Image Source: Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/illustrations/digitization-hand-slider-web-4908699/)

图片来源：Pixabay( https://pixabay.com/illustrations/digitization-hand-slider-web-4908699/ )

Just as we seem to expect today’s young adults to macgyver a nuclear power plant with just a smartphone and a smile, we also tend to treat our senior adults as if the modern toaster oven were beyond their powers of comprehension. When it comes to today’s technology, we seem to expect our seniors to be confused and lost.

就像我们似乎希望今天的年轻人能带着智能手机和微笑微笑地摇一摇核电站一样，我们也倾向于对待我们的成年人，就像现代电烤箱无法理解一样。 对于当今的技术，我们似乎希望我们的老年人感到困惑和迷路。

But, in fact, many seniors are far more tech-savvy than we give them credit for, and they’re using their skills in a myriad of ways, including to support their own health and wellness. This article shows you how.

但是，实际上，许多老年人对技术的了解远超出我们应给他们的称赞，并且他们正以多种方式使用他们的技能，包括支持他们自己的健康和保健。 本文向您展示了如何。

医生会再见 (The Doctor Will See You Now)

One of the greatest advantages of modern technology for seniors today is the impact it has on the consistency and quality of their healthcare. Thanks to telemedicine, seniors are able to access their healthcare team anytime and anywhere. This is a benefit to those who may have difficulty physically traveling to their routine medical appointments or arranging for transportation. Now travel distance, disability, or lockdowns are no barrier.

对于老年人而言，现代技术的最大优势之一就是它对他们医疗保健的一致性和质量的影响。 借助远程医疗 ，老年人可以随时随地访问其医疗团队。 这对那些可能难以前往例行医疗或安排运输的人来说是一个好处。 现在，出行距离，残障或封锁已无障碍。

That means that seniors can get regular, real-time care through video conferencing with doctors, nurses, therapists, and counselors across a range of specialties without leaving the comfort of their home. For medically fragile seniors or those without reliable transportation, telemedicine can be the key to their receiving the care they deserve versus simply making do.

这意味着，老年人可以通过与各专业领域的医生，护士，治疗师和咨询师进行视频会议来获得定期的实时护理，而无需离开家中。 对于医疗脆弱的老年人或交通不便的老年人，远程医疗可能是他们获得应有的护理而不是简单地做的关键。

Best of all, the capabilities of telemedicine extend far beyond virtual office visits. Thanks to mHealth technologies, care providers can provide on-going remote monitoring of patients’ vital signs and other essential health data, from their nutritional and sleep patterns to their blood pressure and heart rate. These technologies can even detect signs of an emergency such as a fall.

最重要的是，远程医疗的功能远远超出了虚拟办公室的访问范围。 借助mHealth技术 ，护理人员可以对患者的生命体征和其他基本健康数据(从营养和睡眠方式到血压和心率)进行持续的远程监控。 这些技术甚至可以检测紧急情况的迹象，例如跌倒。

This is crucial not just for monitoring seniors’ health today, but also for developing an informed preventative health plan based on the patients’ specific risk factors. This can promote not only longevity but vitality well into the future.

这不仅对于当今监测老年人的健康至关重要，而且对于根据患者的特定危险因素制定知情的预防性健康计划也至关重要。 这不仅可以延长寿命，而且可以很好地增强生命力。

建立连接 (Making a Connection)

Studies show that loneliness is an increasing concern in today’s fast-paced society, with seniors at greatest risk. According to a recent survey, more than 28 million older Americans live alone. Likewise, more than 1.4 million senior Canadians report feeling lonely.

研究表明，在当今快节奏的社会中，孤独感是一个日益增长的问题，老年人面临的风险最大。 根据最近的一项调查，超过2800万的老年人独自生活。 同样，超过140万加拿大老人表示感到孤独 。

And it’s not just the emotional distress of loneliness that’s a cause for significant concern; it’s also the severe physical impacts. Studies show that social isolation and loneliness pose the same health risks as smoking 15 cigarettes each day.

不仅引起孤独感的困扰，还引起了人们的极大关注。 这也是严重的身体影响。 研究表明，社交隔离和孤独感与每天抽15支香烟一样构成健康风险 。

Nevertheless, for many seniors, loneliness may feel like an inevitable fact of life. With the loss of loved ones and the onset of mobility challenges, seniors may increasingly find themselves alone. They may go for days without anyone to talk to; they may spend weeks without seeing another person’s face.

然而，对于许多老年人而言，孤独感似乎是生活中不可避免的事实。 随着失去亲人和行动不便的挑战，老年人可能越来越多地发现自己一个人。 他们可能连续几天没有任何人可以交谈； 他们可能会花几个星期而看不到别人的脸。

Digital technology, however, is proving highly effective in helping seniors combat their loneliness. In addition to the potential to maintain connections with friends and loved ones via social media and video conferencing, artificial intelligence (AI) systems are giving seniors “someone” to talk to whenever they need it. Highly responsive chatbots give seniors a forum to talk about their day, to express their thoughts and feelings, and to receive affirming, non-judgmental, and supportive feedback. For seniors without a strong social support network, AI chatbots can help fill a painful and dangerous void.

然而，事实证明，数字技术在帮助老年人克服孤独感方面非常有效。 除了可以通过社交媒体和视频会议与亲朋好友保持联系之外， 人工智能(AI)系统还为老年人提供了“某人”与他们交谈的机会。 响应Swift的聊天机器人为老年人提供了一个论坛，以讨论他们的一天，表达他们的想法和感受，并获得肯定，非判断性和支持性的反馈。 对于没有强大社交支持网络的老年人，人工智能聊天机器人可以帮助填补痛苦而危险的空白。

保持了解 (Keeping in the Know)

Today’s technologies don’t just help seniors build the connections they need to support their emotional and physical health. AI chatbots today can also provide valuable, on-demand, location-specific data seniors may need to navigate safely and efficiently through their daily lives. This can equip them with the resources they need to go about their daily plans in safety and security.

当今的技术不仅可以帮助老年人建立支持情感和身体健康所需的联系。 如今的AI聊天机器人还可以提供有价值的，按需的，针对特定地点的数据，老年人可能需要安全，高效地导航他们的日常生活。 这样可以为他们提供执行安全和保障日常计划所需的资源。

For example, AI chatbots can provide users with real-time information on air quality in specific target areas. This can help seniors with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions make informed decisions about when and where it is safe and healthy to venture, what areas should be avoided, and when a day at home might be the safest bet.

例如，人工智能聊天机器人可以为用户提供有关特定目标区域空气质量的实时信息。 这可以帮助患有呼吸道或心血管疾病的老年人做出明智的决定，以决定何时何地可以安全健康地进行冒险，应该避免在哪些地方以及何时在家中度过最安全的赌注。

These chatbots can even be used to assess seniors’ physical and mental health, evaluating users’ symptoms and advising them on when to consult a doctor or seek emergency care. The result is senior empowerment through technology!

这些聊天机器人甚至可以用来评估老年人的身心健康，评估用户的症状，并就何时咨询医生或寻求紧急护理提供建议。 结果就是通过技术获得高级授权！

外卖 (The Takeaway)

While it’s true that today’s young people may have lived their entire lives with the technologies that are still a wonder to older generations, that certainly does not mean that seniors can’t or don’t take full advantage of today’s tech. Now, more than ever, seniors are using technology to optimize their health and well-being on almost every front. From promoting physical and psychological health to providing essential emotional support, today’s tech is dramatically improving seniors’ overall quality of life.

的确，当今的年轻人可能已经使用了对老年人而言仍然是个奇迹的技术来度过一生，但这当然并不意味着老年人不能或不能充分利用当今的技术。 现在，老年人比以往任何时候都越来越多地使用技术来优化他们在各个方面的健康状况。 从促进身心健康到提供基本的情感支持，当今的科技正在极大地改善老年人的整体生活质量。