As a special gift for a friend who may be a senior, think about a new smart
phone? Some people don’t think about giving a phone to a senior because some
seniors live without their phone, while others struggle to remember where it
is… or how to turn it on! Regardless of their level of dependency, mobile
phones can provide easy access to your personal contacts, directions, even
entertainment. And – importantly – they can also help improve and maintain
health while supporting your goals of aging optimally.
A smart phone can help a senior manage their medications
We’re all human, which means we can make mistakes or forget to do
things. But some slip-ups have serious consequences, such as forgetting to take
medications properly (or at all), a common problem for many people. Text
message reminders delivered via mobile phone can help ensure medications
are taken as directed.
The
reality is that up to 50% of adults with serious chronic health conditions
don’t take their medications as prescribed. Consequences can be severe and even
fatal.
People of all ages have embraced text messaging as an easy, efficient
way to communicate. Even many adults who originally thought they’d never get
the hang of thumbing messages on tiny little keyboards, are now effortlessly
texting as part of their daily routine. This comfort with cell phones and
technology can also come in handy when it comes to managing medications.
Many of us have trouble keeping track of our meds, sometimes forgetting
to take them regularly or as prescribed. Research shows that as many as half of
people with serious chronic conditions begin skipping doses – or stop taking
the pills altogether – within a year of starting them That’s worrisome: it can
result in complications, hospitalization, even more debilitating illness and
premature death. It’s also expensive: “medication non-adherence” in North
America is estimated to cost billions of dollars each year for additional doctor
visits and treatments.
A possible solution may be to try cell phone text messages as a way to
remind and encourage people to take their medication. Reminders delivered
through text messages can help adults adhere to doctors’ orders when it comes
to taking the correct drug doses at the right times.
According to the review studies, done by McMaster University and
published on their Ageing portal, 10 of which were of high quality, people were
significantly more likely to take their medications as directed when prompted
via their cell phones.
There are several advantages to using cell phones to promote better
health: messages are received instantly; it’s a well-used and trusted
technology; it’s a relatively low cost and low maintenance approach; and cell
phones (they don’t need to be “smart” phones) have become much more affordable
for many people.
A smartphone for Christmas is a great idea as it may help a senior keep
track of their medications and stay healthy. If they have a smart phone, then find an app (here is a link to the top 5 medication reminder) that will help them remember to take their medication and give them that app.
Text message reminders may not be the perfect solution to what is a
major health concern, and their use may not be appropriate for everyone. But if
this approach can benefit a majority of chronic disease sufferers and help ease
pressure on healthcare systems, it’s an option worth pursuing.
