Search for

2009-04-08

Tools for caregivers of senior citizens

Aging is natural. We start aging from the time we are born and continue aging until the inevitable, the only 100% sure event that we must all face, death. When we were first born as babies, we are helpless and dependent greatly and for a significant portion of our lifetime on caregivers, our parents. As we grow into infancy, adolescence, adulthood, we become parents and caregivers ourself. Finally when we aged into senior citizenship, we become weak, clumsy because of slowed reflexes or poor eyesight, prone to disabilitating accidents and sickness, and if we become senile or suffer from Alzheimer's, we may wander off and end up lost and not able to find the way home. As elderlies, we become dependent ourself again, most probably dependent on our children whom we had provided much care when they were babies or infants. It is a cycle from dependents to caregivers back to becoming dependents again.

In the good old days, there is the extended families where there will always be someone who have the time to look after the elderlies. Now in modern time and the rat race, most potential caregivers are busy with their jobs and careers and thus unable to give the kind of care and attention needed. Senior citizens are often left alone in the home. What will happen if an elderly person should fall and become immobile with no one to help. Fortunately technologies in the form of the amazing electronics, GPS and wireless technologies, etc., have come to our aid. There is such a thing as a medical alarm which can serve as a round the clock watchman.

Modern technology has given us fall detector, motion detector, panic button and GPS (Global Positioning System) wander alert. The fall detector of course will detect fall which then send out an alert message to a monitoring system which can then send help. The motion detector will detect long period of inactivity which is a sign that something is wrong. The panic button when pressed will call for help. The GPS wonder alert will allow those manning the monitoring system to track a senior citizen who have wandered away from the home. Looks like this is even better than the "good old days" because this is a 24 hours a day 7 days a week 4 weeks a month and 12 months a year caregiver.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

What an interesting use for a GPS device! I purchased a device for my grandparents at Safe at Home Medical Alert and highly recommend them.

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin