharing comedic and heartwarming content.
Smart speakers like Amazon's Alexa have become incredibly popular with older adults. For people living alone, it's a companion. For people struggling with physical limitations, it's a great helper. Alexa can even be used to improve safety for seniors. Thousands of skills on the Alexa App are targeted specifically for older adults. And plenty of general use skills can make life easier and more entertaining for seniors. Check out a few of these ideas for using Alexa to make your day a little easier.
It may seem that the words "senior" and "technology" don't go together very well, but that's not the case anymore. More companies are making an effort to ensure there are products available for both the technologically savvy and the novices among us. Here are some tech options worth checking out.
With countless senior blog websites available today, this post highlights ten great websites to check out and add to your regular reading. These blogs offer reliable information and answer questions seniors or their loved ones may have.
The majority of American adults have not taken legal planning steps to organize and store their personal and financial information. In fact, only 68% of people over the age of 65 have a finalized will. Although taking these planning steps can be difficult, it is essential to have this information available to the family at the time of death.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been reading about advanced directives in the news. So what are they, and do you need them? An advanced directive is a document that will tell medical staff and family members your wishes for what YOU want in the event you have a medical emergency.