How Technology Will Transform Retirement

[txtig]

I don't think I want my fridge ordering more stuff for me . . . unless maybe . . . it's beer. Actually, I kinda like that idea. Yea, let's get a fridge that never runs out of beer!!


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

[marko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hurricane harry smart phones and computers are frustrating enough, I don't think seniors want more complication in their lives

My mom (age 87) just got her first tablet.

Loves the idea of being able to video conf with me (getting to be a nuisance! I live right down the street, for cry-eye) and get e-books from the library without having to go get them.

She spends the rest of her day playing word games on the tablet and has already figured out that she'll be able to read her local paper online when she heads down to Florida for the winter.

[marko]

The title here is "How Technology Will Transform Retirement"

This forum is brought to us via "technology". This forum has sure helped in transforming my retirement!

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Throwdownmyaceinthehole I'm thinking there will be in home robots to help when you've fallen and can't get up. My mom used a roomba to vacuum and a scooter to get around - both of those are robotish, so the boomer gen should have much improved assistance. Auto delivery of food is already happening, and wine bottles are coming with screw tops. Iwatches track your exercise and calories, what's coming in the next ten years, auto delivery by drones? Who remembers the Jetsons!

My parents are elderly and struggle with vacuuming. Last week I suggested they buy a Roomba so they would not have to do it anymore. He told me they bought one a few months ago, but couldn't figure out how to use it, so they sent it back. Ugh!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Throwdownmyaceinthehole I'm thinking there will be in home robots to help when you've fallen and can't get up.

Or, we can carry our cell phones and call 911 or someone we know for help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Throwdownmyaceinthehole My mom used a roomba to vacuum and a scooter to get around - both of those are robotish, so the boomer gen should have much improved assistance. Auto delivery of food is already happening,

I'd just like food delivery; the auto part is not necessary or anything I want. We have lots of restaurants here that deliver, but grocery delivery, not so much if at all.

I recently bought a house with hardwood floors, so a broom or dry mop seems to work better than a vacuum. No roomba for me.

Now a scooter - - THAT has some appeal to me for future use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Throwdownmyaceinthehole and wine bottles are coming with screw tops.

My father, who passed away in 1981, drank wine every day at lunch and for the last 20+ years of his life his choice was white Ripple. He was pretty wealthy by my standards, and he could easily have afforded better wine, but loved the screw caps and didn't mind the somewhat unsophisticated taste. As a teen I found it extremely embarrassing that my father drank Ripple, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Throwdownmyaceinthehole Iwatches track your exercise and calories, what's coming in the next ten years, auto delivery by drones? Who remembers the Jetsons!

Well, I already have a Fitbit. As for the drones, my next door neighbor has quite an arsenal and promises to have a great time engaging in target practice if one approaches his home. Don't know if he'd really DO that, but anyway I doubt autodelivery will hit New Orleans before we shuffle off this mortal coil.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R As for the drones, my next door neighbor has quite an arsenal and promises to have a great time engaging in target practice if one approaches his home.

National Association of Drone Sportsmen

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister National Association of Drone Sportsmen

ROFL!!! Thanks, I'll forward the link. He loves reading this stuff.

[walkinwood]

Just think how quickly we have adapted to smart phones, fit-bits, video calling etc... While I agree with this being a "filler" piece (with the mandatory "we're not saving enough" dig at the end), a lot of these technologies could come to fruition in our lifetimes. (I'm 55)

I'm hoping that the medical community gets its act together on using technology at the retail level. They love to buy and use expensive diagnostic gear in hospitals, but our everyday interactions with doctors still lag badly where technology is concerned. They are just not prepared (or even preparing to be prepared) to handle personal data being generated by devices like the fit-bit.

[walkinwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R .... I'd just like food delivery; the auto part is not necessary or anything I want. We have lots of restaurants here that deliver, but grocery delivery, not so much if at all.

You may want to ask your supermarket manager. I've been surprised at how many of our neighbors get their groceries delivered. There seem to be at 3-4 companies that do that in our area. Not for us at this time though - we enjoy our grocery shopping.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkinwood a lot of these technologies could come to fruition in our lifetimes

I've been waiting for my flying car for well over half a century now, so I retain a bit of skepticism.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkinwood Just think how quickly we have adapted to smart phones, fit-bits, video calling etc... While I agree with this being a "filler" piece (with the mandatory "we're not saving enough" dig at the end), a lot of these technologies could come to fruition in our lifetimes. (I'm 55) I'm hoping that the medical community gets its act together on using technology at the retail level. They love to buy and use expensive diagnostic gear in hospitals, but our everyday interactions with doctors still lag badly where technology is concerned. They are just not prepared (or even preparing to be prepared) to handle personal data being generated by devices like the fit-bit.

I heard an interesting interview from a techie guru a few months back. He said technology has brought the cost of everything down over the years except in two areas....healthcare and education. And they were gunning for that next. He provided a lot of examples that were deep in the pipeline. Interestingly he also mentioned anesthesiologists are no longer even needed but "influences" are still keeping them employed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Midpack]

Interesting article, thanks. As for some replies, this adage has proven itself timeless once again...

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher (1788 – 1860)

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R My father, who passed away in 1981, drank wine every day at lunch and for the last 20+ years of his life his choice was white Ripple. He was pretty wealthy by my standards, and he could easily have afforded better wine, but loved the screw caps and didn't mind the somewhat unsophisticated taste. As a teen I found it extremely embarrassing that my father drank Ripple, though.

Thanks for the memories! In college, while very poor and living in a rented flat, my roomie and I drank Ripple as or normal "beverage". We liked it so much, we got a black cat for a "mouser" and named him Ripple.

[Jack_Pine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister I've been waiting for my flying car for well over half a century now, so I retain a bit of skepticism.

Darn Jetsons for razing our expectations.

[Theseus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan I heard an interesting interview from a techie guru a few months back. He said technology has brought the cost of everything down over the years except in two areas....healthcare and education. And they were gunning for that next. He provided a lot of examples that were deep in the pipeline. Interestingly he also mentioned anesthesiologists are no longer even needed but "influences" are still keeping them employed.

Now that is a very interesting concept. Industrial applications for automation and adoption of technology have been very bottom line focused. Healthcare, at least from what I have seen, has made some attempts at that, although the applications of technology have been more towards elaborate diagnostic machinery rather than the repeatable and mundane tasks.

Current state: PCP appointment to discuss what ails me. Lab tech for blood draws, etc. Radiology tech to operate scanning/imaging equipment. And all of the behind the scenes stuff, handling, processing, interpreting results: probably lots of "low hanging fruit" as we called it in manufacturing. But the industry needs to be cost conscious enough to start harvesting what is ripe and ready for picking - I'm not so sure that incentive exists, as running up the bills to the highest extent possible adds more to the bottom line. The consumer has so little opportunity for realistic cost comparisons that the inflated bills simply go through the ritualistic 'normal and customary' dance and get paid.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister I've been waiting for my flying car for well over half a century now, so I retain a bit of skepticism.

With the longevity pill coming soon to a Walgreens near you as discussed in a concurrent thread - oh wait, they already have it for 10c/day - surely you can wait for another 50 years?

[mpeirce]

Although not really "retirement" related, but more "old age" related.

One: I already monitor my parent's locations using gps. Using Apple's Find Friends I can see where they are - and they can see me too (it's only fair). I've talked with both of them about the implications and they are OK with it. In fact, they like the idea that I'm checking on them. If they unexpectedly stop moving for more than a little bit, I know to follow up on them.

I expect my kids will monitor me even more. I already have a WiFi scale and so some day they'l be able to see if I'm loosing weight all of a sudden. They'll probably be able to monitor other vitals by then too.

Two: I'm already enjoying my slightly autonomous car. It won't let me pull into the other lane when there's another car in my blind spot - or when I start to wander out of my lane. And it alerts me when the car in front of me is slowing down faster than I am (and I'm in danger of hitting it if I don't slow down NOW). I would certainly buy a car that could drive me home after dinner in the dark when my night vision starts to get really bad.

[HFWR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister I've been waiting for my flying car for well over half a century now, so I retain a bit of skepticism.

I was in a flying car once, a Pontiac Bonneville... Took a lot of energy, and a very steep hill, to get that thing airborne.

Landing was a little rough...

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpeirce Two: I'm already enjoying my slightly autonomous car. It won't let me pull into the other lane when there's another car in my blind spot - or when I start to wander out of my lane. And it alerts me when the car in front of me is slowing down faster than I am (and I'm in danger of hitting it if I don't slow down NOW). I would certainly buy a car that could drive me home after dinner in the dark when my night vision starts to get really bad.

+1 on a car to help me when I cannot drive. In fact, I can use a robot RV right now, as the long cross-country treks are very tiring on an RV.

Going from the above features to a full robotic car with no steering wheels and pedals is the same as the advances from a bicycle to a jet plane. It will not happen in a few years. Depending on one's age, he may need Metformin to see this car.

[Independent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko The title here is "How Technology Will Transform Retirement" This forum is brought to us via "technology". This forum has sure helped in transforming my retirement!

+1

The internet has had a very positive impact on my retirement,
probably more than any potential I see in the things in the article.