Helpful Apps for Seniors - Part 2

By Anna Hazard

Smartphone apps are not just for kids and the technologically savvy & hip these days. With more than 50% of those over age 50 in the USA now having their own smart phones, software programmers have started widening their target audience from just the younger generations.

Here is the second set in the series of smartphone apps (for iOS or Android) that have convenient, beneficial, or popular uses for the elderly. The first set of app suggestions can be seen HERE.

Health Tracker Pro

• iOS $3.99 | Android $2.99
  
• Comprehensive medical app that helps keep track of heart rate, blood pressure, body mass index, and blood sugar level. For less extensive free options check out the suggestions below.
  

Instant Heart Rate

• iOS | Android (Free)
  
• Takes your heart rate/pulse + gives your ideal/target heart rate for exercise.
  

Blood Pressure (SmartBP) Tracker

• iOS | Android (Free - With in-app purchases)
  
• Helps keep track of blood pressure, pulse, weight, and body mass index.
  

MedWatcher

• iOS | Android (Free)
• Receive real time safety alerts & product recalls for medical devices and drugs as well as the ability to report any side effects you suffer from your medicine directly to the FDA.

Pocket Physio [Android - Free] | Pocket Physio [iOS - $13.99] | PT-ME [Android - Free with in-app purchases]

• A variety of exercise and light physical therapy apps. Pocket Physio for Android is a free app from Care UK that focuses on the hip & knee. Pocket Physio for iOS is an all around injury, treatment, and flexibility app. PT-ME focuses on therapy programs for the back, neck, and shoulder.
  

SOS! [iOS - Free] | SafetyGrid [iOS - $0.99]
Emergency Alert [Android - Free] | Emergency Alert Button [Android - $2.71]

• These emergency apps will conveniently send text message/e-mails with your GPS location to preset emergency contacts and will dial preset medical emergency numbers at the touch of a button.
  

Fall Safety App for Pros [iOS - $4.99] | Accident Alert [iOS - $2.99] | Fade Fall Detector [Android - Free]

• Detects falling through its accelerometer and can be configured to automatically notify your current GPS location to your designated emergency contacts through text, e-mail, or phone/voice.
  

Shopwell

• iOS | Android (Free)
• Create a health profile and receive food and diet recommendations specially tailored to your individual needs. Scan food labels to search for possible allergens present.

Evernote iOS | Android | Wunderlist iOS | Android

• (Both free with in-app purchases)
  
• Productivity apps  for jotting down notes, reminders, lists & and sharing them with other people. Evernote organizes your files and research such as docs, pdfs, and pics etc and offers a digital assistant for such tasks as tracking expenses and making reservations. Wunderlist excels at  managing a multitude of quick notes & tasks that require alerts.
  

Magnifying Glass with Light

• iOS | Android (Free with in-app purchases)
• Turns your smartphone into a handy magnifying glass for reading small text with the additional benefit of a flashlight function. For the same functionality, you can also try Magnifying Glass Flashlight for Android
  

Find Your Car with AR [iOS - Free with in-app purchases]
Car Finder AR [Android - $1.99]

• Find where you parked car using GPS and augmented reality maps. The paid Android version also includes automatic saving your parking position, suggested nearby car parks, and parking meter notifications.

Yesterday USA : Old Time Radio Player

• iOS | Android (Free)
  
• Listen to old time radio broadcasts from the 1920s - 1950s (such as Abbot & Costella, Dick Tracy etc). Available 24/7.