With so many assistive technologies on the market today, it can be tough to decide which is the best fit for you. When considering technology for seniors, voice tech and digital home assistants have become particularly popular. Depending on your needs, expectations, and lifestyle, there are a range of agetech products to choose from. So where should you start?
- Identify your needs and goals:
Before buying products for seniors, first consider your needs and goals. What are the challenges you need to solve? What purpose will this product serve? How will it make your life easier?
- Research your options:
Once you’ve established the gaps that you need to fill, it is time to explore the options available to you. Google is an amazing resource for questions like this, but keep in mind that the top results are typically advertisements that companies pay for - not necessarily unbiased sources for you to investigate.
- Making the decision:
After you’ve narrowed down your list to a few options, you need to think through a variety of factors.
- Be realistic about whether you - or the older adult you’re buying for - will integrate a new product into your routine (for example, will you really use that new treadmill, or will it collect dust in your spare bedroom?)
- Consider the cost implications and weigh the value of the product against your budget
- Be sure that you understand if there are any requirements or prerequisites needed to make this product work (for example, WiFi)
- Test the company’s customer support by giving the phone number a call - you want to make sure that you’ll be supported if you run into any issues down the line
- Check the refund policy to ensure you’ll have an opportunity to return the product if it doesn’t feel like the right fit post-purchase
The best way to feel confident about your purchasing decision is to take your time, do your research, and reflect beforehand. If you’ve stumbled across this blog post, you may be investigating whether or not ElliQ is the right product for yourself or a loved one. The Intuition Robotics team created ElliQ to be a home hub for seniors that may have limited mobility or spend most of their time at home.
Below you’ll find some helpful statements that can indicate whether or not ElliQ may be a good fit in your home. If any of the following statements resonate, ElliQ may be for you:
- I want to remain in my home, but it is getting a bit more challenging as I age
- I want to remain in my home, but my kids are worried about me
- I live alone, but I’d love someone to keep me company throughout the day
- I wish there were someone to greet me when I come home or say “good morning” when I wake up
- I want to stay connected to my family and friends and have an easy way to communicate with them
- I’d like to feel more motivated to take control of my health
- I find myself zoning out in from of the TV and would prefer to have engaging brain games to keep me sharp
- I’d like help keeping track of health measures like blood pressure or heart rate
- It would be helpful to have someone to remind me of things like medication times and appointments - and follow-up with me about various activities
If any of the following statements describe you, ElliQ might NOT be the best fit:
- I don’t speak English (ElliQ only speaks English currently)
- I don’t have WiFi or access to a cellular hotspot (WiFi is required in order for ElliQ to work)
- I don’t live in the United States (ElliQ is only available commercially in the US)
- I have severe cognitive impairment (ElliQ is not intended to be used with individuals living with advanced stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia)
- I don’t live alone and/or spend most of my time with another individual(s) - ElliQ is designed to be paired with one person, but our team can work with you to evaluate your circumstances to see if ElliQ might still be a good fit.
Interested in learning more about ElliQ? We invite you to visit our website or give us a call at 844-944-ELLI to get all of your questions answered!