Apps for Seniors

I work with a lot of Seniors to understand how to use their mobile devices. Recently I have been assisting people at Elderly Nutrition locations in Pasco County. It was after one of these events that I wondered about apps that would be useful to Seniors / Elderly users.

Geriatric Depression Scale (Free) iOS and Android - This simple app asks fifteen questions to measure the probability of geriatric depression. This is only a tool to help people decide whether they are in need of professional assistance, but it may be something that helps family members convince a loved one to receive care.

iCare Blood Pressure (Free) iOS and Android - Using the smartphone's camera and flash the app can approximate several measurements. I would not rely on the information to be exact but it might help a person with episodes of high or low blood pressure to know that they should take medicine or seek medical assistance. The information can be shared so users could send it to their doctor or a family member.

Round Health (Free) iOS only - This app helps users remember to take their medication. It has a beautiful user interface and allows for flexible or exact time notifications. It integrates with Apple Watch so users can dismiss notifications or mark that they took their medicine remotely. Round health has also created a special pill bottle that will alert the user when they need to refill their prescription.

Medisafe Pill Reminder & Medication Tracker (Free) iOS and Android - One of the most impressive things about this app is that it will integrate information from (participating) testing labs, popular pharmacies, your doctor (if they participate), and user provided information. The app allows communication between the patient and these partners so that a doctor might know if the patient missed taking a pill and a patient can receive test results on their device quicker than getting a phone call. At the app's most basic use you can keep track of your medications and receive reminders of when to take it. The interface is easy to understand and walks the user through the process.

 Dragon Dictation (Free) iOS and Dragon Mobile Assistant (Free) Android - One of the most difficult tasks for Seniors when using a mobile device is typing. Both apps, made by Nuance, allow the user to speak and have the app type for them. The reason I chose these dictation apps are their reputation for accuracy. The iOS app allows users to copy their dictation and post it where they need it, or the user can choose to open up one of a variety of apps with their dictated text. The Android app will talk to the user and allow them to complete a variety of tasks such as post to Facebook or send a text message without having to touch the device.

Quickgets Parking Reminder (Free) iOS only and ParKing Reminder (Free) Android only - Both of these apps are very simple; when you arrive at your destination the user taps a button in the app and it remembers where you parked. Users can choose from a map, satellite, or combined view. The app also displays multiple levels for users parking in a garage. If users are more technologically inclined Apple Maps and Google Maps have this feature but they are not as easy to use as these single purpose apps.