While outdated devices intended for the elderly may have fallen out of fashion, the need for new ways to stay healthy as you age is more “in” than ever. To CES 2023companies added to a growing health technology market trying to make the business of aging more transparent than ever.
As we age, we begin to accumulate risks of underlying health conditions such as heart problems, certain eye diseases, hearing loss and more. These are markers of time put into this world, but they often require more health tracking and tracking metrics, like frequent blood pressure measurements or tracking daily medication regimens.
Historically, we’ve viewed wellness trackers in terms of appeal to younger or middle-aged adults, with flashy interfaces and new apps competing for buyers’ attention. But as the world of technology becomes more advanced, people age.
“The 50+ age group is a much more discerning group of people who are ready and willing and looking for – want – modern products to meet their needs,” said Rick Robinson, vice president and general manager. from AARP. AgeTech Collaborative.
2023 has seen great improvements in health technologies that can have a positive effect on the lives and health of older people. One of the highlights was a new rule from the United States Food and Drug Administration allowing over-the-counter hearing aids. This removes the prescription barrier for people with mild to moderate hearing loss and reduces the cost of the process.
I’ve rounded up some of the tech devices for aging people we saw at CES 2023. These tools aim to make it easier to measure things like blood pressure and heart rate, and they ward off the negative health effects of aging. ‘social isolation.
Rendever has a VR experience for seniors called Alcove. If it reaches enough homes, virtual realities like this can ward off the damaging effects of social isolation.
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Easier ways to take your blood pressure
Perhaps most exciting — at least for people who have to take their blood pressure every day or monitor their heart health — was the announcement of new, much simpler ways to get those health metrics. Enter: a cuffless, finger-only blood pressure monitor and a toilet that monitors your blood pressure, blood oxygenation level and heart rate while you sit on it.
The cardiac seat, manufactured by Casana and presented by AARP at CES, is under review by the FDA for approval as a medical device. This means you will need a prescription for one. But if cleaned up and installed in your home, it could make it easier to monitor the heart health of seniors and their caregivers, when all it takes is a 30 second sit to provide your healthcare team with important information.
The new frontier in heart health tracking: the toilet seat.
casana
by Valencell finger blood pressure monitor only, is also under review by the FDA, but as an over-the-counter device without a prescription. Traditionally, blood pressure monitors required arm pressure and calibration to get your daily readings. But this year, Valencell could be on the market and mark an exciting breakthrough in home healthcare.
Read more: I have high hopes for this cuffless blood pressure monitor. here’s why
Improvements for eye care
Electronic eyewear company eSight has announced the eSight Go this year, a more robotic sun visor-like pair of goggles designed for people with central vision and legal blindness. Macular degeneration, which is one of about 20 different eye conditions that would make a person a good candidate for these glasses, is often age-related. Compared to the eSight 4, the eSight Go has improved functionality, according to the company, and projects a better image on its two high-resolution screens for “full binocular vision.”
In fall 2023, the eSight Go might be bulkier compared to a standard set of glasses, but it’s designed to help people with macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and more.
eSight Go
More hearing aids
This year’s CES was the first show since the US Food and Drug Administration’s new rule allowing the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids. While any adult with mild to moderate hearing loss can benefit from the new rule, aging is a significant contributor to hearing loss, and about half of people have difficulty hearing after the age of 75. Hearing loss can contribute to cognitive decline, as well as other physical and mental health problems.
Eargo, a prolific name in the world of personal sound amplification and OTC hearing aids, announced the Eargo 7, its latest model, at CES. The Eargo 7 will be the company’s third over-the-counter device; it comes with a new sound tuning feature for better sound handling in noisy environments, and it will improve overall sound performance in busy environments like restaurants, the company said. 2023 is planned a year from now we will see many more new hearing aids.
While some hearing health experts have welcomed the new FDA rule as an extension of affordability, not everyone is a good candidate for an over-the-counter hearing aid. Learn more about the pros and cons of over-the-counter hearing aids.
VR for social isolation
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Along with the health risks associated with smoking and physical inactivity, social isolation has been linked to negative health outcomes, including heart disease, dementia and premature death, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older people are particularly at high risk and around a quarter of adults over 65 are socially isolated. Factors that can increase social isolation can include living alone, death of loved ones, and hearing loss.
Rendever and AARP have virtual reality to help fight it. Rendever unveiled its virtual reality for seniors in nursing homes for the first time at CES 2019, announced last week at CES its acquisition of the Alcove application. While Rendever has been working with AARP on Alcove for a few years, the tech company’s takeover will allow the VR experience to go beyond the nursing homes it was previously focused in, hoping to reach more homes of aging adults and their caregivers. (You can download Alcove via the Quest Shop.)
Robinson, who works with AARP’s Innovation Labs and New Technologies in Aging Technology, said many socially isolated people gradually begin to drift apart — for example, they stop having people or stop to leave the house. For a person in a situation of social isolation, virtual reality has the ability to “bring them out”. Hopefully, Rendever’s new moves will allow these extended experiences to reach more lives.
“It’s clear that the future of aging lies in targeted technology,” Rendever co-founder Kyle Rand said in a press release. “A well-designed metaverse strengthens relationships, builds communities, and empowers us to immerse ourselves in new experiences.”
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical or health advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.
