Preparing for Your Senior Years | Chapter 8

Technology Is Part of Healthy Aging

The Conversations We Should Be Having in Our 50s

When we talk about preparing for our senior years, we usually think about our health, finances, housing and who will be available to help us.

But we also need to talk about technology.

Technology continues to change quickly, and I know it can become difficult for some of us as we age. Even now, there are days when I open an app and something has moved, changed or disappeared. I find myself thinking, Now, where did they put it? It was perfectly fine where it was.

That frustration is real.

But technology can also help us remain informed, connected and independent—especially when our health or mobility begins to change.

We do not have to learn every new device, program or app that comes along. That would wear anybody out. We can identify the technology that would be most useful in our own lives and ask someone to teach us how to use it.

And there is no shame in asking for help.

We can ask for written, step-by-step instructions. We can ask someone to make a short video showing us exactly what to do. We can ask for a live demonstration and then practice while that person is still available to answer our questions.

Some of us are visual learners. Handing us a thick manual filled with technical language may not help. Show us where to tap. Show us what the screen should look like. Explain what happens next.

Needing instructions does not mean we are incapable. It means the instructions need to match how we learn.

MyChart and Patient Portals

One of the most important pieces of technology I use is MyChart.

I can keep track of my upcoming appointments and referrals. I can read my appointment summaries and chart notes. I can review my lab results, test results and imaging reports.

I can also send messages to my doctors and their care teams.

That does not mean I understand every medical term I read. Sometimes those notes raise more questions than they answer. But having access to the information allows me to become more involved in my healthcare.

I can write down my questions, follow up with my medical team and keep a record of what has been discussed.

Patient portals can also help us remember information that may have been difficult to absorb during an appointment. We may have been nervous, in pain or trying to process several things at once. Being able to go back and review the after-visit summary gives us another opportunity to understand the plan.

Pharmacy Services

Pharmacy apps and websites can make managing medications easier.

We may be able to reorder a medication, check whether a prescription is ready and arrange for pickup or delivery without making several phone calls.

This becomes especially helpful when we are unable to drive, do not feel well or have difficulty getting around.

We can still call the pharmacy when we need to speak with someone. Technology does not have to replace human assistance. It gives us another way to take care of what needs to be done.

Ordering Groceries

Ordering groceries online can also support healthy aging.

There may come a time when pain, illness, bad weather, limited mobility or a lack of transportation keeps us from going to the grocery store.

Being able to order groceries for pickup or delivery can help us keep food in the house without depending on someone else every single time we need milk, vegetables or toilet paper.

Yes, we may still need help bringing the bags inside or putting everything away. But being able to choose and order what we need allows us to maintain some control over our household.

That matters.

Google and Artificial Intelligence

Google and AI can help us look up information by typing a question or using talk-to-text.

Talk-to-text can be particularly useful when arthritis, pain or weakness makes typing difficult.

We can ask for complicated information to be explained in plain language. We can ask for a list of questions to take to an appointment. We can ask for step-by-step instructions or help organizing our thoughts.

However, we should not automatically believe everything we find online. Important medical, legal and financial information should be confirmed with a trusted professional or reliable source.

Technology can help us understand what questions to ask. It should not replace the qualified people who need to answer them.

Voice-Activated Devices

Voice-activated tools such as Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant can also be helpful.

We can use our voices to:

• Set medication reminders
• Add items to a grocery list
• Check the weather
• Set a timer
• Look up information
• Call or message someone
• Create appointment reminders

These may seem like small conveniences when we are younger and healthy. They can become valuable tools when our hands hurt, our vision changes or our mobility becomes limited.

Save the Instructions

Once we learn how to use an important app or device, we can save the instructions in our Health & Wellness Binder.

We might include instructions for:

• Using our patient portal
• Joining a telehealth appointment
• Ordering prescription refills
• Arranging medication delivery
• Ordering groceries
• Scheduling transportation
• Using emergency features on our phone
• Setting voice-activated reminders

We should also include customer-service numbers and the name of a trusted person who can help us.

For security, passwords should be protected and not left in an obvious place where anyone can find them. We also need to be cautious about suspicious emails, text messages and phone calls asking for personal information or money.

If something does not feel right, stop. Do not click the link. Do not give out the information. Ask someone you trust to look at it first.

Teach Us—Don’t Just Do It for Us

When helping an older adult with technology, patience matters.

Do not grab the phone, complete the task and hand it back without explaining what you did. That may solve the immediate problem, but it does not teach the person how to handle it the next time.

Slow down.

Show us the steps. Let us try. Write it down or record a short video we can watch again.

Healthy aging is not about refusing help. It is about receiving the kind of help that allows us to remain as independent as possible.

Technology may frustrate us sometimes. We may not understand every update, feature or new device—and we do not have to.

We only need to identify the tools that can make our lives safer, healthier and a little easier.

Then we learn them one step at a time.

And when we forget a step, we open our Health & Wellness Binder and try again.

That is not failing.

That is preparing for our senior years.

Lady Flava Wellness 🌻