Workshop: Tech Tips to Help You Age in Place

Sherlyn Freeman could never be sure her dad would remember to turn off the lights before bed or that he wouldn’t stumble in the dark trying to reach them in the middle of the night. At 80, he exhausted himself just getting downstairs to answer the doorbell.

The two shared a New York townhouse, but he was upstairs and she was down. How could she help keep him safe?

She found the answers in smart technology: lights activated by voice or from her phone or his; a smartwatch that alerted her if he fell (he did); and a video doorbell so he could see and speak to whomever was ringing.

“I didn’t give him everything that I could have, because I didn’t want to overwhelm him,” says Freeman, a training lead for Senior Planet, an AARP-affiliated charity that seeks to help older adults understand new technology and thrive in the digital age. “There are so many things out there that are preparing people to age in place,” she adds.

Understanding the latest in tech will be part of Generations Magazine’s free Aging in Place Workshop, on Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Ala Moana Hotel’s Hibiscus Ballroom (410 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu). Freeman will share tech insights; other sessions will cover brain health, caregiving resources and fighting fraud.

With its aging population, Hawai‘i already has a caregiver shortage, notes Jackie Boland, AARP Hawai‘i community outreach director. Technology can help fill the gaps. “A voice assistant can remind you to take your medication and lock your door,” she says. “A smart floor can detect when you’ve fallen.” And remotely activated electrical plugs, doors and cameras let caregivers monitor safety from afar.

No registration is needed for the event. Seating is first come, first served. Learn more about Senior Planet at seniorplanet.org.

—Rita Beamish