What are apps?
Read on.
I find people like Steve Jobs (may his soul rest in peace), astonishing? Why? Because people like him seem to dictate the pace of technology.
For example, in 1983, Matt Strain predicted the evolution of a “new digital distribution system.” Ten years later, in 1993, the first PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), the forerunner of the smartphone, came into the market ten years later.
But before they gained maturity, in 1999 NTT DoCoMo, of Japan, introduced the first smartphones which immediately gained nationwide popularity.
Then in 2007, Apple introduced the first iPhone which Steve Jobs called “the revolutionary and magical products,” and the first 500 Apps started appearing in the Apple App Store, the following year.
Isn’t it awesome?
Originally targeting teenaged kids and young adults, the first Apps were mostly games and organizers. They soon evolved into other functions necessary to get by with one’s daily activities.
And when the first boomers retired, they started serving the peculiar needs of an aging segment of society. Now they have become essential in a world that is getting old.
The apps have evolved so much since then, and each year sees an update of existing ones or new ones coming in.
This year, these are ten of the most essential for seniors.
10 Apps seniors must have:
Note: Some of these are free while others have affordable subscription fees. And they are designed for the iPhone or iPad.
1. WebMD:
This features doctor-reviewed health content and constantly updated information about maintaining a nutritious lifestyle.
It has a “Healthy Target” section that lets you establish exciting eating and exercise habits and suggests actionable insights at the end of the week.
You can also encode your symptoms and find possible causes, as well as treatments.
This should not replace a regular visit to your physician, but it can help you keep a close watch over your health.
2. Pillboxie:
For seniors taking multiple daily medications, this extraordinary app provides an effortless way of managing them you so won’t forget taking any one of them.
Assign a specific medication to a sectioned pillbox graphic then put a schedule of taking them, and you’re all set.
The app will beep you when it is time to take a specific pill.
There is a subscription fee of $ 0.99/mo.
3. Silver Surf:
Are you having problems with the small fonts of your smartphone?
No problem, Silver Surf is going to help you.
This incredible app zooms in, sets a higher contrast, and displays larger buttons so you can use your mobile device with ease.
4. Lumosity:
If your memory starts failing you, this app is essential for you.
Designed by neuroscientists, this app contains hundreds of games and puzzles to improve memory recall and information retention.
And what makes this app even more exciting is that there is no subscription fee provided you subscribe to Lumosity.
5. Park ‘n’ Forget:
A parking lot can often be like a huge haystack relative to where you parked your small car at. I often have to spend a few precious minutes figuring out where I parked my car.
This app solves that problem.
When leaving your car all you have to do is encode the color of the parking bay or the parking level and the app will remember it for you for easy retrieval.is would be.
This has a subscription fee of $ 0.99/mo, which is very minimal vis-a-vis its benefits.
6. Blood Pressure Monitor:
This extraordinary app could spell the difference between life or death especially for live-alone seniors suffering from hypertension.
Not only does it track your blood pressure and weight over a period of time, it also provides statistical information on your health and gives out periodic reminders so you can manage your health properly. And you can export the data to your physician, saving you time and money.
7. Voice Reading:
Amazing is an understatement in describing this app.
It audibly reads text from the Internet, emails, messages and even text files. It even comes in several languages.
This app is perfect if for seniors with reading or hearing problems, and it can be used even while driving.
8. Easy Facebook for Seniors:
You want to stay connected with the outside world but find Facebook too complicated or cluttered for comfort? This is what you need.
This app is specifically designed for seniors – cleaner, less-cluttered, and easy to learn.
It is a perfect antidote to loneliness and isolation for live-alone seniors.
9. Epicurious:
I am not a good cook. In fact, my meals are inherited from my late wife, while some are borrowed from friends then tempered with my own trial-and-error culinary curiosity.
If you are like me, but want to have a little organization, variety and flare with your meals, this app is what you need.
It contains an incredible 30,000 recipes carefully selected from quality cooking sites, and it offers reviews, tips, and pictures from other users.
And to make it easy the second time around, it organizes your favorite recipes and synchronizes your shopping list for easy and quick retrieval at the grocery store.
With this app, your meals in any given day are already taken care of.
10. NPR:
National Public Radio (NPR) is an American privately and publicly funded non-profit media organization syndicating over 900 public radio station in the U.S.
With this app, you can surf 900 radio stations for your favorite music, latest news, the weather and many other interesting things to perk up your day.
You can also go through its archives for important and interesting events in the past.
Since the arrival of the smartphones and apps, life has taken a drastic change never seen before. They have become indispensable tools for daily living and given a different face and meaning to aging.
~oOo~
