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Although you may think of your parents as technologically averse, there are numerous tools available to them that can make their days more effortless — ones not too complicated to use.
If you’re looking to make life easier for the people who raised you, consider these five gadgets to help your aging parents.
Electric can opener
More than 50 million people suffer from arthritis, making it the No. 1 disability in the United States, according to the Arthritis Foundation. That means there is a good chance you have at least one parent who needs a little help when it comes to doing manual tasks.
A battery-operated can opener that doesn’t require gripping or twisting will offer relief. There are many options available, including this relatively inexpensive one that won’t take up a lot of space in the kitchen drawer. Throw in a spare set of batteries, so your parents will never be left with a can they can’t open.
Wireless headphones
When hearing starts to go, it’s frustrating for the people it’s happening to as well as their loved ones. If you have a parent who has to crank the volume to watch TV, offer a pair of wireless headphones.
This gizmo lets the hard-of-hearing parent listen as loud as can be, without bothering other people in the house, or even the neighbors next door, who don’t want to hear about the latest case on “NCIS.” Additionally, it means one parent can sit and read, right next to the TV viewer, and everyone is happy. You can also get both parents a pair of headphones, so they can turn the volume to individually acceptable levels.
Reverse mortgage
The computer isn’t a gadget to you, but your parents may appreciate guidance accessing the endless material available to them online to help them improve their financial situation. For example, direct them to information about reverse mortgages, an option for people 62 or older who need extra cash.
They’ll never have to make a monthly principal and interest payment. If they move, they can use the equity from the sale of that home to purchase a new home using a new reverse mortgage, or choose to keep the excess from the sale after the existing reverse mortgage loan is paid off. Either way — they’ll never owe more than the house is worth.
Show your parents a reverse mortgage is safe, legal and insured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Smart thermostat
A smart thermostat is one your parents won’t have to set. Instead, it learns their heating habits, so they save money on energy bills and keep their home at a comfortable temperature.
Because the thermostat is simple to install, your parents can take on the task, or you can do it for them. Additionally, they can get applicable alerts to their smartphones, if they choose, but that’s optional.
Lost item finder
Whether its keys, the remote controls or anything else, it’s frustrating to lose things. That’s where this doodad comes in handy. If your parents are opposed to apps, consider a basic beeper, with transmitters to attach to whatever they choose.
If they don’t mind technology, gift a finder that is connected to an app, with the option to connect trackers to many items. Then, your parents can find lost items in or out of their home, even using the technology to find a phone that has the app on it, if necessary.
