Seniors are rapidly adopting new technologies. A survey by Pew Research showed that 83% of 50 to 64 years old seniors use smartphones while 61% of 65 years and older are smartphone users.
Seniors who live alone can use their smartphones to stay in touch with family and friends, keep themselves informed and entertained and take care of their health.
This article covers the 15 best apps for seniors living alone that are designed to keep seniors functional and active. From taking medications on time to traveling without relying on others, these apps can help seniors with everyday tasks.
15 Apps For Seniors Living Alone
All of these apps are available for Android users (Google Play Store) and iOS users (Apple’s App Store).
These apps are the best in their categories and enjoy excellent ratings and feedback from seniors who use them regularly.
1. To Do Reminder With Alarm
Used For: To set all kinds of reminders
Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging and it can be difficult for older adults to remember things as they age. There are plenty of Reminder apps but To Do Reminder With Alarm is the most popular.
This easy-to-use app enables seniors to set all types of reminders. You can set daily reminders to drink water or take medications on time or set important dates in your reminders to never miss a birthday or anniversary of your loved ones.
The key features of To Do Reminder With Alarm include
- Quick and easy to set reminders
- Set reminders with photos or locations
- Set multiple reminder times for the same reminder. Ideal for medication reminders
- Set a one-off reminder or repeat it daily, weekly or monthly
- Set Birthday and Anniversary reminders and send Birthdays/ Anniversary cards via Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS or Email
- Import Birthday/ Anniversary dates from Facebook, Contacts and Google Calendars
- Day/ Night themes and backup options
No need to remember things and no stress about forgetting stuff.
To Do Reminder With Alarm will remember everything for you; setting new reminders takes a few seconds.
Get To Do Reminder With Alarm Andriod | iOS
2. My Therapy
Used For: The only pill reminder app you will ever need
One of the must-have apps for seniors living alone is a medication reminder app. According to surveys, 90% of older adults take at least one prescription drug regularly while around 80% of seniors take at least 2 prescription drugs.
It is common for older adults to forget to take medicines at the right times causing them to skip dosages.
My Therapy is an award-winning pill reminder and medication tracker app that reminds you to take the right doses of medicine at the right time.
This app combines a pill tracker, a mood tracker and a health journal. Other key features include
- Reminders for all medications, a log book for both skipped and confirmed intakes
- Share printable health report with your doctor
- Personalized tips for your treatment and wide range measurements for all conditions including diabetes, anxiety, depression, weight, BP, blood sugar levels and more
- Keep track of your medicines inventory
- Ad-free and easy-to-use interface
My Therapy is the only medication reminder app that you will ever need with all the best features for a pill reminder app. A must-have app for seniors living alone to make sure that they never skip a dose again.
3. Snug Safety
Used For: Daily check-in app for seniors
The next of the best apps for seniors living alone is Snug Safety. It is a free daily check-in app for seniors living alone. Snug check-ins on you every morning or selected time. You receive a quote of the day once your press the big green check mark. It has the option to notify your emergency contacts (family members or friends).
If you do not respond to the daily check-in, a snug dispatcher will call to check on you. In case of no response, your emergency contact will be notified and emergency services will be called to check on you.
Snug Safety is a popular app for seniors living alone who have medical conditions like diabetes and heart disease or stroke history. It is a very useful app for family members and friends to monitor their elderly loved ones.
Related Article: The complete tutorial on Snug Safety for seniors
4. Ada – Check Your Health
Used For: Fast access to medical information
Ada is the most popular symptoms check app developed and trained by a team of doctors to think and act like doctors. You can consult Ada about what’s bothering you (from stomach problems to headaches) and Ada’s free symptom checker will help you find the solution.
The process is simple. You answer some simple questions about health and symptoms. Ada assesses your inputs against a medical dictionary of thousands of medical conditions and records. You receive a personalized assessment report with what could go wrong and what to do next.
Some of the common medical conditions and symptoms that seniors search on Ada include.
- Fever, headache
- Nausea, vomiting, dizziness
- Abdominal pain, loss of appetite
- Common cold, influenza infection
- Covid-19
- Diabetes
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety and depression
You can get help for sleeping problems, skin conditions or eye infections. Ada is a 24/7 health companion and a must-have app for seniors living alone.
Get Ada – Check Your Health Andriod | iOS
5. Better Sleep
Used For: Sleep better, feel better
If you are looking for a sleep app for seniors, you cannot get anything better than Better Sleep. The users love this app so much that it is named “App of the Day” over 65 times by Apple on the App Store and is “The most positively reviewed app in the history of the Apple Store” according to Business Insider.
Better Sleeps helps you sleep better and understand, track and improve your sleep with an easy-to-use sleep tracker, sleep recorder, amazing sleep sounds, stories and soothing guided meditation.
The key features of this app are:
- Sleep Tracker to track and understand your sleep and offers actionable ways to improve the sleep
- Sleep Recorder can be used to detect when you snore, move around and sleep talk and other common sounds during sleep
- 300+ sleep sounds and music tracks to help you sleep better including nature sounds, water sounds, white noise, healing music, 3D sounds and 250+ meditations and hypnosis.
- 100+ sleep stories including fairy tales, mystery, fantasy, history, journey, non-fiction and others
- Bedtime reminders, timers, favorites, playlists and much more
Better Sleep understands your sleep needs are different and is able to create personalized experiences for you. It is crowned as the “Best app for sleep” by Reviewed.com.
Excellent user reviews and great features make it one of the Best apps for seniors living alone to have a better sleep experience.
Get Better Sleep Android | iOS
6. Magnifying Glass + Flashlight
Used For: Magnifying glass app to read the smallest text on prescription bottles, restaurant menus and more
Low vision is a common problem for many older adults and seniors have a hard time reading the small prints on restaurant menus, prescription bottles and serial numbers on a device.
This is a simple and easy-to-use magnifying glass app with a flashlight that handles all your fine print reading needs. The key features include:
- Autofocus on text and zoom in/out ability with up to 5X zoom to read the tiniest text clearly
- Invert and image freeze mode to ready easily
- Save captured pictures in the library
The common uses of this app include reading restaurant menus in dim light, medicine bottles and serial numbers on the back of devices.
This is one of the must-have apps for the elderly living alone if they are suffering from vision decline.
Get Magnifying Glass + Flashlight Android | iOS
7. Ten Percent Happier
Used For: Meditation app to unlock more happiness
If you want to sleep better, be more mindful, improve your relationships and become happier and more satisfied with your life, this is an ideal app for you.
This app is the 2018 Apple award winner and featured in The New York Times, The Daily Show, Good Morning America and The Washington Post.
Ten Percent Happier has guided meditations, talks, videos, the #1 meditation podcast and sleep-better content.
- 500+ guided meditations on topics ranging from anxiety to focus
- A sleep section with relaxing meditations to make it easy to sleep
- Quotes, stories, wisdom and inspirations for mindfulness
- New meditation content every week
- Quick meditation for lunch breaks, during your commute etc
Ten Percent Happier is ideal for the elderly struggling with loneliness and boredom and helps you relieve stress, practice gratitude and live in the moment.
Get Ten Percent Happier Android | iOS
8. Rescu
Used For: Get help from emergency services, with two taps
Rescu is one of the must-have apps for seniors living alone. It solves a specific problem for the deaf and hard of hearing by getting them help in case of emergency without talking to 911.
Seniors can suffer falls and it can be difficult for them to communicate with emergency services and talk and sometimes you might be placed in the waiting queue. Rescu can be a lifesaver in case of emergency for many older adults.
- Connects you directly to police, medical or fire dispatch. You can get help for yourself or your family member
- Rescu can automatically message your emergency contacts. You can save unlimited emergency contacts
- You only need to select the service you need and address. You can save up to 4 addresses for faster response
- Send an ambulance, police or fire services to any address without saying a word
You can use the app anytime and anywhere as it has GPS service to determine your current location. Rescu can be a lifesaver for the deaf, hard of hearing and other seniors in case of emergency and allows you to get help without any explanation or talking.
9. Be My Eyes
Used For: Global community helping visually impaired individuals
Be My Eyes is a very useful app for seniors living alone who have a visual impairment. The app connects seniors with low vision with a global community of volunteers and company representatives to get help at a moment’s notice.
This million users multi-lingual community is ready to help 24/7 in more than 185 languages.
- Sign up for free visual support in minutes
- Get help with reading small prints, matching clothes, technology help, setting up home appliances or any other simple task
- The average wait time is only 15 seconds and you get help on video calls
If you need help with reading product labels or navigating the TV, operating vending machines or kiosks, banking and finance and more this app is a must-have.
With 3 million volunteers, Be My Eyes is the biggest community to help visually impaired individuals.
10. Words With Friends
Used For: Seniors’ favorite game
Social isolation can cause anxiety and depression among seniors living alone. It is common for the elderly to become lonely and bored. Mobile games are not only great for entertainment purposes but also help to keep the minds sharp.
Seniors love word games and Words With Friends is a perfect choice to train your brain. Play with family and friends and other players and stay connected via in-game chat. You can choose to play a solo challenge to build your vocabulary.
Words With Friends is a must-have classic game for older adults that they can play anywhere and anytime to beat boredom and have a fun time.
Get Words With Friends Android | iOS
Read More: Best Android games | iPad games for seniors | Best iPhone games
11. A Rideshare App
Used For: Get a rideshare (Uber/Lyft) on your doorsteps in minutes
Although some seniors continue to drive later in life, it can be unsafe to drive if you have low vision or a decline in strength and memory. Older adults who live alone need to go out frequently for hospital appointments, groceries and shopping.
Seniors can use ride-sharing services to avoid relying on others for their travel.
Ride-sharing services have many advantages over traditional taxis and public transport. You can call Uber or Lyft from your mobile app and it will show on your doorstep. Uber and Lyft rides are safe, cashless, cheaper and convenient as compared to traditional taxis.
Read More: A detailed guide To Uber for Seniors | A detailed guide To Lyft for seniors
12. A Communication App
Used For: Staying connected with family and friends
Social isolation and loneliness can be major issues for seniors living alone. According to a study by the Journal of Perspectives on Psychological Science, loneliness can be as deadly as smoking or obesity for seniors. Social isolation encourages unhealthy lifestyles and affects cognition among the elderly.
It is important for seniors to stay connected with family and friends. Technology has made it easy for seniors to stay in touch with their loved ones. The communication apps can be used to make video calls and share family photos and videos so they do not miss any important family events. The most used communication apps for seniors living alone include:
- WhatsApp: Used for messaging, voice and video calls. Stay in touch with family and friends and share photos and videos. Use WhatsApp Groups to build communities.
- Skype: High-quality video calls to stay connected with family and friends
- Facebook Messenger: Stay connected with family and friends and more ways to express yourself. Stay in touch with Facebook and Instagram contacts.
- FaceTime: Best video calling app for Apple users.
You can use any other communication app as you like. The main idea is to stay connected with family and friends and avoid loneliness and depression while living alone.
Read More: Best apps for grandparents and grandchildren
13. Social Media Apps
Used For: Staying in touch with family, friends and like-minded individuals. Follow favorite celebrities and interests. Remain informed and entertained.
Research by The University Of Arizona suggests that older adults who remain socially active using online social networking websites like Facebook have better cognitive function and memory and have much more controlled blood pressure and sugar in comparison to those who do not use social media.
You can use social media services like Facebook and Instagram to not only stay in touch with your family and friends but also follow their activities and remain up to date with what is going on in their lives. If your loved one is traveling the world, you can follow along through photos and videos that they share on their social media accounts.
Stay connected with your school and college friends or follow your favorite celebrities on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Social media sites also bring unlimited entertainment opportunities. YouTube, Facebook and Instagram videos keep you informed and entertained.
Some of the most used social media apps for seniors living alone are:
- YouTube
There are many other social networking services and forums that seniors use to socialize online.
14. Entertainment Apps
Used For: Streaming services, podcasts, eBooks, Games and Puzzles to keep seniors entertained.
One of the best use of technology for seniors is to remain entertained by accessing unlimited entertainment opportunities on their gadgets. Seniors do not need to rely on TVs and wait to watch their favorite shows at set times. They can play their favorite games, watch their favorite shows and movies or listen to their favorite music on their own schedule.
Some of the best apps to keep seniors entertained are:
- Streaming Services (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Hulu)
- Podcasts Apps (Audible, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify) link to favourite podcasts for seniors article
- Games and Puzzles (Word games, Trivia, Solitaire, Jigsaw and Sudoku puzzles)
There are many other entertainment opportunities for seniors using their smartphones and tablets. Keep multiple entertainment apps on your device to avoid loneliness and boredom.
Some seniors like reading eBooks while others love their favorite podcasts or watching movies and documentaries.
15. Workout Apps
Lastly, one of the must-have apps for seniors living alone is a workout app.
CDC recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity for older adults aged 65 and older.
Regular exercise is essential for physical and mental health and it can prevent and delay many health problems that seem to come with age.
If you do not have mobility issues you can go out for walking, jogging, cycling or swimming to remain physically fit.
There are many workout apps for seniors who want guided workout sessions at home. You do not need any equipment and follow a workout schedule at your home.
The top 3 picks for best workout apps for seniors are:
- Daily Yoga [Android | iOS]
- Johnson & Johnson 7 Minutes Workout [Android | iOS]
- Freeletics [Android | iOS]
There is a workout app for every type of exercise. The idea is to keep yourself active and moving and follow a workout routine. These workout apps can help you achieve your fitness goals on your schedule.
Read More: Best exercise apps for seniors
These top 15 apps for seniors living alone are essential to keep seniors healthy, active, connected and entertained.
All of the apps in this list have high ratings and great reviews by older adults who use them regularly.