What is Gerontechnology?
With the advance of medical development, the average age of the world population rises. However, there are tons of possibilities lurking in the silver tsunami. Gerontechnology could be one of the golden opportunities.
Gerontechnology merges gerontology and technology, and it intends to design and implement technological products and services that will benefit the elderly by enhancing their well-being, self-determination and quality of life, and providing a hand to their families and caregivers.
Examples of Gerontechnology:
Surveillance and emergency assistance
By using infrared sensors, advanced equipment has been developed to detect the human body. Wireless communication between sensor modules and a computer enhances 24/7 data collection and detects the risk patterns of elderly in advance. In the event of a fall, the system identifies the fall and alerts a caregiver for assistance.
Education
Virtual reality makes possible immersion and user experience in elderly cognitive training that foster memory and avoid falls. A hospital adopts immersive VR technology to train patients with memory loss to reduce risk in daily cooking. Not only does it help them to learn and improve, but it also provides a standardized assessment scheme to improve training effectiveness.
Psychological Needs
Due to the health limitation, the elderly may seldom leave their home. Through “virtual traveling” in VR, they may feel like they are out of the home, thereby eliminating their sense of social isolation and achieving psychological well-being.
To understand more about gerontechnology, click on here to read our previous article
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