A super gift for the senior in our life

Xmas is coming up fast and so here is an idea for a friend who may be a senior, think about a new smartphone? Some people don’t think about giving a phone to a senior because some seniors live without their phone, while others struggle to remember where it is… or how to turn it on! Regardless of their level of dependency, mobile phones can provide easy access to your personal contacts, directions, even entertainment. And – importantly – they can also help improve and maintain health while supporting your goals of ageing optimally.

A smartphone can help a senior manage their medications

We’re all human, which means we can make mistakes or forget to do things. But some slip-ups have serious consequences, such as forgetting to take medications properly (or at all), a common problem for many people. Text message reminders delivered via mobile phone can help ensure medications are taken as directed.

The reality is that up to 50% of adults with serious chronic health conditions don’t take their medications as prescribed. Consequences can be severe and even fatal.

People of all ages have embraced text messaging as an easy, efficient way to communicate. Even many adults who originally thought they’d never get the hang of thumbing messages on tiny little keyboards are now effortlessly texting as part of their daily routine. This comfort with cell phones and technology can also come in handy when it comes to managing medications.

Many of us have trouble keeping track of our meds, sometimes forgetting to take them regularly or as prescribed. Research shows that as many as half of people with serious chronic conditions begin skipping doses – or stop taking the pills altogether – within a year of starting them That’s worrisome: it can result in complications, hospitalization, even more, debilitating illness and premature death. It’s also expensive: “medication non-adherence” in North America is estimated to cost billions of dollars each year for additional doctor visits and treatments.

A possible solution may be to try cell phone text messages as a way to remind and encourage people to take their medication. Reminders delivered through text messages can help adults adhere to doctors’ orders when it comes to taking the correct drug doses at the right times.

According to the review studies, done by McMaster University and published on their Ageing portal, 10 of which were of high quality, people were significantly more likely to take their medications as directed when prompted via their cell phones.

There are several advantages to using cell phones to promote better health: messages are received instantly; it’s a well-used and trusted technology; it’s a relatively low cost and low maintenance approach; cell phones (they don’t need to be “smart” phones) have become much more affordable for many people.

A smartphone for Christmas is a great idea as it may help a senior keep track of their medications and stay healthy. If they have a smartphone, then find an app (here is a link to the top 5 medication reminder) that will help them remember to take their medication and give them that app.

Text message reminders may not be the perfect solution to what is a major health concern, and their use may not be appropriate for everyone. But if this approach can benefit a majority of chronic disease sufferers and help ease pressure on healthcare systems, it’s an option worth pursuing.