With more than one in four seniors experiencing a fall every year, promoting senior safety is now more important than ever. Since obstacles like elderly falls and medical emergencies threaten a senior’s ability to age independently, caregivers need to find ways to utilize the tools available to help ensure the health and safety of their loved ones. One of the best and most affordable tools available is a personal emergency response system.
While a medical alert device allows seniors to continue living independently, it’s important to remember that these devices help caregivers, too. By guaranteeing your loved one’s safety with a personal emergency response system, you will enjoy the following benefits:
Peace of Mind
If you’re simultaneously caring for an aging parent and a child, you certainly aren’t alone. The Pew Research Center found that 47 percent of adults in their 40s and 50s are providing this dual care, making it extremely difficult for you to be there for your parent 24/7. But with a medical alert device, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your loved one has access to round-the-clock protection.
Even if your loved one suffers from dementia or age-related cognitive decline, medical alert systems are very easy to use. Should your loved one experience a fall, medical emergency, house fire, power outage or armed invasion, all they have to do is push a button and they will receive immediate help. In fact, there are even medical alert devices that have automatic fall detection, making the need to physically push a button unnecessary. As an added bonus, certain medical alert companies, like Medical Guardian, will notify you, the caregiver, right away if an emergency has occurred and will even keep you updated on your loved one’s condition.
Caregiver Fatigue Relief
There’s no denying that you face a variety of challenges as a caregiver, which is why most caregivers experience physical, mental and emotional exhaustion at one point or another. Known as caregiver fatigue, this exhaustion not only affects your ability to care for your loved one, but the following symptoms also negatively impact your health:
- Neglecting your own needs
- Becoming sick more frequently
- Impatience and irritability
- Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
Should you notice any of these symptoms, the best way to combat caregiver fatigue is setting aside time for yourself to relax. While that might seem like an impossible task when you are caring for an aging parent, a medical alert system has your back. Knowing that your loved one’s safety is guaranteed in any situation with a medical alert system will lift a huge weight off of your shoulders and allow you to take more time for yourself.
Ease on Financial Strains
Assisted living seems like a great option if you’re worried about a loved one’s ability to safely age in place, but the cost of these facilities can be steep. Although there are several factors that affect the cost of assisted living, such as the level of care your loved one requires and the apartment size, the average cost totals $43,539 a year.
This huge expense causes many caregivers turn to personal emergency response systems. Not only are medical alert systems a more affordable care solution that promote senior safety, but your loved one will also be able to continue living independently in their own home, which, according to a recent AARP report, is what 90 percent of seniors would prefer.
Finding the Right Medical Alert Device for Your Loved One
While there are many benefits to having a medical alert device, you and your loved one will be able to fully enjoy the benefits if you take the time to find the right product first. Whether you’re looking for a medical alert device to relieve caregiver fatigue, or because you want your loved one to be able to age in place, you must determine what kind of protection your loved one needs.
In-Home Solutions
Does your loved one spend most of their time in the home? Do they live alone, or are they alone for the majority of the day? If so, a medical alert system for the home is the best solution for your loved one.
Luckily, Medical Guardian offers three in-home solutions: the Classic Guardian, the Home Guardian and the Family Guardian.
With the Classic Guardian, your loved one is protected from any emergency that may occur in and around their home -- all for less than $1 a day. The Classic Guardian connects to your loved one’s existing landline telephone connection to provide 1,300 feet of coverage, the largest range of any medical alert device on the market today. It also has a 32-hour backup battery so your loved one can still receive help in the event of a power outage.
Another in-home solution, the Home Guardian, does not require a landline telephone connection. Instead, it uses a nationwide cellular network to provide 600 feet of coverage in and around the home. As a modern upgrade to the Classic Guardian, the Home Guardian has a digital screen displaying the battery level, time and temperature. It also comes with a 30-hour backup battery.
Our newest product, the Family Guardian, was specifically designed with caregivers like you in mind. In addition to providing in-home medical alert monitoring similar to the Classic Guardian and Home Guardian systems, the Family Guardian also provides activity monitoring. By installing three unobtrusive sensors in your loved one’s home, you can remotely check-in on your loved one’s health and safety using the Family Guardian Monitoring App. Plus, you’ll even receive instant notifications regarding your loved one’s activity levels throughout the day. If you’re worried about a loved one’s safety in the home but are unable to care for them 24/7, this innovative system will provide you with the greatest peace of mind.
Two-in-One: Home AND Mobile Solutions
Are you worried about your loved one experiencing an emergency while they are running errands, visiting family or friends or even simply while walking their dog? Then a GPS-enabled mobile medical alert device is the perfect solution. Not only do these devices ensure senior safety in the home, but they also offer protection while your loved one is out and about.
The Mobile Guardian and the Premium Guardian are Medical Guardian’s two mobile solutions.
Our most popular product, the Mobile Guardian, is small enough to fit in a pocket or purse and provides 350 feet of protection. Using a nationwide cellular network and GPS technology, help can be sent to your loved one’s location in an emergency, whether they’re at home or on-the-go.
Similar to the Mobile Guardian, the Premium Guardian also uses a nationwide cellular network and GPS technology, but as an added feature, the Premium Guardian can come equipped with automatic fall detection technology. This means that your loved one can still receive help even if they are unable to press the button to contact our 24/7 monitoring center themselves. The Premium Guardian’s range is unlimited, so your loved one can enjoy the most comprehensive protection everywhere they go.
For even more tips on how you can choose the right medical alert device for your loved one, click on the banner below to download your free Buyer’s Guide.
Peace of Mind for the Whole Family
When it comes to ensuring your loved one’s safety, nothing is better than having Medical Guardian on your side. We make it our mission to help seniors and caregivers like you take full advantage of the benefits associated with a medical alert device. Not only can you enjoy the peace of mind knowing that your loved one is protected, but your loved one can continue living independently for many years to come.
