13 Simple Tips That Make Life Easier For Older Adults

Life as a fifty-something woman has been full of surprises so far. I’m very much still coming into my own as both a person and business owner, and there are still a lot of things I want to achieve before I could even think about retiring!

But on the other hand, there’s no denying that my worsening eyesight and mildly arthritic hands are signs that my body isn’t as resilient as it once was. Getting older can make things more complicated, but there are plenty of ways to make things easier on ourselves!

And today’s post will help do just that, because I’ll be sharing 13 simple tips, products, and ideas that can help make like easier for those of us “older adults.” And if you have any of your own tips to contribute that aren’t listed here, please share them with the rest of us in a comment at the end of this post! :-)

13 Things That Make Life Easier For Older Adults (50+)

1. Pillboxes

Using a good old-fashioned pillbox is an easy way to keep your medications organized. Many people like the simplicity of a weekly organizer with seven compartments, but that’s not your only option!

If you rely on your iPhone to keep yourself organized, check out the Pillboxie app for iOS. This digital pill organizer can send you personalized notifications when it’s time to take your meds, and it’s packed with useful features to help you manage and track your medications.

2. Button Hook

Stiff hands and fingers can turn the simple act of getting dressed into a painful ordeal. If you could use a little assistance, check out this handy and affordable button hook tool!

Just slide the hook through your buttonhole and secure it over your button, then pull to slide the button through the buttonhole. The other end also has a useful hook you can use to pull zippers closed!

3. Microfiber Cleaning Slippers

Sweeping and mopping can cause anyone to break a sweat, but they can aggravate back pain in older adults. To help keep your hard floors clean longer, invest in a set of microfiber cleaning slippers!

While it might seem a bit silly, the microfiber “fingers” on the soles of these slippers will pick up dust, dirt, and hair as you go about your normal daily activities. Just toss them in the washer to clean them up, and your floors will stay cleaner with no extra effort on your part!

4. Key Finder

Sick of losing your car keys (and the accompanying panic that you’re slowly losing your mind?) Well, the good news is that “key finder” key rings are currently more affordable than ever!

Attach a key finder like this one to your car keys and download the associated smartphone app. From the app, you can ring the key finder or see where they are on a map to track down your keys in seconds!

5. Rug Tape

I swear, the older I get, the more it feels like everything is a tripping hazard! The rugs in our living room were the worst culprits, at least until I installed some of this rug tape under the corners.

Thanks to this easy and inexpensive fix, the corners of our rugs now stay firmly in place at all times. No more tripping!

6. Large Print Keyboard

While almost everyone’s eyesight starts to suffer in their 50s, it rarely happens in the same way or at the same rate. And computer and smartphone screens can make seeing things even more difficult!

Luckily, there are all sorts of useful accessories out there that can make life easier for the visually impaired. For example, if your computer keyboard is giving you trouble, consider upgrading to this large print keyboard!

7. Jar Opener

Realizing you can’t open a jar on your own can be a very disheartening experience. If you frequently struggle with jars, consider investing in an easy-grip jar opener like this one.

You can use it for jars and lids of all sizes and makes it so much easier to pry open a stubborn jar lid. (Don’t want to buy another gadget? A rubber glove works pretty well for opening stubborn lids too!)

8. Bathtub Cleaning Hack

If you’re only armed with a scrub brush, cleaning a bathtub can require a lot of bending, kneeling, and reaching to get the job done. But I recently uncovered a brilliantly simple bathtub cleaning trick that can help you scrub your bathtub much more easily!

All you have to do is use a clean broom instead of a scrub brush to clean your tub. The long handle will allow you to scrub all the nooks and crannies with much less effort!

9. Alexa

Digital assistants like Alexa can be a huge help for older adults. From reminders about appointments to playing their favorite songs, Alexa can help older adults feel more self-sufficient!

Learn about 7 specific ways that Alexa can improve the lives of seniors by reading my Alexa blog post here.

10. Neck Exercises

Aging involves a lot of change, but not all of the changes are easy to cope with. For me personally, I’ve had a particularly hard time coping with the way the skin on my neck has changed over time.

So I decided to write a post about it, and through my research, I learned about all sorts of tricks and tips that can keep your neck looking more youthful over time.

11. Smartphone Magnifier

Have trouble making out some tiny fine print, but you don’t have your reading glasses handy? Use your smartphone’s magnifier feature, which turns your phone’s camera into a magnifying glass.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility, then tap Magnifier and turn it on. Once you have enabled Magnifier, you can add it to your Control Center for easy access.
For Android phones, go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnification, then choose either Magnify with a triple-tap or Magnify with a shortcut.

12. Smarter Parking

And your smartphone’s camera can do much more than just magnify small print. Use your camera to take a picture of anything you might want to remember down the line, such as where you parked the car in a big parking structure.

When it’s time to return to your car, you can check the picture you took to find your car easily. It’s much easier than trying to remember it off the top of your head, for older adults and young folks alike!

13. Color Coded Keys

If all your keys look the same, it can be hard to figure out which one is which without trying them all. To save yourself time, use different nail polishes to color code the ends of your keys!

Use any color coding system that will help you remember which key is which. For instance, if your front door is painted yellow like mine, you could use yellow nail polish to identify your front door key!

If you’re in the 50+ crowd, share your tips and tricks with us in a comment below!