Everyone’s heard the adage “growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional,” but what if medical technology could help us slow the former? While these tech advancements haven’t quite reached the point where we can achieve immortality, they can help us age far more gracefully.
Our bodies can be repaired and supported and our appearances can resemble our heydays for longer than was previously thought possible. While some of these procedures can be quite invasive, others are wonderfully simple and easy to achieve, making them the best place to start.
Say cheese
One of the easiest ways to maintain youthful looks is by keeping your pearly whites pearly white. Yet in a world filled with coffee, wine and other teeth-staining treats, this isn’t always the easiest thing to achieve. If you’re less than thrilled with your smile, visit your local dental professional and invest in a set of porcelain veneers. They look just as good as the real thing, so no-one ever has to know.
Audio and visual assistants
We’ve always been told that staring at computers day in and day out will ruin our eyesight. Unfortunately, the same can be said for headphones and our hearing. If you’re not willing to give up your headphones or screen time, you’ll be relieved to know that new technology is making it possible for these very things to offer assistance when we need it.
Visual aid devices have been added to some VR headsets and hearing aids have advanced to the point where some models now offer Bluetooth connectivity and can even be used as speakers. Sure, traditional variants still work just fine, but why not have the best? We are talking about senses that are vital to your everyday life, after all.
Smart health tech
Another great way in which technology can help us age more gracefully is through the integration of smart tech into our daily lives. There are now many device options available which can digitally monitor all sorts of health statistics, sending reports to you and, if authorised, your treating medical professionals.
While this may not seem that big, these devices can substantially increase not only your ability to be warned early if something goes wrong, but also your chances of being able to “age in place”. Because of this, these devices can have flow-on benefits just as powerful as their intended, immediate results.
Grow a pair
If we shift our focus to bodily repairs and modifications, technology has powered even further forward. Replacements for body parts that have given out have been available for a while now but we are reaching a point where, in the near future, scientists will be able to actually grow you new, fully functioning organs within their labs or with the assistance of 3D printing. It is believed that in some instances, these organs can be accepted by your body far more readily than traditional substitutes or transplants, making this a major medical breakthrough.
As we continue to make advancements, we will be able to maintain our bodies, lifestyles and youthful good looks well into old age. Some even believe we’re not too far away from achieving immortality. That’s an ethical issue we’re not willing to touch, but we can probably all agree that upgrades to medical technology will never be a bad thing. Here’s to looking and feeling great well into the future.
