High-Tech Tools Help Seniors Stay Safe and Independent

by Lynn Wilson, Founder of The CareGiver Partnership

One of the many ways technology has changed our lives is helping seniors live independently, which, in turn, makes caregivers’ jobs a little easier.

A new wearable device helps seniors and their caregivers keep track of their health. The Tempo wristband tracker logs a senior’s daily activities and identifies early warning signs of health issues, which typically begin as changes in normal behavior patterns or activities. Tempo is one of many tools that help seniors safely age in place while providing their loved ones with greater peace of mind.

To make aging in place — remaining safely at home at any age — easier and more secure for seniors, caregivers and family members should consider safety planning combined with today’s advanced independence tools. Our goal is to help others be proactive about helping seniors remain in their homes as long as possible, in a safe and secure environment.

           

Wilson offers recommendations for anyone with limited mobility who lives independently: 

• An amplified telephone not only helps the hard of hearing, some are designed to also assist the visually impaired. Features to look for include extra -loud ringers and answering machine playback, talking caller ID and keypad, flashing ring signaler, big buttons with backlighting, one-touch memory dial and emergency numbers, and hearing aid compatibility. 

• Family members and friends who suspect a senior has lost mobility and is no longer safe

  

  Lifeline is a wearable pendant.

  alone at home should consider monitoring devices, such as Philips Lifeline. Auto-alert services like Lifeline can be manually operated or even place a call for help if a fall is detected and the pendant wearer is unable to press a button. The pendant is waterproof, always charged and stays within reach. There is a monthly fee for the Philips Lifeline service, but customers of The CareGiver Partnership receive free activation.

• In-home monitoring is a fast-growing area of elderly care. Motion sensors on front doors, furniture, appliances and even pill bottles alert caregivers to changes in routines. Fall monitors, such as the Posey Keepsafe, work with pressure sensors on beds or chairs to alert caregivers to abnormal movement.

• Telemedicine — two-way interactive communication between patients and health care providers using an Internet connection — provides seniors with access to life-saving care. Telemedicine can save time and transportation costs, reduce the need for 24-hour monitoring by family members, and help improve the patient’s mental status through independent living. It also improves the outcome in time-sensitive cases such as monitoring stroke symptoms. The quicker a patient is diagnosed and sent to a hospital for treatment, the better the outcome. 

There are also many low-tech options to help a senior stay safe, such as Stander mobility products. Consider trays with built-in mobility handles, floor-to-ceiling security poles and curved grab bars, bed rails, couch canes and the CarCaddie portable handle.

Of the one in three adults over age 65 who fall every year, 20 to 30 percent of them will suffer moderate to severe injuries as a result, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Be sure to download our free guide to preventing falls by staying healthy, making a home safer and taking advantage of personal safety tools.

About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their

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loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wis. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353. Help support this ad-free blog by answering several questions about caregiving here. It will take just two minutes.

Watch this video to learn how Philips Lifeline works.