02-19-2025 PTL - Flipbook - Page 8
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A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, February 19, 2025
STAYING AT HOME
The gerontechnologist
will see you now
Technological advances allow
for more older adults to remain
in their homes
By Margit B. Weisgal, Contributing Writer
S
tephen M. Golant, Ph.D., professor emeritus in gerontology, University of
• Nurturing a Social Network
Florida, adopted the word “gerontechologist” to describe the direction he
• Health care at Home
is taking to improve the quality of life (QOL) of older adults who want to
• Remote Monitoring
remain in their homes. Specifically, he is helping to make our homes more com- Accessing Goods, Services & Information
Over the period of time we live in our
fortable as we age and for us to feel more in control of our lives and surroundings. houses, we get to know the neighborHis job description was created by
combining gerontology – a word coined
in 1903 by Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, meaning
the study of old men – and technology,
in this case the digital and sensor tools
that we will need to allow those of us
who don’t want to move to remain in our
homes. Now, admittedly, not every home
is conducive to accommodating us if we
stay. However, what Golant has identified
is a good start. It also sets a bar to help
us figure out what we need in order to age
in place.
Golant shows how gerontechnology solutions allow all kinds of stuff to
be delivered into our dwellings so that a
resident can stay there comfortably and
independently. The emphasis is on outside
connections versus preventing things from
entering (a fortress).
What Changed?
“I’m more optimistic than ever that the
aging population, specifically those over
the age of 75, can remain in their homes
despite declines,” says Golant. “We’ve
seen so much growth in technology since
the pandemic, so many new types of
devices, that it will become more feasible
to age in place. However, safety is the primary factor. Without that, the ‘place’ is not
an acceptable one in which to live.”
Golant breaks down the requirements
necessary to provide the QOL older
adults want and the reasoning behind
that choice. “There are four categories of
gerontechnology solutions necessary to
make it easy to stay where we are,” Golant
explains. They are:
• Accessing Goods, Services &
Information
hood, the neighbors, where to shop, and
who to call when we need something.
That’s all well and good, but what happens when we have to depend on others for our groceries, transportation to
appointments and the like.
We are already employing solutions
using smartphones and tablets when we
order stuff online, do our banking, and
benefit from the library’s downloadable
books and movies. Friends who have had
surgery use Uber and Lyft to go to physical therapy. Prepared meals were delivered when they had difficulty cooking. If
you can cook, most groceries have delivery or a contract with Instacart. Best of all,
we can have all types of food delivered.
This segment is expanding, with meal kits
in addition to our regular carry-out and
fast-food restaurants.
If you’re not comfortable using technology, it’s in your best interest to learn.
Every day, technology advances result in
more products and services. We should
use and depend on these innovations. For
instance, I bought a humidifier and the
directions say it can be controlled by my
phone. Yes, there are buttons I can push,
but if I was physically limited, using a
smartphone would be much easier. If you
truly want to remain in your home, you
need to stay current with technology as
this will make it easier for you. (See article
on Learning Technology for Seniors.)
Nurturing a Social Network
The advantage of moving into a senior
living facility, such as a continuing care
retirement community (CCRC), is you
always have company. Isolation is detrimental to aging adults, which can lead
to “health problems such as heart disease, depressing, and cognitive decline,”
according to the National Institute on
Aging. If you choose to remain in your
home, you are responsible for socializing.
Remember, you are there because you
Gerontechnologist,
continued on page 22
