{"id":6993,"date":"2022-07-06T08:15:49","date_gmt":"2022-07-06T12:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silvercentury.org\/?p=6993"},"modified":"2022-07-06T08:15:49","modified_gmt":"2022-07-06T12:15:49","slug":"apps-can-open-up-a-world-of-possibilities-for-older-adults","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/78.142.243.82\/~silvercentury\/2022\/07\/apps-can-open-up-a-world-of-possibilities-for-older-adults\/","title":{"rendered":"Apps Can Open Up a World of Possibilities for Older Adults"},"content":{"rendered":"

John Brandt is still on good terms with his ex-mother-in-law\u2014so good that he gave her an iPad for Christmas last year, along with a promise to provide tech support.  <\/span><\/p>\n

The learning curve turned out to be a bit steep. At 90, his ex-mother-in-law, a retired government agency director, is still sharp and not new to computers. But using apps presented new challenges. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe kept saying, \u2018I\u2019m just so stupid, I can\u2019t do this,\u2019\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Brandt realized that his mother-in-law hadn\u2019t used a smartphone or a tablet before. Skills he\u2019d acquired years ago\u2014swiping and tapping to turn on the device, open, navigate and close apps\u2014were all new to her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThose of us who got iPhones 12 or 14 years ago have already learned all the features and the gestures,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was like she was learning a new language but with a physical component.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

After a few long sessions, she became confident with FaceTime, text messaging and Facebook. Now she uses her iPad regularly to stay in touch with family members who live out of town, including a granddaughter in Serbia.  <\/span><\/p>\n

As Brandt\u2019s experience shows, apps have the potential to enhance an older adult\u2019s quality of life. Apps like Messenger, Zoom and FaceTime provide social connections. Apps for ridesharing (like Uber or Lyft) or grocery delivery services boost independence. Health-related apps allow people to track vital signs, monitor progress, detect problems and possibly save trips to the doctor. <\/span><\/p>\n

But many older adults aren\u2019t taking advantage of them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apps to Sustain Independence<\/b> <\/b><\/p>\n

Apps offer significant potential for supporting older adults\u2019 independence. Those who don\u2019t drive can use the Lyft or Uber app to schedule rides to and from doctor appointments, concerts and events outside of the community. With banking apps and online payment apps like PayPal or Venmo, they can deposit checks, transfer money and pay bills without a trip to the bank. Apps like Simply Safe or Ring can check who\u2019s at the front door or send alerts for package deliveries. Digital-assistant apps like Alexa or Echo can turn off lights in the house or set reminders to take medications. <\/span><\/p>\n

Leticia Valdez, life enrichment manager at Presbyterian Village North, a retirement community in Dallas, has seen how older adults benefit from apps. She estimates more than 80 percent of residents use the community\u2019s Cubigo app to sign up for activities, to check dining room menus and make reservations and to schedule maintenance in their apartments. <\/span><\/p>\n

The residents have plenty of help\u2014Valdez leads monthly training classes and provides one-on-one coaching. That experience has shown Valdez how older adults often face a steep learning curve. Just recently, a resident came in for tech help; when she informed him that he needed to download an app, he said, \u201cWhat\u2019s an app?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like I was speaking a foreign language,\u201d she said.  <\/span><\/p>\n

A lot of [older people] are afraid that if they touch the wrong thing, they will break the phone<\/b><\/p>\n

\u2014Susan Lewis<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Susan Lewis, 79, uses dozens of apps daily for everything from driving directions to games to ordering prescription refills. But many neighbors in her 55+ apartment complex do not use them at all. Some own smartphones but only use them for phone calls. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even though she doesn\u2019t consider herself all that tech savvy, Lewis has become the informal tech guru for her community. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of technology,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of [older people] are afraid that if they touch the wrong thing, they will break the phone. They don\u2019t know about the App Store, or where to look for apps or how to adjust their phone settings.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Lewis\u2019 favorite tip: turn to your computer and use Google. When she\u2019s stumped herself, she can almost always find a tutorial video or an article with step-by-step instructions. YouTube offers short videos on how to download apps on an iPhone, iPad or Android device. <\/span><\/p>\n

Apps to Support Health<\/b> <\/b><\/p>\n

Ed Sanders knows of at least one person who\u2019s convinced an app saved his life. Sanders, a tech trainer for Microsoft, often volunteers at senior centers and retirement communities, helping older adults with their devices. <\/span><\/p>\n

One older man told Sanders he\u2019d had a stroke and, thanks to the Health app on his phone, first responders were able to access his medical information immediately, even though he was unconscious, saving precious minutes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sanders thinks using the Health app is a no-brainer for anyone, particularly those with chronic health conditions, yet relatively few older adults he meets know about it or how to enter their medical information. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Health app is one of a rapidly growing number of apps designed to track an individual\u2019s medical and health information that have significant potential to help older adults manage chronic conditions and save trips to the doctor. But experts see two issues: not all of these health apps are reliable, and relatively few older adults are using them. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

App users should be aware that there are wide variations in the functionality, accuracy and safety of medical apps. Because most health apps don\u2019t fit the FDA\u2019s definition of medical devices, most are not subject to regulation. Many were created with little or no oversight from medical experts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers called on the FDA to rethink its hands-off stance when it comes to regulating apps. <\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Calling the digital health marketplace a \u201cwild west,\u201d studies show that developers \u201cseldom involve health professionals or users in the design, development or deployment.\u201d Patients and doctors \u201cknow very little about whether apps will work or how they might affect the cost and quality of care.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

In a 2021 study of 15 symptom checkers (apps where users enter their symptoms and obtain a list of possible diagnoses), most fared no better than an average layperson in diagnosing. Plus, the symptom checkers erred on the side of declaring an emergency, potentially sending users to ERs needlessly. Similarly, a study of apps that purport to \u201canalyze\u201d moles or other skin lesions for the presence of skin cancer showed they were not reliable. <\/span><\/p>\n

And while they are fun, those so-called \u201cbrain game\u201d apps offer such overstated claims that 96 scientists at Stanford University and other institutions issued a statement saying, \u201cThe scientific track record does not support the claims [that] \u2026 they actually help older adults boost their mental powers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Some medical experts are proposing policies to protect and better inform consumers.  In 2021, an international team of researchers <\/span>proposed a framework<\/span><\/a> for evaluating digital health devices. While acknowledging the tremendous promise for apps to improve health and well-being, the team also called on the FDA to rethink its hands-off policy and encouraged health care providers to help steer patients toward \u201cthe small subset of effective and rigorously evaluated apps.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For now, patients should beware: they should talk with their doctors before relying on an app, research the app online and read reviews and ratings. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Challenges Apps Present<\/b><\/p>\n

While apps may be unreliable when diagnosing health problems, they do have significant potential for helping older adults manage their health. The Abridge app, for example, records conversations at the doctor\u2019s office, creating a transcript with definitions of medical terms that can be shared with caregivers. Medication apps like Pillboxie remind people to take their pills at specific times daily. SmartBP checks blood pressure with a monitor and smart watch. MyFitnessPal tracks calories and nutrients. <\/span><\/p>\n

But according to a University of Michigan study, less than half of people aged 50 to 80 have ever used a health-related app. Only 28 percent of people with diabetes use them to track blood sugar. Further, the study noted that older adults who stand to benefit most from these apps\u2014those in poor health and those with less access to health care\u2014are even less likely to use them. To help boost usage, the researchers encouraged health providers to discuss the use of health apps with their patients.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tapping and swiping can be difficult for those who have arthritis or poor hand-eye coordination.<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Navigating apps on mobile devices involves skills that can be challenging, even for the computer-savvy, according to Ignacio Aranda, technology trainer for the Senior Source in Dallas. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI notice that many of the older adults I work with tend to use web browsers instead of apps, even on their mobile devices, because that\u2019s what they know from using a desktop or laptop,\u201d Aranda said. But accessing [a website] via web browser usually means the connection is less secure and there\u2019s less functionality. And some app-based services, like Lyft, aren\u2019t available at all via web browsers. (There are some workarounds, however. A company called GoGoGrandparent lets riders call an Uber or Lyft via a toll-free phone number or website. Some senior centers will call rides for those who can\u2019t access the app themselves.) <\/span><\/p>\n

Downloading apps may involve accessing infrequently used passwords. After adding a new app, the user is typically bombarded with requests for permissions (such as location services or syncing with the user\u2019s photo library), which can be daunting or confusing. Mobile devices need frequent updates; without them, apps won\u2019t function properly. <\/span><\/p>\n

Navigating mobile devices requires mastering a new \u201clanguage\u201d of swipes and taps that differ from the tools on laptop or desktop devices. That\u2019s doubly difficult for adults with mild cognitive impairment, and tapping and swiping can be challenging for adults with arthritis or other conditions that affect hand-eye coordination. (Sanders advises older adults to obtain a stylus for easier, more precise tapping and swiping.) <\/span><\/p>\n

Bridging the Gap <\/b><\/p>\n

Efforts are underway to address some of these challenges. Aranda teaches a curriculum developed by Senior Planet, part of <\/span>Older Adults Technology Services<\/a> (OATS)<\/span> from AARP, a digital literacy program that runs technology training centers in six cities in the United States. Older adults can take online and in-person courses or call the Senior Planet Tech Hotline (920-666-1959) for tech help.   <\/span><\/p>\n

The pandemic pushed many older adults to hone their tech skills. An AARP study found a sharp increase in older adults purchasing and using technology during the pandemic. <\/span><\/p>\n

Valdez noticed that many residents in her community started using apps to order groceries for delivery and Zoom or Facetime to connect with friends and family during the pandemic. Having discovered those apps out of necessity, she said, many still use them for convenience. <\/span><\/p>\n

Susan deLarios, 75, a resident of Presbyterian Village North, opens Cubigo multiple times daily to sign up for activities, look up residents\u2019 names, check the dining room menu and schedule meals. She uses MyBSWHealth, a proprietary app for her health care provider, to make appointments, check test results and track medications and other records. She uses Audible to listen to audio books, Lyft to schedule rides, Amazon to order merchandise, Facebook to keep up with friends, and her bank\u2019s app to manage her checking account. If she wants to adjust her hearing aids, there\u2019s an app for that too. Apps have made her iPhone the nerve center of deLarios\u2019 daily life. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019d do without it,\u201d she said. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

John Brandt is still on good terms with his ex-mother-in-law\u2014so good that he gave her an iPad for Christmas last year, along with a promise to provide tech support.   The learning curve turned out to be a bit steep. At…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Apps Can Open Up a World of Possibilities for Older Adults<\/span> ›<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

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