As technology becomes more advanced, it will continue to play an increasingly larger role in our daily lives. With a little bit of knowledge, seniors and older adults can easily leverage this technology to help them regain some of their independence and age in place at home. Here are our top 8 favorite apps for seniors and older consumers available for download on the Apple and Google Playstore. NUMBER 8 – Mango Health One of the most common causes of hospital readmissions is a direct result of medication non-compliance, a fancy term for ignoring your doctor’s orders or forgetting to take your medications altogether. Mango Health aims to not only help you keep track of your medications, but it also provides reminders when medications are due and offers incentives to stay compliant through the form of points and rewards. Every day you take your medications on time, you earn points which can be used to donate to a favorite charity (ASPCA for example) or for discounts to your favorite store (Starbucks and Whole Foods). Mango Health strives to make medication compliance fun. NUMBER 7 – Google Express For the older adult, things as seemingly simple as getting to the grocery store or picking up items at the pharmacy can suddenly prove challenging. Although aimed at the general consumer, Google Express can specifically help seniors with mobility and transportation issues purchase a variety of products and have them delivered to their front door, usually on the same day (location dependent). Here’s how it works: first, sign up for an annual membership ($95 per year) or pay by the month ($10 per month). Once you’re a member, you’ll be able to easily shop from the comfort of your phone at a variety of big name stores (i.e. Target, Costco, Walgreens). Next, select the items you wish to purchase and sit back and relax as Google Express shops for and delivers your products. There are some limitations on what you can buy, however. Currently only dry goods can be purchased from grocery stores, but plans to include cold-grocery deliveries is expected to be launched in the Bay Area soon. Not sure if Google Express is for you? Not to worry, they even offer 3-months of free membership for first time customers to test it out. NUMBER 6 – Uber/Lyft On demand car services are becoming more common place every day. If you’re an older adult who has lost the ability to drive, Uber and Lyft can be excellent alternatives to getting you where you need to be without having to rely on a friend, loved one or paid caregiver. It’s as simple as downloading either app, creating a basic profile with payment information, and selecting your destination. Once you’ve made a request to be picked up, you’ll receive an alert with the estimated time of arrival and estimated cost for your trip. When you pull up to your final destination, simply get out of the car, and all fees and taxes are billed to your card on file. How easy is that? Uber and Lyft help seniors stay active in the community by offering easily accessible on-demand transportation. NUMBER 5 – Amazon Although similar to Google Express, Amazon’s shopping app also makes it easier for adults and seniors alike to make purchases from thousands of products ranging from home goods to electronics, household products and more. The main difference lies in the sheer quantity of products available on Amazon’s store in addition to the (slightly) longer delivery time. For example, Amazon Prime members can get unlimited 2 day shipping for a flat rate of $99 per year versus $95 for same day deliveries with Google Express (but far fewer products are available on Google Express). So whether you need a non-slip mat for your bathtub, a birthday present for your grandson, or a refill on your vitamins, Amazon is a great one-stop shop for all your major shopping needs. NUMBER 4 – First Aid by RedCross Even though this next app doesn’t directly help seniors age in place, it does provide a wealth of knowledge and resources to better educate older adults on a variety of first aid and emergency preparedness topics. Their engaging app offers step by step instructions on how to handle everything from choking, to heart attacks, stroke identification, and more. They even offer entire sections on what to do in a number of natural disasters (earthquakes, wildfires, landslides and more). Staying informed helps seniors better manage their health and put a plan in place in the event of an emergency. NUMBER 3 – Skype/Facetime Nowadays, it is not uncommon for families to be spread out across the country, and getting older can lead to increasing feelings of isolation and loneliness. If you’re not familiar with either, Skype and Facetime are free apps that enable you to video chat with loved ones wherever they might be. It makes it easier to stay engaged with your family and feel more involved in their every day lives through the power of video. It’s also a great way to watch your grandchild open up that birthday gift you ordered for them on Amazon. NUMBER 2 – AllRecipes Ok so while this next app isn’t going to help you cook if you’re having a hard time getting around the kitchen, it does offer thousands of user-submitted recipes and instructable videos at your fingertips to keep you inspired and engaged at meal time. Simply input a few filters: low sodium, quick and easy, and ingredients you have on hand, and watch as a variety of easy to follow recipes instantly appear. It’s also great for making grocery lists and for providing new meal ideas for your caregiver. On a special diet recommended by your doctor? No problem–there’s a filter for that too. Number 1 – CareZone By far our favorite app for aging seniors, CareZone is a great, HIPPA compliant tool to coordinate care for yourself or an aging loved one one. It has a wealth of free features to stay organized and ensure that all members of the care team are up to date on recent developments and changes in the client’s condition. Some of our favorite features of CareZone include: Medication List – Snap a photo of your current pill bottles, and CareZone will upload the medication, the dose, and add it to your medication schedule. If you provide your health insurance information, they’ll then set up routine medication deliveries from their pharmacy to your door completely free of charge. You even have the option of receiving the medication in traditional pill bottles or organized into individualized pill packs to be taken at specific times of the day. Shared Calendar – Want to keep track of caregiver shifts or upcoming doctor’s appointments? CareZone offers a shared calendar so everyone is always on the same page. Trackers – Keeping a log of your vital signs and other health aspects is a great way to identify trends and stay on top of your health. Document your daily blood pressure, blood glucose level, pain level and more to help your team better meet your care needs. To-Do – Have a variety of individuals caring for you? Easily assign to-do lists to members of the care team and check them off once completed so everyone is able to more easily work towards a common care goal. What are some of your favorite apps that could help seniors age in place and remain independent? Let us know and comment below. ...read more

Life has ups and downs; period. Having a solid foundation of confidence in oneself helps to manage our reactions while on this roller coaster. It's been proven that a healthy sense of security and confidence is best set in youth, and that it can always be established or boosted later on -- no matter what age -- if necessary. Being comfortable with, confident in, and proud about what we, as individuals, were born with aides in providing the freedom to create and be versatile with our look, as well as the ability to enjoy and appreciate the diversity and various looks around us. The Crown Factory has people see all types of hair in the best of ways -- helping clients to love and accept that part of themselves, and helping others to see all hair on the same level of beauty, even if they have a preference. It can be difficult for some to figure out how to make certain textures and lengths of hair fit into what is "socially" acceptable. It's not impossible, though, and it's actually The Crown Factory's gift. And it's done without a heavy hand, while making the scalp healthier and hair stronger! Feel free to post or send questions! As we get a feel for what information the community needs, a newsletter will be developed and rolled out. To our maximum self-confidence! :) ashea ...read more