Growing Old Sucks, but tech might help

Growing old sucks.

Turns out though, technology is helping with aging as it has helped me from young adulthood when I bought my first computer at 23.

I replaced my three year old phone recently. My old one came with three years of monthly security updates from Google. Those stopped coming in August, and it bothered me more than I thought. I guess I’m becoming more cautious.

Google’s new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro now have seven years of updates guaranteed. My three year old phone is immaculate so I can believe I will get five and maybe even seven years out of my new Pixel 8.

A smart phone has always been useful. Usefulness increases with age I am finding.

Note programs, Google Calendar, Google Tasks keep me on task, at the right place and with the information I need. And the camera takes quick notes. I never leave a doctor’s office for example, without photographing any lab orders I get. I might lose them, but I should not my phone. And even if I did, everything is automatically backed up to the cloud.

I keep a constantly updated document of medical issues, prescriptions, doctor contact information etc. that I print out and provide to doctors. The kinds of doctors one has tend to increase with the years.

My new phone has some nice safety features. There is car crash detection. If it detects what it thinks is a car crash, it sounds an alarm. If I don’t respond it calls 911 and provides my location. Optionally it can contact my emergency contacts as well.

If I were walking through a dicey area I can set Personal Safety on. If I don’t acknowledge that I have arrived safely by a specified time, it again contacts 911 or contacts with my location.

There is an Emergency SOS feature. If I press the power button five times, it calls for help, sends my location and records a video of the situation I am in, if I hold up the phone.

There is also Crisis Alerts for notifications of earthquakes, flooding etc. in your area.

And these features are not just for old people. Do you forget things? Do you go into unsafe places sometimes? Might you be in a car crash? Is your young person have to walk from the library across campus to their dorm after dark?

For Android phones, visit this link for more information, to find out if your phone can use these apps, and how to set them up.

For iPhone, there is Car Crash Detection

I also found some apps in the App Store for “walking safely” and “earthquake alerts”. I have not used any specifically so I will let you review them for which one is best for you.

The first walking safely app I saw was issued by a University to keep students safe as they crossed campus late at night. If you are a student, check with your university.