In a world obsessed with youth, there are very few people who can – hand on heart – claim they are looking forward to growing older. As kids, we may have wished away the years until we became teenagers, then there was the excitement that turning 21 brought, and then – well – then it all went downhill.
Or so we’re made to feel. The media bombards us with images of beautiful young people only fuelling our belief that the older we get the less attractive we are. And with age comes health problems. However, could advances in healthcare help us to live happier, healthier lives well into our old age? Is all the doom and gloom of getting older soon to be a thing of the past? With technology changing so quickly and offering us things like wearable gadgets that can aid our health, could old age finally be something that is actually looked forward to?
1. Fitness Trackers
You wear them like a watch (some even double up as a watch) and they track useful information like how many steps you’ve taken, your heart rate, your calorie intake, and even the quality of your sleep. With this constant reminder on your wrist to lead a healthy lifestyle, keeping track of how you’re doing – whatever age you are – should be a cinch.
2. Bionic Hearing Aids
Worldwide, a staggering 36 million people have hearing loss that is disabling. However, with advances in technology, including gadgets such as bionic hearing aids, hearing loss may soon just be a thing of the past. Implants into the inner workings of the ear, like those available through Hidden Hearing hearing aids, are discreet – so no one needs to even know of your previous hearing difficulties.
3. Trackers
Sadly, memory loss can play a major part in old age, and this can often lead to stressful and worrying situations for both the person with the memory loss, and their family and carers. However, gadgets such as trackers are being used and developed specifically to ensure older people with health issues such as Alzheimers and dementia can be located if they get lost.
4. Bionic Eyes
This may sound like a gadget from the far and distant future, but surgeons in Manchester have already successfully implanted a bionic eye into an 80-year-old patient who lost the entirety of his central vision.
5. Hair Slides with UV Sensors
Growing old usually means accepting a change in the way you look and getting used to a whole load of wrinkles when you glance in the mirror. However, if you start wearing tech with UV sensors now you could be well placed for staving off those signs of ageing that no one relishes.
Hair slides and bracelets with UV sensors will let you know (via an app) when it’s time to get out of the sun or apply sun cream. Of course, this isn’t just about wrinkles – it’s also about limiting your chances of skin cancer.
With so many advances in wearable technology, and with many companies focusing on the benefits of wearable gadgets for the older generation, there’s no doubt that the health concerns surrounding old age could diminish considerably in the future. Here’s to being happy and healthy long into your 80s!