Have you ever been looking for an app that would be useful for your senior citizens? Then, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss some of the best apps for senior citizens.
Senior citizens are often considered to be a burden by their families and society. However, they can be very useful in certain situations. They can make your life easier if you know how to use them properly. Senior citizens also need some extra attention because they are not as agile as they used to be when they were younger. They may find it difficult to use new technology if they do not have any experience with it before. That’s why we’ve decided to make this list of great apps for senior citizens who want to stay connected with their family members and friends without having trouble using them!
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Senior Citizens
As the saying goes, There’s an app for that––and I can’t disagree. With nearly five million apps available between Apple and Google’s stores, it’s hard to think of a function that falls outside of their purview. Shopping, banking, gaming, and even medication reminders can all be accomplished through these handy pieces of software, and I find that many of them can be particularly helpful to seniors.
Millennials are no longer the only smartphone-slinging generation. More and more of the older adults who I work with are making use of the latest in cellular technology. In a matter of seconds, I can equip my clients with tools to easily keep up on the news, stay in touch with loved ones, or have some plain, old-fashioned fun. Here are some of my favorites:
Find a Phone:To make the most of apps, you’ll need a compatible phone and plans. To find the ideal options for your needs, check out our rundowns of the best senior cell phone plans and best cell phones for seniors.
Most Useful Apps for Seniors
Find My iPad for iOS
Find your iPad, iPhone or iPod with this App
Find My iPhone
If you have a habit of misplacing your phone, then the free Find My iPhone app is a handy tool worth installing. Using your smartphone’s built-in GPS capabilities, it will track the geographical location of your phone, allowing you to detect the exact location of a device even when it’s powered off.
For example, one of my clients worried that someone had stolen her new iPhone, for which she’d just paid nearly $1,000. Using the app, she logged into her account on my device, and we traced the location of her phone to her daughter’s house. This app is a real time-saver.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS
AARP Now (Free)
Run by its titular organization, AARP is a trustworthy source for senior-focused news, recipes, reviews, and membership information. To take full advantage of this app, you’ll need an existing AARP membership, which costs $16 annually. Whether you are a member or not, the app also runs an exciting rewards program that earns you points for taking quizzes and watching educational videos. These points can be redeemed for the likes of sweepstake entries, local deals, discounted gift cards, and donations.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Life360
The Life360 app allows a user to share their location with a network of caregivers. Similar to a medical alert system, this app can be programmed to send alerts to loved ones when it detects movement to or from certain areas. It also gives users access to Life360’s 24/7 emergency response team. While the base plan is free, if you want features such as 30 days of location history, battery monitoring, and priority customer support, make sure to subscribe to the platinum plan.
Safer Driving: Life360 helps caregivers keep an eye on their loved one’s driving behavior, showing you their top speed and whether or not they’re texting while driving, ensuring that they demonstrate safe driving practices.
Price: $4.99 – $19.99 per month
Availability: iOS and Android
Lyft
If you live in a metropolitan area, then there’s hardly a more convenient way to get around than through a ride-hailing service like Lyft. Detecting your location through your phone’s GPS, Lyft allows you to schedule a pickup and dropoff to any location where a car can go, which is especially convenient in areas with limited parking.
In my experience, it usually takes less than fifteen minutes for a ride to arrive, and my drivers have always been skilled and courteous, often offering water and advice on the surrounding area. With the Lyft app, you can also schedule rides for other people. This comes in handy when one of my clients needs a quick pickup from the grocery store.
Price: Free to download; The cost of each ride will vary.
Availability: iOS and Android
Park ‘n’ Forget
This GPS-based car finding app is ideal for those of us who have trouble remembering where we parked our cars. Whether at the mall, grocery store, or anywhere else, Park ‘n’ Forget tracks your movement from the car to your destination. Upon departure, the app’s built-in map helps you retrace your steps. If you’re parking in a metered place, the app will even update you 15-minutes before your parking ticket is about to expire, saving you from the frustration of parking fines.
Price: $0.99 per month
Availability: iOS
Sciddy
Who doesn’t love a good discount? Older adults, especially, can benefit from using this free senior discount app. If you are 50 years or older, the app presents to you a range of great discounts on everything from food to home services and health. To find discounts, you can either search for a certain type of business, or you can activate alerts. With Sciddy alerts, I receive a notification on my phone any time I enter my local movie theater and pizza parlor, two places that offer senior discounts.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Today Weather
For those of us who like to keep tabs on the weather, the easy-to-use Today Weather app is a must-have. It presents detailed, hourly, local forecasts from reliable meteorological sources. It even shares updates about the air quality, UV index, and pollen count. Often, I turn to this app before planning any of my outdoor activities.
While the full app can be used at no cost, this free version requires you to view ads periodically. The premium version of this app comes with no advertisements for a smoother experience.
Price: Free with ads; $2.99 per year or $6.49 for a 6-month subscription (ad-free)
Availability: iOS and Android
Mint
If you’re retired and living on a fixed income, then it’s imperative to budget carefully. One of the best ways to accomplish this is through a financial app like Mint. Mint allows you to monitor your bills, bank accounts, credit cards, bills, and investments, all in one place. Depending on your spending habits and savings, it also helps you budget for your monthly/weekly expenses, giving you suggestions on what to cut-back on.
For example, with Mint, I was able to see that a majority of the prior month’s expenditures were on restaurants and takeout, letting me know that I could cut back on this area of spending.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Magnifying Glass with Light
By the age of 65, one in three people will have some sort of issue with their vision. Be it reading the text on medicine bottles or checking to see if your makeup is on right, the Magnifying Glass with Light app can help. Using your phone’s camera, this app magnifies (6x) the visual and also shines light on it in case the ambient light isn’t bright enough.
I find this app particularly helpful in dimly lit restaurants while reading the small text on menus. This app’s base features can be used for free, you need to pay for advanced features such as an image stabilizer and high contrast modes.
Price: Free; $1.99 for the premium version
Availability: iOS
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Best Health and Fitness Apps
Lumosity
This personalized brain training app can be a real boon for the 5.8+ million older adults who are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in the USA. Through fun games and tasks, it helps you improve memory, attention, and processing speed.
After a 10-minute screening, this app will recommend a variety of brain games that will best suit your cognitive needs. These games usually involve matching, memory, and other puzzle-like activities that are as fun as they are beneficial to your brain function. Some games are available for free, but for access to the full suite of activities and personalized training, you will need to pay a subscription fee.
Price: $11.99 per month or $59.99 per year
Availability: iOS and Android
Don’t Panic: Remember that WebMD’s symptom checker provides you with a list of possible––not definite––conditions. Always be sure to consult a physician before undertaking any sort of treatment or medication.
MediSafe
If you don’t want to invest in an automatic medication dispenser, then you should consider the MediSafe app. Using this app, you can set reminders for each of your medications. It can also alert you of upcoming refills and doctor’s appointments.
You can also keep a log of each of your medications and share it with your physician. A feature that I felt was particularly useful was that you could add Medifriends (or caregivers) who will be alerted in case they miss a dose. The premium plan allows users to add unlimited Medfriends and access to several health measurements and reminder sounds.
Price: $4.76 per month or $35 per year (premium subscription)
Availability: iOS and Android
GoodRx
GoodRx – Logo
Did you know that over 10 percent of older adults spend around $5,000 per year on prescription drugs? Instead of clipping coupons to save at the pharmacy, you can use GoodRx, our favorite prescription discount card service. To use this app, you simply type in any of your prescribed medications. It will show you how much it will cost at a variety of pharmacies near you, and then you select one. To receive your discount, you simply bring your phone and show your coupon to the pharmacist. In my experience, generic drugs often cost less using GoodRx than they would through insurance.
To learn more about this service, check out our review of GoodRx.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Map My Run
Older adults can really benefit from exercises such as slow running. The Map My Run app tracks both the distance and duration of your runs, which can come in handy for those of us who are trying to get in shape. In fact, when I tried the app personally, I found that it really helped me track and stay motivated to hit my fitness goals. I was able to find local places to run, connect with other like-minded runners via a fitness community, and share run-related updates on social media.
If you choose to upgrade to the premium plan, you can unlock features such as heart rate analysis, personalized training plans, and even get real-time audio coaching on GPS-tracked runs. Also, don’t let the name fool you; Map My Run can also track your walks.
Did You Know: Map My Run can even sync with Under Armour smart shoes to collect data about your run.
Price: $5.99 per month or $29.99 per year (premium plan)
Availability: iOS and Android
Blood Pressure Companion
The Blood Pressure Companion app provides an easy way to track blood pressure. Simply, enter each blood pressure reading and the app offers up a graphical and historical analysis of your heart’s health. These reports and measurements can be backed up on your device or computer. You can even create reminders for measuring blood pressure and visiting your doctors.
Price: $0.99
Availability: iOS and Android
Best Entertainment Apps
Pandora
If you are looking for a music app with great radio offerings, then Pandora is the one for you. It also has a wide range of podcasts and music by your favorite artists. With just a few clicks, you can create personalized stations based on mood and activity. Personally, I like the Golden Oldies station. While the basic version of Pandora is free to use, their premium versions offer higher quality audio, ad-free listening, and unlimited skips of songs.
Price: $4.99 – $9.99 per month (premium plans)
Availability: iOS and Android
NPR
In terms of news apps, my personal favorite would have to be NPR. Much like their titular radio channels, the NPR app gives you access to a 24/7 feed of news both local and national, making it great to listen to while driving. Separating it from the radio, however, is how this app provides on-demand streaming of local stations, in addition to NPR shows and podcasts.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS
Audible
If you’re partial to audiobooks, then Audible is the perfect app for you. This app, owned by Amazon, lets you buy, stream, download, and listen to thousands of books that span every genre, from fiction to history and even children’s books. If you don’t like the book you purchased, you can actually exchange it for another. New users get a 30-day free membership, after which you need to pay a monthly membership fee for access.
Price: $7.95 to $14.95 per month
Availability: iOS and Android
Old Time Radio 24
A surefire way to transport yourself to the good ol’ days is by listening to radio mysteries, dramas and comedies from your youth. From classics such as My Friend Irma, CBS Radio Mystery Theater, and Amos And Andy, there is plenty of nostalgia to go around on the Old Time Radio app. This app is a must-have for hours of free entertainment in the form of more than 70 shows.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Best Social Apps
Skype
Especially during the pandemic, with stay-at-home orders in place, everyone could use a safe and affordable way to stay connected with their loved ones. Skype, the free video, voice, and messaging app Skype offers exactly this. While Skype-to-Skype calls are free, users will be charged for calls to landline or mobile phones.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Facebook
Lost touch with your friends from the past? With the Facebook app, you can easily find them and stay abreast with their life events. You can also message them and share your photos and updates with a circle of friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Another great Facebook feature is the groups that are formed there. These communities engender a feeling of belonging and enable you to discuss different topics such as aging in place, senior travel, and health.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
Words With Friends
Boardgame nights can now be virtual thanks to the Words with Friends app. This multiplayer wordplay game lets you challenge your friends and family for a fun evening at home. You can even engage in virtual banter throughout the game via the chat feature. Alternatively, if you just want to improve your mental dexterity then you can play the game in the single-player mode.
Price: Free
Availability: iOS and Android
eHarmony
Gone are the days when you had to wait for love to strike. eHarmony lets you find meaningful relationships via your cell phone. What I particularly like about this dating app is that it first gets you to fill in a relationship quiz before sending you matches to review. To find the partner of your dreams, you can review a bunch of curated profiles (with similar values and lifestyles), choose from a ready-made set of ice-breakers, and tailor your profile details so that you make a great first impression. This app is free to download but can only be used by members.
Pro Tip: The eHarmony app comes with a video date functionality so that you may comfortably have face to face meetings with your match without stepping out of your home.
Price: $44.90 a month for a 6-month plan, $14.95 a month for 12 months, and $10.95 per month for 24 months (premium)
Availability: iOS and Android
In Closing
Be it securing senior discounts, finding your phone, or booking a cab, you can use your phone to do it all thanks to mobile apps. The apps listed here are some of my current favorites; however, there are thousands more that wait to be tested.
If you’re looking for something else, then I’d recommend browsing the app store. With a large number of apps coming at no cost to try, there’s no reason not to peruse.
social apps for seniors
Today’s seniors are more active than ever. And there are plenty of apps to help maintain social interaction, track health and wellness, and sharpen the mind all while on the go.
Below are a few apps seniors will love to help them do just that.
Best Social Apps for Seniors
- Facebook Mobile (free for iOS and Android)
Seniors using the web version of Facebook on their desktop computers already know how helpful it can be for keeping up with busy family and friends. You can send messages, or just log on to see what everyone has been up to. It’s a great way to get updates and photos from older grandchildren that have gone off to college or to see a video of your first great-grandchild taking his first steps.
For seniors leading busy lives of their own, downloading the Facebook app for your iPad or smartphone may be an even better option. You can stay current on what everyone has been up to while you’re on the go, upload a photo, or post a status about your own activities.
- Skype (available for iOS and Android)
If you want to keep in touch with family or friends, Skype makes video and audio calling easy over the internet. Communicate with loved ones and see their faces with your mobile device. Skype can be used to call mobile phones and landlines in addition to making video calls.
Best Health Apps for Seniors
- ShopWell (free for iOS and Android)
Following a healthy diet is another way to help keep your brain in top shape. Foods that are high in antioxidants are particularly helpful in reducing cell damage. The ShopWell app will help you match foods to all of your health needs. Once you set up a profile, this app will help you make nutritious shopping lists that you can take to the store. It will also show you healthy alternatives to some of your favorite foods. - Pill Monitor (free for iOS)
Staying active is great for your health. But skipping important medications can lead to health problems that keep you from enjoying your favorite activities. The Pill Monitor app can help make sure you don’t forget about any medication. This app allows you to schedule reminders by day, date, and time. You can even send your doctor a log of medications taken.
For an Android alternative, consider Medisafe Meds & Pill Monitor.
- MedWatcher (free for iOS)
In addition to taking your medications, it’s also important to stay up to date on any changes or notifications from the manufacturer, such as a product recall or potential adverse reaction notification. With the MedWatcher app, you can create a list of all of your medications and receive real-time news and information. The app can also be used to report an adverse reaction you’ve experienced directly to the FDA. - iBP (iOS and Android)
This comprehensive app makes documenting and monitoring blood pressure easy. After taking their blood pressure, seniors simply enter their readings into the app. A customizable color-coded graph displays trends and denotes whether readings are normal to high. The app can be used by multiple older adults with one app. - Pillboxie (available on iOS)
This app was designed and created by a registered nurse to make remembering to take medications easier. Once the app is downloaded, an internet connection isn’t required to activate it. Owners receive administration alerts even if their devices are in sleep mode. When it’s time to take a medication, the device makes a noise. The user then merely checks off the dose in the app. The app is easily customized to accommodate any number of medications and daily dose times.
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As people grow older, their health and wellness needs change. Read our eBook, “The Complete Guide to Health & Wellness for Seniors” for everything you need to know about staying healthy and happy as we age.
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Best Entertainment Apps for Seniors
- Words With Friends (free and paid versions for iOS and Android)
The Words With Friends app and Words With Friends 2 allows you to play a quick word game online with loved ones or new players anywhere in the world. The game itself is similar to Scrabble. Each player uses his or her own mobile device to take a turn building a word on the board. There’s even a feature to send messages to keep the game social. - Elevate Brain Training (free and paid versions for iOS and Android)
“As we age, each of us becomes concerned that our memory will start to cause problems in our everyday lives,” says Dr. Ernest Brown, house call physician of Doctors to You.
Dr. Jerry Bauer of the Neurosciences Institute at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital asserts that in order to “maintain active and strong nerve connections in the brain and improve how they communicate with each other,” we must remain active.
Exercising this complex network of neurons in your brain can increase memory function and could potentially keep dementia at bay.
The Elevate app uses math, memory, and word games to improve various skills such as reading comprehension, listening, writing and speaking.
- Lumosity (available for iOS and Android)
The Lumosity uses challenging puzzles and brain teasers to keep you sharp. According to Lumosity’s Director of Communications, “Lumosity is based on the science of neuroplasticity, the idea that the brain can change and reorganize itself given the right kinds of challenges.” With both free and paid versions for Lumosity iOS and Android, seniors can use this app to focus on improving skills, such as memory, attention, speed, flexibility and problem-solving. - NPR (free for iOS and Android)
When you’re out and about enjoying fun activities, you may miss your favorite news program or not have time to read the newspaper. The NPR app gives you instant access to all of the great content on NPR’s website. Whether you want to catch up on reading the News section or see what’s happening in the Arts & Life and Music sections, this app makes it easy.
And NPR isn’t alone. USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and many other news outlets have native apps for you to download to your device. Or if you prefer to get aggregated news from a single source, consider Paper by Facebook, Yahoo News, or Flipboard.
- Apple Books and Kindle (available for iOS and Android)
If you’re a voracious reader but find lugging heavy tomes around burdensome, it’s easy to get unlimited books right on your device. For Apple users, Apple Books offers digital texts and audiobooks on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch. If you are an Android user, the Kindle app allows you to browse millions of books from the comfort of your own home. - Librivox Audio Books (available for iOS)
Librivox is a library full of audiobooks. If reading traditional books has become challenging for you, but you still want to be swept away in storytelling, this app offers over 50,000 audiobooks to choose from. - Old Time Radio 24 (available for iOS)
Do you miss the old tunes and radio shows of yesteryear? This app offers 35 stations of music and radio plays from the 1920s all the way through the 1970s. No matter what era you’re looking for, this app likely has the sounds of your younger years. The app can run in the background of your device so you can still use it to send messages and surf the web while listening.
Best Budgeting and Personal Finance Apps for Seniors
- AARP (available for iOS and Android)
The AARP mobile app, available for both Android and iOS, makes keeping up with news and special offers for seniors easy. As an AARP member, you can access your digital card in the app anytime. The app also makes joining and renewing simple. Other features include daily news stories, nearby event listings, and members-only benefits and discounts. - Sciddy App — Senior Savings (available for iOS and Android)
The Sciddy app uses your location to help you find local businesses that offer deals for those over 50. Discounts consist of food, entertainment, home services, travel, health, and a number of others in hundreds of cities across the country. The app is available via iOS or Android and has an easy to use interface. - Mint (available for iOS and Android)
The Mint app can help seniors keep an eye on their budgets and finances. Users simply link their accounts and get a big picture overview of account balances, upcoming bills, and spending habits. This is ideal for seniors who are monitoring their spending or trying to stick to a budget.
Best Fitness Apps for Seniors
- Map My Run (free for iOS and Android)
Whether you’re taking a stroll through the mall, at the park or on your favorite trail, this app can map your progress while allowing you to track your personal goals. And it gives you the proof when your friends and family don’t believe you! - My Fitness Pal (available on iOS and Android)
If you’re watching what you eat because of a desire to lose weight or even just to better monitor your nutrition, My Fitness Pal can help. This app gives you nutrition labels for all your food so you can track calories and nutrients like fat, protein, and carbohydrates. With a food database of more than 5 million items and a barcode scanner, you can make the best choices at home, in the supermarket and in restaurants. There’s even a recipe importer so you can track your favorite meals. - Pocket Yoga (available on iOS and Android)
Yoga is a great exercise choice for seniors who want to improve muscle strength, mobility, balance and flexibility. This app provides a database of illustrations and videos that show you how to do more than 200 poses designed by certified yoga instructors. You can begin your personalized yoga practice from the comfort of your own home. - Tai Chi for Seniors (available on iOS)
Many seniors enjoy the meditative aspect of tai chi, which is an ancient Chinese practice of thoughtful movement. Studies show tai chi improves flexibility, increases muscle strength and helps with balance and aerobic conditioning. This app offers 64 demonstration videos with step-by step instruction from a tai chi master, and audio guides.
Other Great Apps for Seniors
- Magnifying Glass with Light (available for iOS and Android)
This app is ideal for seniors who experience difficulty reading small print. The user just positions a mobile device’s camera over the text and moves the screen slider. The text is automatically illuminated and enlarged for easy reading. This is a great option for anyone who struggles to read menus, maps or other fine print in daily life. - Lyft and Uber (available on iOS and Android)
While Lyft and Uber made a name for themselves with the younger generation, they also are great for seniors. Whether you’re no longer driving or just need to run a quick errand without your vehicle, these ridesharing apps let you call a car to your home and go to your destination. The apps themselves are free but the rides will charge your card in-app. - Find My iPhone (available on iOS)
If you’ve misplaced your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, the Find My iPhone app will let you use any iOS device to find it and protect your data. Find My iPhone can help you locate a device on a map if you left it outside your home, or have your device ding if it’s somewhere nearby. You can also remotely lock the phone, display a message such as “this phone is lost contact me” or erase all your data if you believe it has been stolen.
Stay Connected With Technology
This is just a small sample of the numerous apps that are available for your use. Today’s seniors are more technologically literate than ever and access to mobile apps is one way to keep up-to-date with loved ones and the world around you.
Senior Lifestyle is committed to keeping our residents in touch with technology. Many of our common spaces offer complimentary Wi-Fi or Business Centers. If you need a refresher course to help you thrive online, our communities often provide computer and internet literacy courses that will allow you to feel more confident on the web. To learn more, find a community near you.
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