Let There Be Light

March 14, 2011

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As Daylight Savings adds more “light” to our day, I want to shed more light on some great technology products that help seniors and their family caregivers with fall prevention and safety.

For many Older Americans, unlit walkways or badly lit garages and corridors can mean possible harmful falls and for the family members who care for them, this means more stress worrying about your loved one’s safety.

In fact, the CDC reported that more than 18,000 seniors die every year from a fall-related incident.  In addition, they reported in 2008 that more than 2.1 million seniors age 65+ were treated in ERs across the country with a non-fatal fall injury with more than 550,000 of those cases resulting in hospitalizations.

So here comes technology to the rescue.

Prevention, Protection, Peace of Mind

When it comes to keeping our older loved ones safe, it all comes down to what I call the three “Ps”:  Prevention, Protection and Peace of Mind.

Prevention and Protection: There are a lot of great products out there to keep seniors and Boomers safe.  One is a reflective vest created by Maxsa Innovations.  This is great for anyone who wants to take a walk after dark to help ensure you are well lit for passing cars and other traffic.  Also, if it is dark and you have fallen, the reflective vest is like a beacon to passing cars or others who can help you.

Maxsa also offers numerous products that light walkways even where no electricity exists and laser sensors for easy car parking.

New gadgets called “Personal Emergency Response Systems” are actually taking a cue from the world of fashion.  Whereas so many products are large, obtrusive and unattractive, Lifecomm, an innovative mobile health and wellness solutions company which is a joint venture between Hughes Telematics, Qualcomm and American Medical Alert Corporation, offers the kind of stylish watches, belt clips or lavalieres that fulfill our inner fashionistas.  And, they function as great safety devices with a one-button 9-1-1 call for help if your loved one has fallen.

There are also many new gps-type monitoring devices that allow those with dementia or Alzheimer’s who tend to wander to maintain their independence but give their family caregivers peace of mind so that instant tracking within a set perimeter can aid in safety. The Alzheimer’s Association offers a sophisticated system called ComfortZone for just this purpose.

Having the Conversation with Your Loved One About Technology That Keeps Them Safe

It’s not always easy to get Mom or Dad to admit that their eyesight, balance, or other mobility issues may be a risk factor for falling.  Many seniors feel they are being monitored and treated like a child if they agree to these “tracking” systems or wear a reflective vest like a highway construction worker.

To help caregivers make the case with their older loved ones about fall prevention and safety, you can find helpful information at the Fall Prevention Center for Excellence.  In addition the National Council on Aging (NCOA) has created local coalitions to help get the word out about fall prevention and safety. 

The best way for caregivers to have a conversation is to start with the fact that the Prevention and Protection will ultimately give you, the caregiver, and your older loved ones greater Peace of Mind and that is something we all could use.

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