The Best Fitness Trackers for Seniors
According to a national public opinion poll conducted by Gallup, 1 in 5 American adults use a wearable fitness tracker such as a bracelet or smartwatch to track their health statistics. Most users say they find wearables very helpful in reaching their health goals, and 13% of women and 10% of men over the age of are currently using them. We couldn’t find any specifically designed fitness trackers for seniors, so here’s what to look for if you’re thinking about getting one for yourself or as a gift:
- Functionality: If you only want to measure the number of steps you take during a day, you may not need a device with a lot of features.
- Readability: Small screens are hard to read. The display screen should be large and well-lit.
- Reliability: Look for a tracker with a long battery life that doesn’t need to be charged every day.
- Usability: Whether it’s a band, bracelet, ring or classic watch design, it should be comfortable. Controls should be well-designed and intuitive to use.
- Security: Most fitness trackers work in conjunction with a smartphone. They capture data that’s stored on your phone and can be downloaded over the internet. Check the brand you’re considering for how it handles your personal information and privacy.
- Impermeability: Water- and sweat-resistant devices are more practical. You won’t have to take your device off for a shower or worry if you are caught in the rain or spill something.
Why Wear an Activity Tracker?
A good fitness tracker is a versatile and convenient way to measure steps or calories burned, monitor heart rate and sleep quality, and encourage you to get off the couch. If you work with a trainer or nutritionist, you can share the data with them so they can better tailor your program and achieve your goals more efficiently. Wearing a fitness tracker will help you:
- Stay accountable — With instant feedback on your progress, you’re accountable to yourself for reaching your daily goals and motivated to stick with what you’re doing.
- Set goals — Whether it’s monitoring your daily steps or training for a full marathon, wearables allow you to program a range of basic or advanced goals that you want to achieve.
- Monitor sleep — How do you monitor your sleep when you’re … asleep? A good night’s sleep is crucial to your physical and mental health. A fitness tracker can add consistency, reminding you when it’s time to start your bedtime routine, tally how many times you wake up, and rouse you in the morning and even track your sleep quality.
- Push yourself — It can be easy to fall into a rut. Fitness trackers have a group dynamic where people with the same brand can see how they’re doing against others. Knowing others can see what you’re doing challenges you to keep up.
- Be mindful — Whatever your goal is — heart health, diabetes control, weight loss — checking in on it throughout the day helps you pay attention to yourself. You become more aware of what you are doing and whether you need to make a course correction as you navigate your health journey.
- Increases independence — Wearable devices can detect a fall and alert medical personnel should an emergency occur. By providing an added layer of safety, wearable technology offers a welcomed peace of mind to both seniors and their caregivers.
- Stay connected — With features like messaging, video calls, social media integration and more, wearable devices allow you to always stay connected with friends and family.
- Real-time health monitoring —Today’s wearable devices can monitor heart rate and blood pressure in real time. Some even include electrocardiogram features that can detect atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heart rhythm that is a common cause of stroke, as well as monitors for blood oxygen levels that can indicate early signs of circulatory, heart or lung function issues such as anemia, neurological problems or sleep disorders.
- Manage health reminders — If you take numerous medications and vitamins throughout the day, with wearable technology, you can program your devices to alert them when it is time to take medications or refill prescriptions. Additionally, some devices can also provide reminders for doctors’ visits and other health-related appointments.
Suggested Fitness Trackers
There are a variety of fitness trackers out there and more are on the way, but here are some of our top recommendations and their features.
Apple Watch® Series 9
- ECG anytime and irregular heart rhythm notifications
- Sleep tracking of REM, core or deep sleep with sleep stages
- Fall detection and crash detection
- Large app library with second-party apps that will improve your yoga flows, help track your workouts and guide you on meditations
Fitbit Charge 6
- ECG and irregular heart rhythm notifications
- Oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring estimated while you sleep
- Resting heart rate
- High/low heart rate notifications
- 24/7 heart rate monitoring
- All-day activity tracking
- Cardio fitness level
- Automatic exercise tracking
- Stress management score
- Nightly sleep score
- On-wrist mindfulness session
- Smart wake alarm
- Sleep and do not disturb modes
Fitbit Inspire 3™
- ECG and irregular heart rhythm notifications
- Oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring estimated while you sleep
- All-day activity tracking
- 24/7 heart rate monitoring, 20+ exercise modes, automatic exercise tracking and reminders to move
- Always-on wellness tracking
- Daily stress management score
- Mindfulness sessions
- Relax breathing sessions
- Automatic sleep tracking
- Personalized sleep profile
- Daily detailed sleep score, smart wake vibrating alarm and sleep mode
Xiaomi Smart Band 7 (Best fitness tracker on a budget)
- iOS and Android compatible, pairing with its own Mi Fitness app to give access to data like
- Heart rate tracking
- Oxygen monitoring,
- Daily sleep report
- Workout analysis
- Guided meditations via the app
- Daily stress level data
- GPS tracking
What’s the Best Way to Use a Fitness Tracker?
Once you find one that’s comfortable, fits your budget and does what you want it to, what next? Here’s how to stay fit and get the most out of your new device:
- Wear it consistently
- Start with small, achievable goals
- Check your numbers daily
- Increase your goals with each success
- Find friends who use trackers like yours
- Set up weekly competitions and challenges
- Share your story so you’re visibly accountable
Enjoy a Lifestyle Focused on Health and Wellness
At Regency Oaks, our lifestyle is built around the 8 dimensions of wellness. To help you improve your physical wellness, you find a fully equipped fitness center offering a variety of fitness classes and a 40-acre campus featuring beautiful walking paths right outside your front door. Get your fitness gear on and come take a look! To learn more, use our Community Assistant chat feature or contact us here.
Apple Watch is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc.
