MEDICAL ALERT DEVICES

In the home, the dementia patient is totally dependent upon the family caregiver for … well, nearly everything. So, if something happens to the caregiver (fall, loss of consciousness, stroke, etc.), the dementia patient may not be able to call for help. Caregivers should consider the use of medical alert systems or devices that can alert emergency resources to come to the house.

The technology within medical alert systems improves every year. In addition to the traditional medical alert pendants that require the user to push a button, there are now wearable devices and systems that can detect a fall or change in vital signs and automatically place a call for help.

The following are some websites that evaluate a variety of medical alert technologies and provide some cost estimates for each:

Click Here To Visit ncoa.org

Click Here To Visit usnews.com

Computers (including tablets and smart phones) can meet many needs of the dementia patient – communication, tracking, entertainment, etc. But they can also present some challenges for the caregiver whose loved one may get attracted to inappropriate websites or fall prey to phishing scams that compromise personal information or provide unauthorized access to bank accounts or credit cards. The initial reaction of a concerned caregiver might be to simply remove the patient’s access to all forms of technology. However, that strident reaction will eliminate access to a lot of devices and apps that can actually help the caregiver and her loved one navigate the dementia journey.

The following websites provide some good advice on the topic of using technology to help the caregiver safely utilize technology to help make the journey easier, while at the same time minimizing the risk of her dementia patient getting into trouble:

Home security cameras can both add a layer of safety for the homebound dementia patient and provide some valuable peace of mind for the family caregiver who must occasionally leave her loved one alone or in the care of someone else. Technological improvements in home security cameras have both increased functionality and reduced the pricing of such systems in recent years. Many systems are very affordable and can be installed without invasive installation procedures. Further, the cameras can display to the caregiver’s smartphone real-time views of what’s going on in the home – to help the caregiver monitor the behavior of both the dementia patient and anyone else at home with him while the caregiver is away.

The following website reviews some of the camera systems available on the market today:

Click Here To Visit caringwire.com

The television can both entertain and occupy the dementia patient, allowing the caregiver small chunks of time to tend to her own duties at home. But two notes of caution: (1) operating the TV’s remote can prove very challenging for the dementia patient, and (2) the dementia patient may be exposed to inappropriate programming or solicitations for products or donations. Parental controls in your TV’s settings can also be helpful.

 Following are links to some technologies that can make it both easier and safer for the dementia patient to operate his TV:

Click Here To Visit smpltec.com

Click To Visit getjubileetv.com

It was only a few years ago that the only way to find a wandering dementia patient was to have him wear a bracelet with his name and home phone number, then wait for someone to find him and call. Today there are inexpensive wearable devices and systems that can track the physical location of a loved one and even alert the caregiver should he wander outside an established perimeter.

The following websites present several options for inexpensive tracking technologies:

Click Here To Visit jiobit.com

“It’s okay to feel tired, frustrated, or overwhelmed. What you are doing is HARD!”