by Christine David

Retirees may be the last demographic to jump on the technology bandwagon, but many are doing it in droves—58% of people ages 65 and older use the Internet, according to the  Pew Research Centre, up from 14% in 2000. The reason for this uptake is clear – seniors are using new devices with apps to help them preserve their quality of life and enjoy retirement to the full.

So what is an app anyway?

The term app is short for “application.” It’s a piece of software that you use online or on mobile devices. They often have a specific narrow use, such as a “shopping app” for your smartphone. But that’s not always the case. Some are very broad and perform a lot of tasks. However, they all share one thing in common. They are all a piece of software that you can easily use – most of them are intuitive and can be used with minimal training after you learn the basics.

Once you discover the world of apps and how simple they can be to use, you’ll find that there are literally a million ways they can help you with a multitude of tasks. Here are five basic areas where apps can be extremely useful for those who are retired.

Keep in touch with family and friends

No matter if your loved ones are in the next suburb or the next hemisphere, communicating with them face-to-face is easy with popular apps like Skype, Facebook or What’s App. You no longer need to worry about how long you talk or paying exorbitant fees to the phone company, talking via these web-based apps cost nothing beyond your monthly Internet connection fees.   

Can’t make it to your granddaughter’s recital or grandson’s footy match? Watching it live-streamed or via video is now just a matter of clicking a link. Better still, you can carry on a conversation in real-time as you watch too. And you’ll be amazed what you’ll learn connecting to younger generation friends posting on photo and video sharing sites such as Instagram and Snapchat.

Stay healthy

Once you branch out from widely used communication tools, app options become more bountiful and more specifically focussed. On the health front you can use them to:

• Keep track of your medications – Medisafe, Pillboxie, MedCoach
• Magnify texts of hard-to-read copy – EyeReader
• Notify emergency services of your location – Emergency+
• Monitor exercise routines, dietary intake and vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure
• File your insurance claims, and more.

Keep on top of your finances

With the demise of many local bank branches, banking apps can make it much easier to pay bills and monitor balances without leaving home. Most investment vehicles also offer mobile apps to trade and monitor accounts.

Money management apps can send alerts whenever you’re being charged fees, going over budget, or if something seems suspicious.

Currency converter apps are also essential to quickly see how much you’re spending when travelling overseas.

Travel simplified

And speaking of travelling, perhaps the most appealing thing about retirement is the freedom to travel more. The best travel apps simplify the logistics and planning that go into any major trip, plus they can help you find the most economical fares and accommodations to save you money. Some of the most popular are TripAdvisor, SkyScanner, Trivago, AirBNB, Booking.com and FlightAware. They can also provide maps and information on points of interest and restaurants while you’re on the go.

When you’re in an unfamiliar environment, apps can make short work of finding everything from Wi-Fi to the nearest public toilet. Don’t speak the local language? Apps like DuoLingo, Babble and Google Translate will help you learn other languages or translate phrases on the fly.

Hobbies and other interests

How long is a piece of string? Whatever your interest, there is most likely a related app. Follow your favourite sports team, track new recipes and restaurants, discover new (and your favourite old) music, store your shopping loyalty cards, and so much more.

But maybe you just want to play? The app industry really got started with the development of games for smart phones and tablets, so there are literally tens of thousands to choose from. If shoot-em ups aren’t your thing, old-school online crosswords and Suduko and newer brain-training services like Lumosity, and Brainscape will keep your mind exercised daily in fun and engaging ways.

Would you like to learn more about the world of apps and how to use them effectively? Contact IT 4 Retirees on 0401-017-459 or email chris@it4retirees.com.au to book one of their courses or schedule a private, in-home lesson to get you going. For more information on the ways they help seniors gain confidence with technology, see the website on it4retirees.com.au.