{"id":9608,"date":"2016-07-29T07:00:20","date_gmt":"2016-07-29T12:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=9608"},"modified":"2016-07-27T11:42:28","modified_gmt":"2016-07-27T16:42:28","slug":"why-seniors-will-lead-the-wearables-revolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2016\/07\/why-seniors-will-lead-the-wearables-revolution\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Seniors Will Lead the Wearables Revolution"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why Seniors Will Lead the Wearables Revolution\"Why<\/h1>\n

Wearable\u00a0technology may call up an image of a young techie wearing\u00a0Google Glass, but industry analysts say\u00a0seniors\u00a0will be the real trendsetters when it comes to\u00a0wearables. Experts expect a growing base<\/a><\/strong> of wealthy\u00a0seniors\u00a0in the US and Canada to drive demand for devices that monitor blood sugar, manage chronic pain, track fitness, and more. Here\u2019s what you can expect in a few years and what\u2019s available now.<\/p>\n

Wearables for senior health, communication, and safety<\/h2>\n

For many years, personal emergency response devices dominated the senior wearables market \u2013 think of the classic \u201cpanic button\u201d worn on a lanyard. Recently, most PERS makers have added fall detection, mobile location<\/a><\/strong> and more wearable designs<\/a><\/strong> to their product lines.<\/p>\n

As more tech and fitness companies get into the wearables business, seniors have more options than ever for staying safe and healthy on the go.<\/p>\n

Apple Watch<\/h3>\n

Seniors who are comfortable navigating apps and touchscreens can get a lot of use out of the Apple Watch<\/a><\/strong>, which features a built-in heart rate monitor. The watch\u2019s changeable bands and customizable face make it look more like\u00a0an accessory than a typical\u00a0health tracker. Fitness and health apps for the Apple Watch include tools for medication schedules, sleep monitoring, and hydration reminders.<\/p>\n

FitBit<\/h3>\n

FitBit offers several wearable smartphone-connected fitness-tracking devices. Of these, active seniors will probably get the most benefit from FitBit\u2019s top of the line Surge GPS watch<\/a><\/strong>. It\u2019s designed for hardcore runners and bikers, but its large, easy-to-read watch face, heart-rate monitor, step counter, and sleep monitoring tools make it appealing to seniors, too, even if they\u2019re not serious athletes.<\/p>\n

WiseWear<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve blogged<\/a><\/strong> before about the WiseWear<\/a> <\/strong>line of \u201csmart\u201d fashion jewelry. These stylish bracelets serve as fitness trackers and discreet panic buttons that send your GPS location to people on your contact list. Of all the wearables we\u2019ve seen, these are the ones that look most like traditional accessories rather than tech-y gadgets.<\/p>\n

Senior wearables coming soon<\/h2>\n

Allen Band<\/h3>\n

This wristband<\/a><\/strong> performs the functions of a wearable fall detector without the cost of monthly monitoring services. It sends smartphone-enabled alerts to family members and caregivers when it detects a fall or long periods of inactivity, a fever or hypothermia, and other issues. The first models are scheduled to ship<\/a> <\/strong>in December. <\/strong><\/p>\n

FriWalk<\/h3>\n

Because the most radical makeover most\u00a0walkers get is the addition of tennis balls to the front legs, the FriWalk<\/a><\/strong> is a huge step forward. The walker uses sensors, smartphone technology, navigation tools and social media to monitor users\u2019 mobility, help them find their way around safely, and connect to other friends and neighbors nearby. Dozens of seniors in Europe are testing the FriWalk for the next two years. After that, makers hope to bring it to market.<\/p>\n

Proximity Button<\/h3>\n

Young UK entrepreneur Natalie Price is crowdfunding the cost of manufacturing her wireless wearable Proximity Button<\/a>. <\/strong>It instantly alerts caregivers via Bluetooth when their charge wanders too far away. Price designed the device to be affordable and easy to use.<\/p>\n

More senior wearables in the future<\/h2>\n

Industry-watchers say<\/a> <\/strong>there are more wearable devices on the horizon that will help older adults \u201cmanage such ailments as diabetes and chronic pain.\u201d As more Baby Boomers entire the prime age range for senior wearables, the demand for these types of devices \u2013 and the range of conditions they can monitor and treat \u2013 will continue to grow.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why Seniors Will Lead the Wearables Revolution Wearable\u00a0technology may call up an image of a young techie wearing\u00a0Google Glass, but industry analysts say\u00a0seniors\u00a0will be the real trendsetters when it comes to\u00a0wearables. Experts expect a growing base of wealthy\u00a0seniors\u00a0in the US and Canada to drive demand for devices that monitor blood sugar, manage chronic pain, track fitness, and more. Here\u2019s what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2198,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[200,29,35],"tags":[30,44,45,196],"class_list":{"0":"post-9608","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-families-caregivers","7":"category-caregiving","8":"category-senior-health-fitness","9":"tag-caregiving-2","10":"tag-senior-fitness","11":"tag-senior-health","12":"tag-technology-tips-for-seniors"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy Seniors Will Lead the Wearables Revolution - SeniorAdvisor.com Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why Seniors Will Lead the Wearables Revolution Experts say seniors will drive demand for \u201csmart\u201d health devices. 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