Smart Phones, Safety, and Seniors

So Many Benefits

Your smart phone has the power to keep you connected and safe. Whether you use your phone for entertainment, socializing, brain-training, as a financial tool, or keeping your body healthy and active, customizing your phone to your lifestyle is at your fingertips.

An article in nextavenue.com, 7 Great Smartphone Fitness Apps for People 50+, Nancy Fitzgerald cites an AARP survey saying that 77% of participants aged 50+ reported that fitness apps were useful, and that 74% of people between 50-74 own a smartphone. Patient generated health data—info from your phone or wearable devices—can now be used to customize medical care.

Buying the right, simple-to-use phone and plan is important. AARP offers tips on how to save money on your cell phone by researching the market, buying the phone that fits within your budget, saying no to insurance, waiving activation fees, turning data off, and making overseas calls for free.  Additionally, a Consumer Affairs article by Tom Rains ‘Find the Best Cell Phones for Seniors’ suggests the following features are important - look for a clear, bright display, good speakers, a long battery life, an emergency help button, and a durable build when comparing phones.

Despite all of the great technology, there are negative repercussions of digital usage, and just plain dangerous habits. A study at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, found that older drivers are much worse than younger drivers when texting while driving. During a test, almost 40 percent of those 25 to 34 wandered out of their lanes while texting. Among those 45 to 59, the incidence was 100 percent. Randall Commissaris, PhD, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Wayne State says that “It is possible that older drivers do not differ from younger drivers with respect to the time spent looking at their phones, but they are more distracted by texting while driving because they are less able to manage the cognitive demands of multitasking.”

We want to know what phones, apps, and technology you are using.  Please share your experiences with our community by becoming a GG Contributing Member.