My Health Technology for Seniors: Take Charge of Your Health Through Technology

Description

A 2017 National Health Information Award "Best in Show" Winner
My Health Technology for Seniors is the first easy guide to today's revolutionary health technologies. Learn to use your computer, smartphone, and other devices to manage your health and get help when you need it. Whether it’s sleep, exercise, diet, heart health, diabetes, or asthma, this book shows you how to stay healthier, happier, and in charge of your life.

With step-by-step instructions, full-color screen shots, and an easy-to-read design, this shows you how to:

• Succeed at eating right and staying fit with help from new technologies that are fun and easy
• Sleep better and manage stress more effectively
• Manage chronic conditions and save money on medications and costly medical procedures
• Transform your smartphone into a powerful glucose monitor, blood pressure monitor, and medication usage tracker for asthma and COPD management
• Track, protect, and improve your heart health
• Use in-home technology to stay safer and prepare for emergencies
• Get valuable advice and support from online communities
• Choose online health resources you can trust
• And much more
This book is the recipient of a 2017 National Mature Media Award. These awards recognize the nation’s finest marketing, communications, educational materials, and programs designed and produced for older adults.

Sample Content

Table of Contents

Introduction     1
Chapter 1  Choosing the Right Technology to Support Your Health Goals     5
Using a Smartphone to Aid in a Healthy Lifestyle     6
    Explore Android Devices     7
    Check Your Version of Android     10
    Choose an Android Phone     10
    Consider an Apple iPhone     14
    Check Your Version of iOS     16
    Keep in Touch with the Jitterbug Touch3     17
    Consider the Snapfon ezTWO3G     19
Finding Health Apps for Your Device     21
    Perform a Google Search     21
    Find a Forum     22
    Ask Your Doctor     22
    Browse the Play Store     22
    Use the Gear Manager App     26
    Use the Android Wear App     26
    Browse the App Store     29
    Use the Apple Watch App     31
    Visit a Fitness Tracker’s Website     33
Exploring Web-Based Solutions     33
Taking a Look at What Wearables Can Do for You     34
    Decide Between Fitness Trackers     35
    Determine Your Need for a Smartwatch     43
    Consider the Need for a Medical ID     50
    Choose a Pedometer to Track Your Activity     52
Exploring Technology for Your Household     53
    Smart Bathroom Scales     53
    Talking Measuring Cups and Food Scales     54
    Medicine Adherence     54
    Anti-Scalding Devices     56
    Turn On Lights Remotely     56
    Medical Alert Services     57
Chapter 2  Maintaining a Healthy, Balanced Diet     59
Knowing Your Body Measurements     60
    Calculate Body Mass Index (BMI)     60
    Track Your Body Fat Percentage     61
Watching Your Weight     61
    Measure Weight with the Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale     62
    Monitor Weight with the Weight Gurus Bluetooth Smart Body Fat Scale     63
    Track Your Weight with the Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer     64
Watching Your Food Portions     65
    Weigh Food Portions with Digital Scales     65
    Work with Talking Measuring Cups     67
Tracking Your Daily Hydration     69
    Monitor Fluid Intake with HydraCoach     69
    Monitor Fluid Intake with the Thermos Connected Hydration Bottle with Smart Lid     75
Making Better Food Choices    82
    Track Calorie Consumption with the MyFitnessPal App     82
    Learn What’s Really in Your Food with the Fooducate App     87
    Lose Weight with the Lose It! App     94
Getting Groceries Delivered to Your Door     100
    Explore Peapod Home Delivery     101
    Use Schwan’s Home Delivery Services     104
    Order from AmazonFresh     106
    Consider Instacart Grocery Delivery     107
Exploring Diet-Specific Resources with Recipes     110
    Explore All Natural, Gourmet Farm-to-Table Deliveries from Blue Ribbon Foods     111
    Receive Special Diet Deliveries from Schwan’s Home Delivery     111
    Consider Diet-Specific Grocery Delivery from Instacart     112
    Eat Better by Planning Your Meals Using Edamam     113
    Get Designer Recipes and Delicious Groceries at PlateJoy     115
Chapter 3  Keeping Active and Fit     117
Tracking Your Daily Activity     118
Tracking Steps     119
    Apple Health App     119
    Fitbit     123
    Google Fit     128
    S Health     131
Tracking Flights of Stairs Climbed     134
    Apple Health App     134
    Garmin vívosmart HR     137
Monitoring Walking and Running Distance     138
    Apple Health App     138
    Fitbit     141
    Google Fit     142
    S Health     145
    Withings Activité Pop     149
Tracking Biking Activity    151
    Apple Health App     151
    Fitbit     153
    Google Fit     154
    S Health     156
Creating a Fitness Plan     158
Achieving Health and Fitness Goals with More Apps     159
    Get Fit with FitStar Personal Trainer    160
    Access More Than 200 Free Fitness Workouts with Fitnet     162
    Get the Most from Your Workout with Nike+Training Club    164
    Personalize Your Workout with Sworkit     166
    Maximize Your In-Home Workouts with Wello     170
    Log Activity with MapMyFitness     172
    Improve Your Posture with the Lumo Lift App     175
Getting to Know High-Tech Canes     177
    Secure Folding Walking Cane     178
    Trusty Cane     178
Chapter 4  Sleeping Better and Managing Stress     181
Exploring Sleep Monitoring     182
Forming Consistent Sleep Habits     183
Tracking Your Sleep with Devices    183
    Track Sleep Patterns with the Withings Activité Pop     184
    Get Insight with the Beddit Sleep Tracker     188
    Focus on Sleep with the Fitbit Flex Band     190
    Monitor How Well and How Long You Sleep     191
    Set a Silent Alarm     192
    Improve Sleep Patterns with the Jawbone UP3 Tracker     192
    Track Your Sleep Patterns     193
    Track Sleep with the Microsoft Band 2     194
    Use the Sleep Tile Function     195
    View Sleep Summaries     196
Tracking Your Sleep with Apps     197
    Monitor Sleep with the Sleep as Android App     197
    Track Your Sleep Cycle and Use the Smart Alarm Clock     198
    Use SleepBot to Get the Sleep You Need     201
    Improve Your Sleep Quality by Tracking Your Sleep     202
    Customize SleepBot Settings     204
    View and Share Your Stats Online and from Your Phone     206
    Understand Your Sleep with the Sleep Time Smart Alarm Clock App     208
    Set Alarms and Measure Your Nighttime Sleep Movements     208
Using Apps to Help Relax and Fall Sleep     212
    Use the Ambience App to Pick Relaxing Sounds     213
    Get to Sleep Faster with the Relax Melodies App’s Zen Sounds and Melodies     217
    Make Relaxing Soundscapes with the Sleep Pillow Sounds App     220
Exploring Meditation Apps     224
    Relax with the Calm App     224
    Find Your Happy Place with the Happier App     226
    Get in Touch with Your Inner Calm with Headspace     228
    Use the Mindfulness Meditation App     230
    Release Stress with the Simply Being App     232
    Break Up a Stressful Day with the Take a Break! App     235
Chapter 5  Staying on Top of Your Medicine    239
Considering the Med Reminder App    240
    Schedule and Monitor Regimens     241
Considering Reminder Rosie     245
    Set Up the Date and Time     245
    Set Up Rosie’s Activation Trigger and Create Reminders     247
    Play and Erase Reminders     249
Receiving Reminders from Pharmacies     249
Taking the Right Medication at the Right Time at the Right Dose with CleverCap     250
    Sync Medication Regimens with the CleverCap     251
    Use Visual, Sound, and Other Alerts for Medication Reminders     252
    Access Medicine Regimen Online Reports     254
Staying on Top of Your Medications with Medisafe     255
    Set Up Your Virtual Pillbox     256
Taking Care of Your Medications with the Mango Health App     261
    Create a Medication Regimen     261
    Check for Drug Interactions     266
Managing Your Medications with PillPack     267
    Sign Up for PillPack     267
    Add Medications and Set Reminders     272
Staying On Track with Your Daily Medicines Using the MedCoach App     272
    Register and Add Your Medications     273
    Set Up Pill Reminders     276
    Order Refills from Your Pharmacy     279
Chapter 6  Using Social Engagement as Health Support Systems     285
Joining the AARP Online Community     286
Exploring Transportation Services for Getting Around Town     287
    Getting a Ride Using Lyft     287
    Getting to Know Uber     294
Finding Patient Support Communities     303
    Exploring Communities for People with Rare Diseases at Ben’s Friends     303
    Benefiting from the Wisdom of the Experts at CrowdMed     306
    Live Better Together with the PatientsLikeMe Online Community     309
Focusing on Active Living with HealthyAging.Net     311
Combating Social Isolation Through Digital Inclusion     313
    Staying Closer and Caring Easier with the Oscar Tablet App     314
    Staying Connected with Friends and Family with the grandPad Tablet     316
    Keeping in Touch with Friends and Family Using grandCARE     317
Chapter 7  Finding Solutions to Manage Specific Conditions     321
Managing Diabetes     322
    Monitoring Your Glucose Using Apps     322
Taking a Look at Heart Health Technology     350
    Keeping an Eye on Your Hypertension and Blood Pressure     350
    Choosing the Right Wearable Heart Monitor for You     355
    Investigating Apps for Heart Health on Your Smartphone     359
Controlling Obesity     365
    Making a Lasting Lifestyle Change at Omada Health     365
    Keeping a Food Journal and Using Fitness and Dietary Apps     366
Getting Help to Control Your Asthma and COPD     371
    Using Propeller     371
    Using CareTRx     372
Chapter 8  Being Prepared for an Emergency     375
Understanding the Importance of Medical IDs for Emergencies     376
    Create a Medical ID on Your Android Phone     376
    Create a Medical ID on Your iPhone     383
    Consider the ICE Standard with Smart911 App     388
Using Apps and GPS Tracking Devices as Safety Measures     390
    Consider GreatCall 5Star Urgent Response     390
    Stay Connected to the People Who Matter with the Life 360 Locator App     391
    Get Assistance with Alzheimer’s with the Comfort Zone Check-In Web Application     401
Choosing the Right Medical Alert System     402
    Use the Life Alert Service     403
    Use the MobileHelp Medical Alert System     407
    Get to Know the Lively 24/7 Emergency Medical Alert System     408
    Understand the grandCare Monitoring System     411
Turning On Lights in Your Home Remotely     413
    Control Your Lights with the Clapper     414
    Light the Way with the Automatic Sensor LED Night Light     415
Chapter 9  Connecting with Your Health Care Professionals and Saving Money on Services     417
Scheduling Doctor Appointments and Finding Doctors     418
    Find Doctors and Dentists, and Book Appointments with the ZocDoc App     418
    Find a Doctor You’ll Love at BetterDoctor     430
Getting Treatment Online     433
    Get a Doctor by Phone or Video with Teladoc     433
    Get a Diagnosis and Treatment from Direct Dermatology     439
Accessing Adult Care Resources     444
    Search for Adult Care, Reviews, and Resources     444
    Discover the Adult Care Options Available at Care.com     448
    Find Your Caregiver at CareLinx.com     453
Preventing Paying Too Much for Health Procedures and Medication     457
    Use Medical Billing Experts at CoPatient to Ensure You’re Not Paying Too Much for Unpaid Bills    457
    Compare Prescription Prices and Get Prescription Coupons at WeRx     461
    Gathering Your Health Information     463
    Organize Your Life with the Digital Component of AARP/ABA Checklist for My Family     464
Index     465

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