Does Your Loved One Need a Medical Alert System?

Guest post contributed by Charlie Kimball and medicalcarealert.com

Falling is one of the most serious threats to elderly people living independently. It’s not a matter of if your loved one falls, it’s a matter of when. It’s best to be prepared in advance. Ask yourself these questions:

• Will you be there when they fall? 
• Will your loved one be able to access a phone when they fall? 
• Will your loved one be cognizant enough to tell the EMT important medical information? 

If the answer to any of these questions is no, you need to learn more about how a medical alert system can provide the peace of mind that you and our loved ones need when a fall happens. Just a simple press of the large button in the center of the medical alert pendant or necklace and EMS can be immediately summoned to the scene.

How do you know if your loved one needs a medical alert system?

Here are some additional questions for you and your loved ones to help determine whether a medical alert system is right for you:

1. Are you extremely worried about your loved one’s safety when you’re gone?

2. Is that fear preventing you from leaving the house to work or get basic errands done?

3. Has your loved one fallen, been seriously injured, or been in an emergency in the past year?

4. Do you believe that your loved one is prone to falling? Are they worried about falling?

5. Does your loved one use mobility devices to get around the house? (e.g. cane, walker)

6. Does your loved one take three or more medications in a day? Have you noticed any effects from those medications?

7. Does your loved one have any (or is at risk for) medical conditions like stroke, heart attack, diabetes, or arthritis?

8. Does your loved one have any issues with daily activities like going to the bathroom, bathing, or eating?

9. Due to circumstances, is your loved one left at home alone for many hours at a time?

10. Does your loved one find it easier to press a single button instead of finding small buttons on the telephone?

If you answered ‘yes’ to three or more of these questions, there’s a high probability that getting a medical alert system would be highly useful in setting both you and your loved one at ease. Once you have made your assessment, it’s time to make a commitment to the decision that was made and find the medical alert system that’s right for you.

Further Reading: 

Monitoring and Alert Systems for Seniors

How to Choose Home Monitoring Systems for the Elderly

Elderly Monitoring Systems

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About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their 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, Wisc. Visithttp://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.