Society and life seem to be picking up the pace, creating more busyness than ever for us to manage.

It seems in my experience that most folks tend to be even busier post-retirement, and their calendars are jam-packed regularly. Volunteering, doctor appointments, family gatherings, church meetings, social outings with friends. It’s a lot to keep track of, let alone the daily things that must be done, like grocery shopping, paying bills, taking medications, and making or returning phone calls. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin!

Cognitive overload is real, and as we age, our brains begin to slow in their capacity to manage so many things at once — but that doesn’t mean you have to limit your activities or independence.

Calendars are great for keeping track of appointments and birthdays, but they are often too small to write more than one event on a given date, and they only work if we remember to look at them! To-do lists can help, too, but only if they are kept somewhere accessible and don’t get lost in the shuffle of other papers.

Technology gets a bad reputation — it distracts people from real life, it is taking place of real social connections, and it can be complicated to use. I would like to dispel at least some of that!

The truth is that technology can be extremely helpful, even as we age and seemingly have less use for it.

Here are 3 Ways Technology Can Help Keep Track of Life:

1. Calendars:
   Most phones now have a calendar feature built-in to the phone. You can add events, birthdays, and appointments, and it allows you to add the time and even location of the event. I also like to use this feature to keep track of my bills’ due dates. My favorite feature is setting an “alert” — your phone can notify you as that specific event is approaching. Most of us take our phones whenever we leave the house, so using your phone calendar is also a great way to keep your calendar on you at all times!

2. Reminders:
   iPhones have a built-in “Reminders” app. (This one is my personal favorite!) This is an awesome way to make a note-to-self to do something at a later time. Type in a reminder, such as “Call doctor about prescription,” and if you want, even add a date and time alarm. I often use this app to create to-do lists when I am out in the community and do not have my trusty notepad and pen with me. This is also a great spot to keep your grocery list!

3. Amazon Alexa:
   Another great way to get reminders is through home-assistants like Amazon’s “Alexa” or Google Home. Simply tell your device “Hey Alexa, remind me to take my pills every day at noon”, and she will! This can be especially helpful for those mid-day medications that are tough to remember when you are busy doing other things.

If you are noticing difficulty keeping track of bills or medications, or if you are having a hard time remembering upcoming events, but technology feels overwhelming to learn on your own, you may benefit from speech therapy.

Aging doesn’t have to mean a loss of independence!