Knowing the right time to purchase a medical alert device can be a difficult decision to make. Parents who are aging and elderly persons who live alone are among the many reasons a person might consider a medical alert device. Many of these devices come with numerous options, and the information below will help provide insight for when is the right time and which is the best medical alert device for a senior who may need extra support.
If a family member or older adult has fallen in the past and either suffered an injury or was alone in their home, a medical alert device with fall detection may be a good option. Falling can cause serious injury, and for many older adults, recovery is more challenging.
According to the CDC, “Many things can cause a fall. Your eyesight, hearing, and reflexes might not be as sharp as they were when you were younger. Other causes include safety hazards in the home or community environment.”
After a senior suffers a serious fall, fear can prevent them from enjoying everyday activities, like spending time with friends and family or staying active and running daily errands. In addition to health challenges, the emotional stress and anxiety hinders their confidence to be safely mobile.
According to Pew Research, 27 percent of adults in the U.S. ages 60 and older live alone. As adults age, falls are more likely to occur. For those living alone, a medical alert device can provide the right kind of support that can turn fear into empowerment.
Many aging adults also find getting around the home is more difficult after a surgery like knee repair or hip replacement. As they age, seniors relying on family members for continued care isn’t always possible.
When a fall, emergency or even living alone causes fear in seniors and to live their daily lives, a medical alert system may be able to help. More than that, however, is the support that comes with a medical alert device like access to emergency services around the clock.
Knowing that help is on the way immediately after pressing the medical alert button provides confidence to users. A medical alert device provides access to 24/7 emergency care by operators at an operations center around the clock. Having that assurance of access to this quality of care even before a fall occurs can mean greater independence, and peace of mind for users and their loved ones.
Seconds count when an emergency occurs and a user only needs to press the button on the device and an operations center will, thanks to GPS, send help immediately to the user’s home or their off-site location.
Knowing when the time is right to purchase a medical alert device system is never an easy decision. Start by considering some of the recent factors like if they have fallen already, have recently started to live alone, or have decreased physical activity. Engage in an honest and open discussion with the aging family member, and build trust by showing them what a medical alert device can offer and the benefits they will enjoy living a more confident and independent life.