Getting older may be a natural fact of life, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

Many seniors have trouble with their mobility, dexterity, memory, and eyesight, but these are all challenges that can be overcome – or at least managed.

Modern technology has made it easier than ever for older people to save time and stress and live more independently.

Here are some of the must-have devices for elderly people living alone.

Compact Treadmill 

A compact treadmill is an excellent way for anyone to stay in shape. These treadmills are smaller and lighter than their full-size counterparts. Compact treadmills are easier to set up and use. Many age-related problems, such as joint pain and arthritis, can be controlled with gentle exercise. Exercise also has positive mental health benefits. Older people should consider opportunities to get even a small workout to help them stay fit, healthy, mobile, and independent.

Induction Cooker 

Induction heaters help reduce the risk of cooking fires. These modern pieces of cookware don’t use traditional heating elements or open flames to cook food like standard cookware. The pan itself will get hot, but the induction heater doesn’t. The heater can get warm, but it won’t be hot enough to cause burns. Things aren’t about to go wrong just because you forget to turn it off. This makes induction cookers a natural choice for anyone who tends to be tired, forgetful, or stressed – from busy parents to senior citizens.

Button Hooks 

Button hooks are a simple but effective dressing aid. These hooks are perfect for people with muscle weakness, limited motor control or shoulder movement, or numbness. No matter whether you feel you haven’t been the same for a long time now or your hands feel stiffer and shakier than usual, this is a simple living aid for independent living. Button hooks assist older people to get dressed by themselves. Sometimes the small things make the biggest impact.

Zipper Pullers 

Sticking with getting dressed and living aids, we move on to zipper pullers. Zips can find themselves in the most unfriendly of places, particularly with clothing items like dresses. Even young and flexible people often need someone to zip them up at the back. Zipper pullers are handy devices that make it easy to reach zippers no matter where they are. You’ll never be far away from that awkward zipper on your shoes or clothes again. Zipper pullers improve your effective reach, enabling you to zip up and put on your clothes, as well as undo and remove them.

Scald Preventer 

Scald preventers are thermostatic devices designed to reduce water flow from faucets to 0.25gpm if the temperature reaches too high – 117F. Even better, a scald preventer is easy to install and use. These devices are beneficial for everyone, helping to reduce burns and scalds. Not only do they help protect seniors, but they also protect curious visiting grandchildren. Give the scald preventer a go if you regularly get into fights with your plumbing and boiler. You could save yourself a nasty accident or two – and it’s one of the most affordable methods to protect yourself and your family against scalding water.

The Squatty Potty 

Not everyone uses toilets the same way we do. For example, in most Asian cultures people squat over toilets built into the floor rather than sit on the tall toilets we do. Some would argue that sitting on a toilet as we do isn’t a natural movement. It’s certainly true that it can make it difficult for people to use the toilet as they get older. It can even mess with digestive health, which is vital for anyone looking to stay healthy and independent as they get older.

The Squatty Potty is an excellent tool to develop better toilet posture. Better toilet posture leads to more efficient and effective bowel movements. It sounds silly, but try it for yourself and you’ll feel the difference.

Shower Grab Bars 

As you’re making changes to your bathroom, think about the other changes you could make. The potential for falling and slipping is ever-present. These small accidents become severe problems the older you get. Shower grab bars are great for those concerned about shower accidents. These sturdy shower handles support up to 300lbs and is easily attached to marble, fiberglass, and other materials. You’ll have no problem repositioning the bar whenever you want, but rest assured it still holds firmly in place. Shower bars work as a support to help you get into and out of the shower. They also give you something to hold on to in there to reduce the risk of injuries caused by slips and falls.

Motion-Activated Toilet Light 

The bladder seems to settle into a schedule as you get older. Unfortunately, that schedule often has little to do with your personal schedule. It’s common for older people to have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. It can get annoying to wake up and use the bathroom without having to wake your spouse. Even turning the lights on is annoying as they are so bright they shock you awake and make it difficult go to back to sleep when you’re done.

Motion-activated LED toilet lights are the answer. These lights automatically turn on when you move the toilet seat. The lights come in a range of colors to make bathroom visits a little more fun and pleasant. You can set the brightness level as you need. These toilet lights give you the freedom to visit the bathroom at any time of night without turning on every other light in the house along the way.

Amplified Telephone

An amplified phone is an excellent choice for anyone who has imperfect hearing or sight. These phones come with large, chunky buttons, memory buttons, and built-in call amplification for louder calls. The more advanced models connect to cochlear implants and hearing aids too. They also feature speakerphone and headset functionality for total control on your terms. Worried about not hearing the phone? Turn on the visual flasher to ensure that you never miss a call again.

Key Turners 

Safety and security are major concerns for anyone living alone. On the flip side, it’s also something that people have a lot of trouble asking for help with. If you have trouble gripping your keys properly or using them, then it could be a challenge for you to lock the house when you leave and before going to bed. That’s where key turners come in.

These simple-to-use key turners snap over your keys and make them easier to turn. If you’re having problems holding on to a small key, these turners offer the leverage you need for the job. You should never let yourself be stuck at home because you’re worried you can’t lock up effectively.

Step Risers

Problems such as stiff hips, weak ankles, and dodgy knees mount up the older you get. There are many aches, pains, and issues elderly people have to deal with. If you find yourself struggling with mobility, whether it’s only in the winter months or all-year-round, there’s no reason to not do the things you love doing.

Step risers are effectively a small, portable step for older people. These steps are easy to move and turn one big step into two smaller ones. Step risers can also be used as mini step-ladders for reaching things that are just out of reach. You’d be surprised at how often things are further away than they seem.

Automatic Jar Opener

Everyone has encountered a jar that they just can’t open. Being unable to open jars is hardly a sign of aging, it’s just a natural part of life. Whether you’ve got reduced grip strength or live with someone who enjoys tightening jars as much as possible, an automatic jar opener is there to help ensure you never go hungry. These automatic jar openers couldn’t be easier to use, either. Just put the opener on the jar and push the button and the opener does it all for you. Automated openers are a much safer and cleaner solution than attempting to brute force stubborn jars with cutlery. Please don’t take any risk you can avoid. It’s safer to use an automatic can or jar opener.

Seat Assists

Everyone has that one favorite spot on the sofa or a favorite chair they love lounging in. The problem is that it can be a challenge to get out again. The seat assist can help with that. These gadgets give you a little extra to help you get out of your chair if you’re having trouble standing up on your own. Seat assists are excellent choices for people who live alone or don’t want to ask for assistance whenever they need to get up out of the chair. A seat assist helps you stay independent and enjoy the freedom that comes from living in your own home.

Universal Remote Control

One problem with having so many gadgets, from Smart TVs to Blu-Ray players and video games consoles – is that you’ve also got a lot of remotes. Even worse, most of those remotes look exactly the same. It can be challenging to manage all those little black squares and know which one is which. Who has the kind of time it would take to memorize what each button does? Well, now you don’t have to. A simple universal remote control offers all the functions you’d expect from a remote, such as adjusting the volume, changing the channel, and turning the TV off and on again. Put your remote away and don’t bother with it until you need it for a specialized function, like letting your TV talk to your fridge for some reason. Who knows what devices share these days?

Personalized Medical Alert System 

A medical alert system is one of those gadgets everyone should have, but should hopefully never need. Modern smart systems have wireless cellular service and Wi-Fi technology built-in. These bracelets put you in touch with medical services in an emergency at the push of a button. Wear the button as a necklace, put it on your belt, or keep it on your purse so you get help when you need it in an emergency. It’s better to be safe than sorry if something goes wrong.

Alarm Clock/Day Clock

Everyone likes to make jokes about how the days blend together and we’re never sure what day it is. How many of us would forget our heads if they weren’t screwed on? Unfortunately, those jokes become very real situations for some people and stop being funny. It’s even worse if you forget essential things like taking your medication. A good day clock, such as the SVINZ 3 Alarm Clock tells you the date, day, time, and whether it’s morning, afternoon, or evening. The clock lets you set up to three individual alarms to help you stay on top of tasks and better manage your daily schedule.

Automatic Showers

Most older people trade in their bath for a shower at some point. Showers are easier and require less movement. An automatic shower takes the convenience of showers to another level, letting you shower with confidence. Much like an automated car wash, automatic showers know how much water to give you. The unique design of automated showers also make it easier for disabled and infirm people to was themselves with ease to stay independent.

Grabber

Did you take steps to childproof your home when you had kids? If so, you should think about “elder proofing” it for parents and seniors. Remove tripping hazards, ensure that they have access to everything they need, and install secure grab bars where necessary.

Ensuring everything is in reach can be a real challenge. Even if something isn’t far away, an older person might have trouble reaching for something that is too low or high. A grabber with a long handle helps people reach and grab items. Grabbers with extendable handles are even better. The more control someone has over their grabber, the better.

Simple-to-Use Cell Phone 

It’s no secret older people tend to have more problems with technology. Technology becomes harder to learn as it gets more sophisticated. With that said, you should ensure elderly relatives still have access to a cell phone and know how to use it. If they’re having trouble with their smartphone and find it complicated, then opt for a more simple-to-use phone model. Some phones have larger buttons and text to help those with eyesight problems. Some phones also let you create direct shortcuts to particular numbers, allowing older people to call relatives and emergency services alike with one screen tap. Consider buying your parents a standard phone rather than a smartphone. If they aren’t going to use things like apps anyway, then why saddle them with a complicated phone when they don’t need one?

Beside Urinal 

We mentioned before that older people tend to need the bathroom more often than their younger counterparts, particularly at night. If your relatives make frequent trips to the toilet at night, you might want to encourage them to use something a little closer to home by giving them a urinal they can keep by the bed. Not only does a portable urinal or commode toilet eliminate the need to take constant trips to the bathroom, but it also reduces the risk of elderly people tripping and falling in the dark.

Security Pole 

There are many occasions where an older person may need help standing up or sitting down. For example, getting in and out of a car. A security pole helps in all of these situations and more. The security pole grab bar gives people a steady handle they can hold on to when standing up. The bar has four different hand grips at various heights for more leverage. The pole also has rubber at both ends to protect the floor and ceiling against damage.

Final Thoughts

It’s only natural for younger people to worry about their parents and older relatives living by themselves. It’s also the only natural for older people to also be worried about being by themselves. With that said, there are plenty of gadgets and items available to help remove some of the stress and worry. These items are all excellent choices for improving the freedom and independence of an elderly person living alone.

Anyone who lives alone has the right and freedom to independence. There’s no need to call on help whenever problems arise. Many elderly-friendly products are made to preserve independence, meaning it’s never been easier for older people to live with happiness, security, and self-confidence that everything will be fine.