December 2022
How Technology Can Help Your Health
Taking advantage of the many ways technology can help you puts better health in the palm of your hand. For example, email, text, and FaceTime are great for making plans with friends and staying in touch with loved ones. That’s important because research shows that connecting with others can help older adults reduce feelings of loneliness and depression.
Using your gadgets can help you live a healthier life in other ways, too. Some of the benefits include:
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Using an activity tracker or apps on your mobile phone to help you eat better, increase your physical activity, and lose weight
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Finding the right healthcare provider for you by searching online or through your medical plan’s website
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Signing up for a mail-order prescription service to have your medicines sent directly to your door
Stay safe with technology
In addition to boosting your health, technology can help keep you safe. Emergency experts recommend saving at least two numbers in your phone as ICE. This stands for In Case of Emergency.
If you’re unable to communicate, medical providers can look for ICE in your cellphone’s contacts to notify a loved one about your condition.
To save your ICE contacts in your phone, type the letters ICE before their names or titles, such as ICE—daughter, so they’re easy for others to find.
You can also use apps on your phone to store important health information that emergency personnel could access. For example, if you have an iPhone, use the Medical ID feature in your Health app to save information about your health conditions, medicines, and more. If you have an Android phone, download the free Medical ID app.
Start here
Want to get even more out of your gadgets? Help is available. Your public library or local community college may offer computer classes. You can also find classes through SeniorNet, an organization that provides computer education for older adults. Its website helps you learn about the community, events, and resources available to you.
With all of the ways that technology can help you, better health is just a click away.