Everyone has seen those old commercials with the woman who has fallen in her home and cannot get up. They’re for safety alert products that are used when an emergency occurs and the person in need cannot make it easily to a phone. These were revolutionary products when they came out, and they have helped countless people stay in their homes since their introduction. It has made it so things like nursing homes are not a first resort choice. It’s also helped families to keep their lives close to normal as there are fewer people leaving their jobs to help provide care. An in-home caregiver is usually more than adequate if these safety devices are used properly.
A next generation of senior safety products is emerging, thanks to new technology. Some of these can be used outside of the home, too, which is great for seniors that want to retain as much independence as possible, yet still keep themselves safe in an emergency situation. Products like the GreatCall Splash are tiny enough to fit in your hand, can be worn as a necklace or on a belt, and act as a GPS device when necessary. They are pretty cheap, roughly about the same as an in-home system would be. The initial cost is around $85 which includes both the device and activation, and then goes to $20 or so per month. This is pretty cost effective and it buys much more than a device as it will also give you and your family some much needed peace of mind. Some of these products even come with fall detection capabilities, although this sometimes costs extra.
This type of product is not the only thing that you need if you have an elderly loved one. There should be a human component overseeing things, especially because it’s almost impossible for someone to detect dementia on their own. If your mom or dad begins to develop Alzheimer’s disease, there’s a good chance that they will never know it, so having a trusted family member helping them or a professional caregiver of some capacity doing the same is a must. The point of senior safety devices is to provide an extra safeguard for them, not to be their only form of protection. That goes for anything, no matter how high tech it might be.
In the same light, hiring a professional caregiver is a start, just one piece of the overall senior care set of needs. Having an experienced and loving professional helping is good, but more might be needed. Oftentimes, the service that you work with will be able to help you discover any shortcomings that are present in how you help out an elderly loved one, but knowing these things for yourself is always helpful, too. What it comes down to mostly is just to have a safe place where all needs are met. Hopefully, this will not involve a relocation. In-home care covers many needs and it provides a low stress atmosphere for your mom or dad to thrive within. If this isn’t enough, you should at least know what resources are available for you before you start narrowing down your search.
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