Why Seniors Need Mobile Medical Devices

We have all seen advertisements for mobile devices that allow you to call emergency personnel.  They are useful, especially if you live alone. Such technological gadgets should certainly be something that you or your caretaker should review. 

There are also an increasing number of mobile devices that allow the consumer to keep track of vital medical issues.  It may be advantageous to rank such devices using six parameters before making a thoughtful purchasing decision.

·         Health Concerns

o   The first issue is why do you want to get the device?  Some just want to know the number of steps they have taken, a form of exercise stimulant.  Others, want to keep a diary of their nutritional intake. Then there are those that wish to track their mental health, such as feelings of depression.  Finally, there are those want a device only to keep track of their medications.  If you have only one goal, your choice is relatively easy.

·         Integrated

o   May seniors are challenged by a disease that requires them to consider a multiplicity of factors.  For example, those that have diabetes or a particular form of cancer may want to investigate devices that combine relevant health factors.

·         Contextual

o   There are devices that look at the region (and time) and then computes reasonable solutions.  Asthma sufferers, for example, when visiting another city or a foreign country may want to know the air quality of the region they are in, and be made aware of areas they need to avoid.

·         Capabilities

o   The two most important ingredients in this category are networking – does the device allow you to transmit information to your physician and your caretaker; and Bluetooth  - can you transfer the data from one of your devices to another?

·         Where to Input the Data

o   Many people use their smart phones (hard to believe that they did not exist a decade ago) for this purpose.  Others, like to have the information on their wrist and wear a watch-like device.  Most recently, devices are inserted into the eyeglass framework  - as most seniors wear glasses.

·         Security

o   Your medical information is private and is highly valuable to manufacturers of drugs, insurers, and other vendors.  You want to make sure that the personal information, especially when you transmit, is secure.  Look for the HIPAA seal of approval that tells you that your medical information is secure.

Have any thoughts on the issue? Share them with us at www.MatureAging.com, and we may post them (only after getting your permission) in a future edition.

Till next time,

Josh