Caring for aging parents brings a whole new level of worry and stress into your life. Even when everything is fine, you’re still worrying about them and wondering if they’re ok. Have they taken their med? Have they locked the front door? Did they remember to feed the cat?
All concerns that people legitimately have about elderly parents who might need a little more support from time to time. And while in many cases a quick call or text does the trick, sometimes you need more reassurance, your parents need more help and assistance, and this is where reliable tech and tools enter the chat. Let’s take a look.
Home Monitoring Cameras
It might seem invasive, but the thing is, you don’t, nor should you monitor them 24/7, because, honestly, these days, they’re practical for all families, not just seniors. You can get alerts when motion is detected, especially outside of standard hours, e.g., overnight or when your parent has left home – you can check into the kitchen to make sure they’ve not left the cooker on or they’ve closed the fridge, and you can set zones to be triggered to alert you should anything occur within those parameters. Being able to check a live feed or recorded points throughout the day via an app remotely can give you peace of mind and be the prompt you need to check in to make sure everything is ok.
Video Doorbells
Video doorbells can be a great way to protect your senior parents and help to deter would-be thieves, scammers, and to make sure they’re not leaving the door wide open when they leave the property. You can monitor visitors and deliveries to make sure they’re getting what they need, or just to make sure they’re still walking the dog every day. You can see and hear what’s going on via the app, and your parents can answer the door through the same device without needing to get up unnecessarily.
GPS Trackers
A Life Assure gps tracker for elderly adds protection when they’re not home or out in the garden, for example. If a parent takes a long time to get home or gets confused and doesn’t know where they’re going, you can use the map to help them find or guide them.
You can set alert zones—home parks, local shops, for example—so if they wander outside of a set radius, you get a notification, or a call center does. Some models include fall detection or a help button to connect with a response team. Besides, it’s not about tracking their every move; it’s about providing assistance should they need it, and a GPS tracker gives you exact locations to send that help to.
Fall Detection Devices
Suppose your parents aren’t as steady on their feet as they once were. Fall detection devices are a lifesaver. Whether they have them on their person or static devices in hotspots in the home, ie, kitchens, hallways, or by steps, if a fall is detected, an alert will be sent out so a call centre can arrange for help or notify required persons of the incident to provide assistance. Plus, many fall detection devices link to existing medical alert systems through wifi or a base unit, so you can offer greater security, not just monitor for falls.
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