Medical alert systems and signs your Aging Parents need help: what you need to know by Kristin Anne

Parents, we have always been those who took care of us. When we were kids, they were unruffled wasn t and it is a crisis (yours or theirs) they couldn t handle. They re getting older and you can now see their weaknesses are beginning to show through. Our parents are humans and now that we re visiting family for the holidays, we can notice that something s different about MOM or dad.

When you see signs of the decline in the health of your parents, that is when will be the most effective measures. The best action is to find a method of prevention of accidents before they occur in your aging parents homes. This may mean to the research in medical alert systems, nursing homes, home care or retirement communities. The discussion can be difficult, but it is so much easier to deal with the consequences of an accident at home. Then, what is there to look for?

Changes in health:
-You notice bruises on your arms a s, legs, or facial enjoyed
-Your loved one has trouble balancing, sitting or standing
-There is evidence of weight loss, or habits become less healthy. (In addition to eating, eating, eating only candy, refusing to cook)

Changes of Attitude / behavior:
-Your mother once sweet and Nice has snapped at you or another Member of the family.
-Your parent seems disoriented, not as 'pointed' once they were, or slow to respond.
-Your mother has begun to link their words in conversation.
-Your parent received tickets for and obtained in addition to accidents than what is normal.

Changes in the Routine:
-The habits of hygiene as brushing teeth, shower/bath and wash their hands seem to have stopped (you feel the smells in the House as the urine, or body odor)
-Your mother who was once super-tidy stopped cleaning, and congestion began to accumulate in all corners of his home.
-Your father, who once took great pride in his appearance, stopped combing her hair, ironing his clothes, etc.

So now in this holiday season when we re seeing our parents for the first time in the month in some cases, pay attention to the subtle signals that perhaps your parents once young and strong may need your help.

Have the conversation with your parents, if you think they need help and discuss your concerns and ideas for a solution. A medical alert system, home care, nursing and medical care services can help, but for those who think that these solutions are needed, the first step is to talk.

Medical alert and home care systems can combat the increase in expenditure on health by Kristin Palardy

A medical alert system can bring the children of aging parents the peace of mind to know that their parents, who may live alone, can reach the help if they have a fall or other accident. The most common reason for the purchase of a medical alert is keen to ensure that a person aged beloved who is usually able to live independently is able to help when they need. But this tool for independent living can also be a weapon in the fight against the increase in health spending in the United States?

The population of the United States includes 39 million people aged over 65 years from 2008, and the horizon 2030, that number is expected to skyrocket to 72 million, as "Baby Boomers" reach the age of 65.

Thus, the ageing of the population is more and more. Individuals of the 'baby boom' generation reaches senior age, causing the older population significantly. Not only that, but health care advances have enabled people to live longer. There are many more people to reach their 80s, 90 s and even past 100. Those who reach these ages suffer, on average, a large number of physical ailments and therefore, they constantly suffer high medical costs.

More elderly people combat physical ailments more means a higher cost of healthcare among the population over higher. In fact, by the year 2030, health care for seniors is predicted to account for 25% of the nation s health expenditure.

This is a system to alert medical help. The rental of equipment and monitoring price may be less than a dollar a day; a hospital in long-stay costs much more than that. More a person waits to receive assistance after a fall, the more complications, they will live.

If an elderly person falls and is unable to ask for help within the first hour, they are extremely likely to lose their independence, and in this situation, most is finally placed in nursing homes.

With a medical alert system, an individual can get quick help, which often eliminates the need for prolonged hospitalization and prevents experiencing complications in their fall that land them permanently in a nursing home or an elderly care facility.

In collaboration with the home care provided by a professional service or a member of the senior s family, a medical alert system can keep an individual elderly person out of a hospital, to a nursing home and may extend the amount of time where he or she can live at home safely.

The average cost of nursing homes can cover an average pricetag of $83 585 / year, or $229 per day. A rental of medical alert system and monitoring monthly service costs less than 1 dollar per day.

Although the rapidly growing population of seniors in the United States, but also the recent changes to Medicare almost certainly guarantee a drastic increase in health spending, this increase can be slowed. Preventive measures are the key to lower health care costs in the United States, because it decreases the amount of emergency care expensive and many expenses that come when an individual is no longer able to live in their homes.

Elements of an Easy, Safe Modern Living: Medical Alarm and Other Advanced Products for Seniors By Stefanie Jeanne

Aside from the more common senior-targeted products such as the medical alarm and other medication-related automatic dispensers, there are several other products that can help you ensure a happy, safe modern living for your aging parent.

Apple?s iPad: well, aside from being a highly popular gadget, Apple?s iPad (the touch-screen tablet computer that has revolutionized and pumped new vigor into what used to be a lack-luster market) has also been found by researchers in Tokyo, Japan to be particularly very helpful for seniors. The iPad is so easy to use, and its interface is highly intuitive?even people with no prior experience with computers can delight in using the tablet. With currently hundreds of thousands of applications that can be downloaded on the iPad, the functionalities of this tablet computer are further extended?there is practically an application out there for everything a person might need, and there is a category of apps that are designed specifically for the usage of seniors.

Automatic medication management: a common challenge for seniors is the increasing difficulty in managing a growing number of daily maintenance medications. The situation is serious enough (any simple mistake in taking the wrong pill or taking the right pill in incorrect dosages could mess up a senior?s fragile physical constitution) that it has warranted many products that provide assistance in this area. One such product is the E-pill Cadex 12 Alarm Medication Reminder Watch and Medical ID. Yes, it is a digital watch with so many other useful functionalities designed to help the senior to always do the right thing when it comes to medication. Wearing the E-pill Cadex 12 watch means the senior can keep tabs of which medicine to take at what time of the day?its alarm reminder is easy to program and can accept up to 12 medication alarms a day. Not only that, the watch?s face also displays the name of the pill to take. It also serves as a medical ID, which allows the user to store vital medical information such as existing allergies, blood type, phone numbers for health insurance, and existing medical conditions?such information can be very handy in the event of an emergency.

"Talking" devices: "talking" devices are gadgets or tools that inform the user audibly. Such devices are especially useful for seniors whose sense of vision is diminishing or at least not as sharp as it used to be. A good example of such a talking device is a digital talking thermometer?the good ones can "say" the temperature reading while providing a clear visual display. There is also a Talking Rx Prescription Reader, which is basically a self-contained unit that records the patient?s prescription instructions (as provided by the caregiver, doctor or pharmacist), and all the user has to do is press a red button to listen to the recording. This "talking" functionality is also extended in certain devices in the kitchen?there is a talking microwave oven, for example, that features a speaking countdown timer to ensure accurate timing for any possible purpose.

Grip extension tools: accidental falls is becoming increasingly common among seniors, and one good way to avoid it is by giving seniors the option to not physically try too hard. This is where products like the Ettore Grip ?n Grab comes in?by extending a person?s reach, seniors would not have to stand on a stool in order to get to hard to reach places in their house. The grabber features a pivoting rubberized head, and gripping can work both ways?it can be used to get things in high location, as well as pick up things from the floor (if bending down is difficult for the senior).

Medical alarm: as we?ve said, this is a device that is simply a must-have for all seniors, especially for those who live alone. A personal alarm device?wearable as a bracelet of necklace pendant?makes it possible for the wearer to get instant help in the event of any emergency, medical or not.

Thanks to the countless advances in technology and the innovation of product designers, there are many products available in the market now that significantly extend a senior?s capabilities and help ensure their safety.

Medical alert: allowing seniors to connect instantly to the caregiver by Stefanie Jeanne

To fully appreciate the effectiveness of a medical alert system within the framework of the work of caregivers, let's look at a real case of the real world. Madelyn is a subscriber to one of the main companies medical alert system. She is 60, with narcolepsy and lives alone in his own house in California. One day, she decided to change the light bulb in the kitchen. As there is no other person to do the job, and because it is supposed to be a simple job unscrew the light bulb and replace it with a new, it rises on the small scale and begins to remove the old bulb. At one point, however, the table moves slightly and Madelyn loses his balance and it ends up on the ground, writhing in pain, his hips probably broken. The phone is on the other side the House and not for the medical alert device it s worn around the neck, Madelyn situation could have been worse. She pressed the panic button, contact is made with the system to alert medical s response center and minutes from one of the s Madelyn registered stakeholder (of which it is registered with the medical alert device number) arrives to give his assistance as they awaited the arrival of s ambulance. And while that Madelyn continues later months of hospitalization (his age and the location of the fracture of the bone made its complicated State), it is obvious that things could have been much worse if for the response time of the Monitoring Centre s medical alert system.

Now, the above story is not a fairy tale that it is in fact based on a folder with a medical alert system provider. The lesson here is simple: a medical alert system is designed for a flexible yet for caregivers. In fact, he completed smoothly and even extends the capabilities of a caregiver in order to give the best possible care to the groin.

Most medical alert systems can be programmed to record the numbers of the people you want to be warned first in an emergency. Most people register the neighbours to whom they have confidence, while others register their children or their parents if happen them to live nearby. While informing the relatives or caregivers, a response center will also send medical assistance of the medical establishment that is located closest to the address of the patient s. The entire system is implemented with emphasis on efficiency and speed: in a few minutes, preventing the other mishaps, skillful hands arrived to help.

Elderly people can connect much faster to care providers in an emergency with a medical alert, thanks to the button action unique device s: there is nothing to confuse the main port the device because it has no other options. You just press it. In addition, the carrier does not have to worry about key by mistake when they don t need same medical aid, an intervention centre understands that such harmless errors can occur, and after all, it is better to err than to be sorry for failing to respond quickly to a real problem. In fact, most medical alert companies want allows you to periodically test the unit by pressing the button and in making sure that you are comfortable with the system.

The medical alert system s design is so simple. This is why you will never find a medical alert system with pages and pages of practical guides. The alert system medical itself is direct enough to the point: package contains nothing but the portable medical alert device and the base unit.

Ultimately, a medical alert system provides many benefits and advantages to both the main and helping that there is virtually no argument against the use of it. To top it all, monthly service fees are very reasonable, especially considering that the monitoring service works 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Indeed, ordering a medical alert is one of the best proactive decisions that a caregiver can do to bring quality to a life of s senior.

Senior Medical Alert Versus Expensive Senior Care Housing Costs By Stefanie Jeanne

One of the odd consequences of the real estate crisis in the USA is how it is pushing the cost of senior housing to continue to rise. This happens because, as real estate prices plummet, investors or entrepreneurs or even existing senior care nursing facilities are scared away from building new facilities or conducting expansions. The result is an ever-growing gap between supply and demand?with less new senior housing to accommodate an aging population, it is becoming more and more prohibitively expensive to have your senior loved one stay in an assisted senior care facility.

Discussions regarding the affordability of a senior medical alert inevitably crops up whenever people speak of the financial facts surrounding the issue of nursing homes. This is so because compared with having to place your senior loved one in an assisted living facility, the price of a regular medical alert system is almost shockingly low?you can subscribe to even the best brand for less than a dollar a day, and that already includes 24/7 monitoring.

Senior Housing: Just the Facts

Perhaps one can best appreciate the whole issue of senior housing by looking at actual numbers. In 2008, for example, the monthly cost of having your senior loved one stay in an independent living housing was $2,572; a year later, in 2009, that figure was up by about a hundred dollars. Moreover, the cost of placing your aging parent in a nursing care home in 2008 was $7,493 a month; barely a year later, the cost would rise by more than two hundred dollars. Keep in mind that we are discussing average monthly rents all over the country?it may be lower or higher in the state you are in, but these averages give you an idea of how much it costs to take care of your senior loved one. If you?re lucky, you can find certain facilities that offer discounts or lower monthly fees, but such discounts can be availed usually by signing up on a medium-term basis, such as by paying on a quarterly basis or a six-month plan.

Medical Alerts: the Affordable Option

As previously mentioned, the case against senior housing becomes more and more compelling as prices continue to rise. On the other hand, the monthly fees charged by even the leading providers of any advanced senior medical alert stays at a stable rate of less than a dollar a day?sometimes just half of that.

Add to that is the fact that most seniors are still full of heart?they would not simply accept sitting around the house and would often insist on doing things on their own, as if they were still 40 years old. They may insist on mowing the lawn or cleaning the car, and at times, you may even find them on a ladder trimming a tree or cleaning the house?s gutter. This is natural: seniors would love to continue doing household chores in order to feel useful. And by preserving their sense of usefulness, you are actually helping them preserve their youth or keep them happy and self-satisfied. But then again, letting them work around the house comes at a price: there are safety and health issues involved, and you cannot simply attend to their needs and watch over them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You have a life and a family who also need your attention.

That is why medical alerts are perfect for a wide range of age brackets?whether your parent is still able to move about and engage in physical activities, or they are using support devices such as a cane or a walker. Not that the price is the be-all and end-all of our considerations, such alert systems do indeed not cost thousands of dollars a month?the alert system service from a leading provider such as Rescue Alert of California costs only about 55 cents a day. Of course, such an alert system is by no means a complete replacement to the kind of round-the-clock, properly supervised care your senior loved one can enjoy at a nursing home, but in certain situations (such as the case described above), it can be just the right solution?and an affordable one, too.

Integrating a Senior Medical Alert System with Exercises to Help Prevent Falls By Stefanie Jeanne

While the use of a senior medical alert can be instrumental in preventing accidental falls among seniors, there is nothing more effective in falls prevention that helping the senior stay as physically fit as possible. Contrary to what may seem obvious, seniors can actually have a fighting chance against the possibility of figuring in accidental falls. Preventing accidental falls is highly important, especially due to the fact that when it happens to an elderly person, the physical damage can be serious, lasting and, sometimes fatal. So engaging in certain exercises for the specific purpose of regaining your sense of mobility, agility and balance should not only be among your top priorities, but should also become a regular part of your daily schedule.

The following are just some of the simple exercises you can do on your own to protect yourself from accidental falls.

Leg exercises: strengthening your legs and hips is important in enabling you to maintain and control your own stability. This stability is vital, especially when you?re walking, leaning, or standing. Accidental falls occur when, for example, an elderly person stands on a chair to fix a light bulb, and that person momentarily loses their sense of stability.

To do a simple leg exercise, look for a good chair with a back rest that is about the same level as your elbows. With your feet at rest side by side and as you face the back of the chair, slowly lift one of your legs out to the side. Try to lift that leg as high up as possible without having to lean your torso in the opposite direction. Maintain for a few seconds, than slowly lower the leg down. Now do the same with the other leg. Repeat a dozen or more times for each leg.

Other important parts of your legs are those muscles you use for sitting and standing. By strengthening these muscle groups, you further ensure your own stability when you sit or stand. For this strengthening exercise, you should find any chair with arms. Place it in the middle of an open room?the living room would be good as long as it is not so cramped or there is enough leg room. Sit on the said chair, and make sure that both of your feet touch the floor evenly, which also means you should be using a chair with just the right height. As you sit on the chair, slowly try to stand up, using your arms (which should be using the chair?s arms for support) to push up and out of the chair. When you are fully standing up, slowly resume the sitting position in such a way that you are lowering your upper leg muscles onto the seat. Repeat a few more times or until failure.

Another leg muscle that you should work out are the quads, as they are responsible for maintaining your balance and stability while you are walking and in preventing your own legs from turning into rubber, so to speak. A good strengthening exercise for the quads is by the use of a chair. Sit on a chair with your legs naturally bent and your feet on the sides, the soles of your feet evenly planted on the floor as much as possible. Slowly lift your foot off the floor, then extend your leg by straightening it out in front of you and in such a way that the leg is parallel to the floor. Lower it back down then do the same with the other leg. Even better, try to point your toes forward during the peak of your extension so as to further work up the quads. Repeat as you feel necessary or until failure.

Strengthening the ankles: the experts from the American Council on Exercise assert that having a weak ankle is a major factor in increasing one?s risk of falling. The goal, therefore, is to never forget the role of the ankles in helping you maintain stability in standing and walking. The good thing is that, like other leg muscles, the ankles can be fully strengthened with some simple exercises. Get a towel that is sufficiently long to be wrapped around the bottom of your foot?the purpose of the towel is to provide something you can hold onto while you are seated. Tug on the towel to add some resistance as you make figure 8 patterns with your foot. Repeat the same with the other foot as often as necessary or until failure.

You can spend as little as 15 to 20 minutes in doing these exercises. Apart from using an actual senior medical alert to ensure that you?ll get instant medical assistance just in case an accident actually happens, engaging in these exercises daily is a truly great way to safeguard your own well-being.

Non-medical Ways Medical Alarm Systems Can Save Your Life By Stefanie Jeanne

Contrary to the popular misconception, a medical alarm system?s use is not actually limited to medical emergencies. But rather, thanks to its compact design, wireless technology, and the fact that it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it is perfect for a variety of other life-saving purposes. If you or your aging loved one already has one of these alarms, then you should know these top secondary uses for the device you?re probably wearing around your neck.

Regaining access to a locked house: a personal emergency alarm system can be used if, say, you suddenly find yourself outside your own locked house with no key. It happens to the best of us. But how can such an alert system provide solution in such a situation? This is so because most alarm system companies provide a secure lockbox for an extra key to your house. The lockbox is just designed for cases in which an emergency occurs and the medical response team arrives at a locked house and could not gain entry?with a spare key safely stored in the secure lockbox, the medical personnel would not have to waste any time fumbling around flower pots looking for the spare key or trying to bring down the door with a battering ram.

An intruder is in your house: imagine this scenario: it is late at night, and you feel or hear that somebody?s in the living room. You are alone in your house, and the phone is in the kitchen. Fortunately, you are wearing a medical alert. Such a system is very convenient?as you are wearing the panic button at all times, anyway, you do not have to find a phone. All you need is press the button, and it should work even if you?re hiding in your room or in your closet. There are also cases when, upon activation, the response center attendant speaking through the speakerphone of the home base unit is enough to scare away the intruder, mistaking the voice as that of a responding police personnel.

Natural calamities: Scientists say that our changing climate is making severely destructive inclement weather more and more common. And by "common," we do not mean "acceptable." If anything, we have to be more vigilant regarding our health and safety, especially those who belong in a vulnerable demographic, such as seniors, young children, or persons with certain disabilities. An alarm system can serve one in such situations because it operates wirelessly. Say, for example, you wake up one night with several feet of flood water raging around your house. Or maybe there?s a fire and there?s no way you could reach the home?s phone. In such unfortunate situations, the thing that could provide the silver lining?and one that can actually save your life or that of your loved one?is a personal emergency response system whose panic button you?re wearing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The round-the-clock availability simply ensures that you are fully covered?you never know when a disaster hits, anyway.

Domestic violence: there is a growing number of otherwise young, healthy women who are using such personal alert systems to protect themselves from an abusive spouse. Many of these women are trapped in an abusive marriage, whereas others are being stalked by an obsessed ex-lover. In any case, they use a wearable alert system to get instant help when danger shows up at the door reeking of booze and looking for someone to hurt. A single press of the panic button is all it takes to get well-qualified assistance.

Other special emergencies: what if something happens and you must reach your loved ones as quickly as possible? Because any modern personal alarm system allows the user to input the contact numbers of the people closest to them, contacting these people can be done in a single press of the panic button.

As you can see, a medical alarm system can be used not only in situations that are strictly "medical" in nature. Anytime you need assistance, all you need is press the panic button?you don?t need to hesitate whether or not pressing it is justifiable or is actually included in the device?s terms of usage contract. If you need any help and you must speak with someone who is professionally trained to help you any hour of the day, any day of the week, there is perhaps nothing more efficient than a modern personal alarm system.