RetireRetire
28 MONEY.COM MARCH^2019
TOP TECHNOT SO LONG AGO,technology
aimed at older adults was all
function, no form. But those days
are gone, and today grownups enjoy
the same sleek and useful devices as
everyone else—you can play your
favorite tunes, calculate your
retirement readiness, and monitor
your blood pressure, all in the palm
of your hand.
Around 42% of Americans age 65
and older used smartphones and
almost 70% were using the Internet
as of 2017, according to the Pew
Research Center; those numbers
are only going up. As retirees
continue to integrate technology
into their lives at a faster and faster
pace, it’s good to know how to make
the most of your gadgetry, whether
you have an iPhone, an iPad, or an
Android device.
Here at MONEY, we’ve rounded
up the best free apps for older
adults and caretakers to download.
If you’re up for a splurge, consider
buying an Apple Watch and using
these apps on it. The latest model
has a heart monitor and other
medical capabilities. Plus, if you fall
and can’t reach your cell phone,
you’ll still be able to call for help.EPICURIOUS
This popular food app offers
a little bit of everything—more
than 35,000 recipes, cooking
videos, a seasonal ingredients
locator that will show you what
foods are available at farms
near you, and much more. You
can even import recipes
directly into a shopping list
within the app. It also includes
peer reviews so you can see
feedback from those at your
skill level.Available for iPhone
and Android.LOCUS MAP
This app for hiking and
navigation, downloaded more
than 1 million times, is available
in both free and paid versions.
Though it wasn’t made
explicitly for seniors, it comes
in just as handy on a mountain
adventure as it does for an
older person going about her
daily activities. It can record
and track your steps and share
themwith others, so a
caregiver can always monitor
your or a loved one’s
whereabouts in real time. It
also includes off-line maps
when you don’t have access to
Wi-Fi, and it sounds alerts if
you stray fromyour route.
Available for Android.CAN I RETIRE YET?
Personal finance expert Dar-
row Kirkpatrick created this
app for his website of the
same name to enable users to
track their progress toward or
in retirement. The free version
allows you to do a basic
checkup of your goals, but if
you want more in-depth analy-
sis and financial modeling, in-
cluding tax planning, you can
download the paid version for
$9.95.Available for Android.1O Must-
Have
Apps for
Seniors
Download these today to
make your life a little easier.
BY ALIXLANGONESC
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