The first and most important job of every family caregiver is to ensure the safety of their loved one. One of the biggest fears family caregivers have is that their aging parents or family members may suffer a fall, injury, or medical emergency when no one is around to help.
Of course, it is impossible to be present with your loved one at every moment of every day. Personal responsibilities like work, errands, friends, and family don’t stop just because you are a caregiver. And even if they did, constant observation may inhibit your loved one’s independence or lead to a strained relationship.
You and your loved one both need a way to ensure their physical safety while maintaining their independence. If you are wondering how to help aging parents navigate this change, it’s time to talk about safety monitoring.
Monitor Elderly Parents Remotely
Safety monitoring is a straightforward system in which your loved one wears a small, lightweight device that allows them to call for help with the push of a button in the event of an emergency. These devices can also come equipped with fall detection technology, which automatically detects falls and immediately calls for help. The discreet device can be worn around their neck or attached to their belt. If help is needed, the button on the device calls a monitoring service, alerts them to the problem, and provides them with essential information. The monitoring service will then summon the appropriate emergency response.
Features vary among the various service providers out there, so we’ll focus on some of the most important ones caregivers should look for when choosing a safety monitoring service for their loved one.
An effective safety monitoring service consists of two parts: a state-of-the-art wearable device and a reliable 24/7 monitoring service. Combined, these act as a security system for your loved one’s physical safety.
These devices are typically small and unintrusive. For example, Connected Caregiver’s safety monitoring device is the lightest on the market and can be worn on a lanyard or clipped to a belt, allowing for discreet, reliable protection.
While there are plenty of medical alert devices you can choose from, you’ll want to pay close attention to the features offered by each — because certain features you might find essential, such as fall detection, are often only available at an additional cost. See below for lists of the basic features you’ll find with most medical alert devices, and the ones that aren’t as common (or that come with an extra cost).
Basic Features (Most Brands)
- Emergency Assistance at the push of a button
- Long-Lasting Battery with up to 6 days between charges
- Water Resistance for protection in the bath or shower
Advanced Features (Some Brands)
- Fall Detection that automatically calls for help
- Nationwide Coverage via GPS and 4G cellular connections (some brands only work inside the home)
- Two-Way Communication allows your loved one to speak with a monitoring team
In summary, make sure to do your research so you know the device you’re buying does what you need it to do. Fortunately, Connected Caregiver’s medical alert device includes all of the features listed above at an industry-best cost, without charging extra for individual features.
Of course, a device is only as good as the people behind it. A 24/7 monitoring service ensures that medical personnel are able to quickly respond should something happen to your loved one. This is why most services require some kind of monthly fee. You aren’t just buying a device, but subscribing to a service made up of professionals who monitor alerts, communicate with the device wearer, and contact authorities if necessary.
With Connected Caregiver, we take it a step further and provide family caregivers regular updates on their loved one’s health via the Connected Caregiver app on their smartphone.
Ultimately, safety monitoring provides aging parents a strong sense of security, and family caregivers get more peace of mind.
How to Talk to Aging Parents About Safety Monitoring
Falls can happen at any time. As a family caregiver, putting a safety monitoring system in place may sound like an obvious choice. But just because the need is clear to you doesn’t mean it’s an easy subject to address with your aging parents or loved ones. How you frame the conversation is every bit as important as which safety monitoring device you choose.
When you decide to have the safety conversation, we recommend the following talking points to help motivate your loved one to embrace the change.
Get help whenever you need it
Hopefully your loved one never needs to use their safety monitoring device to call for help. But help is always just a button push away should they ever need it.
Safety monitoring helps keep you independent.
Wearing a safety monitoring device reduces the need for constant supervision from you or another caregiver. This can help maintain their independence longer and give family caregivers more freedom, which can help improve the relationship between caregiver and care recipient.
Safety monitoring simplifies communication.
With a safety monitoring device, your loved one will have access to a remote monitoring team with the press of a button, so no question goes unanswered. Plus, with Connected Caregiver’s Safety Monitoring service, you can create a personalized emergency response plan in the Connected Caregiver app.
Safety monitoring reminds you what to do.
No more schedules on the refrigerator! When used with a remote health monitoring service, your loved one will receive scheduled reminders to monitor their vitals, take medications, and more.
Safety monitoring is easy-to-use.
All your loved one has to do is wear and periodically recharge the device. If your loved one needs help, they can communicate with a live support team at any time via the device’s built-in speaker and microphone. And in the event of a fall, the device can automatically detect the fall and call for help (certain safety monitoring services may charge extra for fall detection, though it comes included with Connected Caregiver).
Safety monitoring keeps the doctor happy.
By wearing a safety monitor, your loved one can satisfy their doctor’s greatest concern—their physical safety. And when paired with remote health monitoring, your loved one can easily track their vitals and share their information during scheduled visits.
Safety monitoring is an investment in your health.
We all want to stay healthy as long as possible. Safety monitoring provides an additional layer of protection that not only guards your loved one’s physical safety but improves their quality of life. Better day-to-day living will lift their spirits and encourage positive health choices in multiple areas of life.
Choose Peace of Mind
Watching your parents or loved ones age can stir up many feelings, from grief to fear. In turn, aging parents often grieve or resent the loss of their independence, the intrusion of caregivers (even if those caregivers are their own children), and increased medical oversight.
Safety Monitoring is a simple step that provides everyone with greater peace of mind. It’s an easy compromise that opens the door to other creative caregiving solutions, like remote health monitoring.
Connected Caregiver is proud to serve you and your loved ones with reliable, secure tools that help keep your aging parents safe.