From Electronic Health Records (EHR) to Telehealth, smart home devices, wearable tech, and more, technological advances have made both self-care and support care better than ever for seniors and all those needing healthcare support across the country. I personally have used wearable tech (a fall-detecting and SOS watch for seizures) and telehealth so I can meet with some doctors from home. When there is no need to be in the office for an appointment, you shouldn't need to be. This lowers, or can and should, for everyone.
Electronic health records are easy to read, and while typos will happen from time to time, they have been proven time and time again to be more precise than paper records. We all know the jokes about the handwriting of doctors (mine may be worse), but with EHRs, there is no need to try and figure out if something is a '5' or an 'S', for example. EHRs also make the sharing of information between providers much simpler. No more need for mail couriers or fax machines to send over records.
Smart home devices can help people call out when in need of help, dial 911 or other contacts, automate lighting which can prevent falls, and monitor activities which can alert healthcare professionals to changes in behavior that may need investigating.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will likely help find cures, as well as improve diagnoses, better recognize mental capacity changes to diagnose dementia and Alzheimer's earlier.
Virtual Reality (VR) is being improved daily and while already in use, will only improve. It could greatly improve the mental state of bedbound patients by allowing them not to see only a bedroom, but to virtually explore outside. Very real sensory simulations can allow them to feel like they are in Paris or London or, most importantly, at home with family and friends. All of which can greatly help emotionally with the reality of their situation while reducing stress and anxiety.
By implementing these technologies, Florida can improve the daily lives of all Floridians—especially those with frequent hospital or doctor visits and those at end-of-life stages and those in palliative care and/or the bedbound, be it temporarily or permanently.