Smartphones and their accompanying apps offer seniors a convenient way to track health data. Armed with this information, you may have an easier time staying fit, monitoring your health conditions, and remaining independent. There are many options available that are worthwhile.
Why Should Seniors Track Their Health Data?
Keeping track of health data is important for seniors, particularly those with chronic conditions. It can help you manage your medical care by tracking key health metrics over time, such as blood pressure and weight. It can also provide valuable insights into patterns in your life that influence overall well-being, allowing you to make lifestyle changes that improve your long-term outlook.
Wearable Devices
Wearable devices, which include fitness trackers, are becoming more popular among seniors, as they can provide an easy way to track data without needing to log everything manually. There are many fitness watches available, such as the Fitbit or Apple Watch, that link up to an app on your phone. With these apps, you will be able to monitor the activity per day, predict how much sleep you should get, and take part in challenges with friends for extra motivation.
Fitness and Nutrition Apps
Even without a wearable device on your wrist, you can still log into fitness and nutrition apps to manually input your information. Sure, it's more time-consuming, but it really doesn't take long to enter your details. MyFitnessPal is one example of a popular app that helps users keep tabs on their exercise, count calories, and log the foods they eat. This can help you establish an effective diet or fitness plan while motivating you to stick to it by helping you recognize patterns in your behavior.
Talk With Your Doctor
Your doctor may also have their own app where you can access your medical history. This makes it easier to view the results of tests, appointments, and diagnoses in one place. Plus, some apps offer features such as secure messaging with healthcare professionals so that you can communicate directly with them when something is wrong or if you're on an unfamiliar medication and need to discuss related symptoms. Even if your doctor doesn't have their own app, they may be partnered with an application provider to offer a similar experience. Some use FollowMyHealth, for example, which includes the same benefits as what's listed above.
Aside from using their app, you will also want to talk with your doctor about any of your findings. Once you've noticed certain patterns, such as an increase in heart rate even without much exercise or a lack of hunger lately, you should tell your doctor what you've discovered. It may just help them pinpoint the problem and get you the medical attention you need to get your body back in order.
Contact Senior Helpers Fort Smith
For seniors living in any of the following areas: Crawford, Logan, Ozark, Sebastian, Franklin, or Scott counties, Senior Helpers Fort Smith is available to help. We are a full-service in-home senior care company that specializes in providing customized care and support plans tailored to each individual's needs. From dementia and Alzheimer's to respite care services, we provide compassionate and knowledgeable assistance that can help make all of your goals easier to reach—no matter what those may be. Contact us today for more information on our services and how we can help you stay healthy!