As people get older, they become fragile and slowly lose their capability of doing the things they could do easily. Their eyesight and hearing begin to fail, and so driving becomes a dangerous activity for them. Even the simple act of walking and moving around becomes a risky thing, as there’s a chance that they can trip or fall down and injure themselves in the process.
If you are caring for an enderly relative in your home, what are the things you can do to ensure his safety? We’ve compiled a list of tips that can help you in age-proofing your home. 1. One of the first places you should upgrade is the bathroom. Make sure your senior relative will be able to move around in the bathroom without any risk of slipping. Add a few non-slip bathroom mats to lessen the risk of any accidents due to slippery floors and tiles. You can also add grab bars next to the toilet for safety purposes and to ensure stability.
2. Adjust the hot water setting in your home to a temperature that’s safe and comfortable for your senior. You don’t want to risk giving him scalding burns anytime he turns on his shower. The recommended setting for heaters is usually at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. You should also clearly mark the hot and cold water faucets so they can easily tell which is which.
3. Inspect the house thoroughly to make sure there are no hazards that can make them trip or fall over. Look out for and remove any obstacles in the hallways, especially outside the bedrooms. Make it a habit to clear any clutter you can find and keep rugs out of the way. Stack loose extension cables or cords in a corner so that your elderly relative won’t trip over them. Pick up any books or magazines that are lying around and store them in bookshelves.
4. Put padding on the corners and sharp edges of your furniture to prevent your senior from bumping into them and getting bruises and cuts.
5. Have tools that can serve as “extender grabbers.” These are devices that can help your elderly reach for objects in high places, behind furniture, or even right at their feet so they won’t have to do stretching or bending over. 6. Invest in a fire extinguisher, smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors. These things will come in handy when the worst happens and a fire starts in your home. To ensure they’re functioning properly, make sure you check their batteries regularly. 7. Set up motion-activated lighting to help your senior find his way around without having to move around to reach the light switch. This type of lighting has sensors that can detect movement and has automatic on and off settings. 8. Invest in a GPS tracker that can not only detect the location of your elderly relative but can also monitor his health and activity. Such a device can detect the vital stats of a person as well as his physical condition. It also boasts an SOS button, which allows the wearer to send out a call for help in case he falls down. A GPS tracker ensures that your elderly relative will have access to emergency help while still retaining a sense of independence.
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Nowadays, more and more American seniors are logging on to the Internet, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. And they do so for good reason. As they get older, seniors feel the need to stay in touch with their loved friends, family members, loved ones, and the world around them. The Internet gives them the opportunity to do that without having to leave the comforts of their homes.
They log online for various reasons. They want to stay updated on the latest news. They want to keep in touch with their people in their lives. They want to manage their medical appointments and access their health records. It’s also one way for them to shop and manage their money and financial transactions. For seniors who want to stay active career-wise, it also allows them to continue being part of the workforce and stay mentally active. Some are even finding new friendships and romantic partners through various social networking sites.
There is a lot you can do on the Internet. But a lot of harm can also befall you if you’re not careful and you don’t take measures to protect yourself. The following are some useful tips on how you can keep yourself safe on the Internet: 1. Set strong and unique passwords for your online accounts. You shouldn’t share these passwords with anyone, unless it’s someone you trust that’s managing your accounts for you. This precaution ensures that nobody else can gain access to your accounts and thus use them to scam your family members and friends. Also, choose long passwords that consist of different kinds of characters such as uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using personal information such as your name or your birthday.
2. Take advantage of the privacy settings on your online accounts. You Facebook page, for instance, has extensive controls that allows you to choose who among your online friends and followers can see your posts. Everytime you post, you can choose certain settings as to your preferred audience of each post. For example, if you’re posting about something personal that you want only your closest friends and family members to see and not anyone else, you can set the settings to that specific group.
3. Don’t hesitate to report any online abuse you receive. Cyberbullying is a very real problem that can happen to anyone, even seniors. If you are constantly on the receiving end of threatening and hateful messages, don’t be afraid to reach out to the proper authorities and to report abusive behavior to the site. Social media networks nowadays have a team that’s exclusively in charge of dealing with abuse and cyberbullying complaints.
4. Be wary of scams that aim to con you out of your money or personal information. If a message or person you’re interacting with online seems to be too good to be true or just plain suspicious, it most probably is. Most importantly, don’t give away your personal information online.
5. With whatever post you make, make sure to think carefully before you click that send or submit button. Remember that whatever you post online can be a reflection of you. Think about it this way: don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want your next-door neighbor knowing.
Constantly worrying about your parents’ safety whenever you are not with them is completely understandable. You have every right to do so; they are your family after all. To shave off some of the worries, there are reliable GPS tracking devices that ensure security and safety of your senior loved ones and are immensely helpful to families and caregivers who look after them.
If you’re planning to buy a tracker for your elderly loved ones, make sure that it’s well suited for their needs. Here’s a short guide to help you choose the best GPS tracker for a senior. Choosing the Best GPS Tracker for Seniors
Wearability
There’s a reason why mobile phones alone, even when equipped with GPS tracking apps, are not recommended for elderly use. There’s a huge chance that the elderly user may misplace mobile phones since most of them become memory-impaired. Medical experts have suggested attaching a wearable GPS tracking device to seniors for real-time monitoring. Personal GPS trackers are tiny devices, are very easy to use, and can easily be carried. It could be worn by the elderly as a bracelet, watch, belt, or key chain.
Battery life
What you need is an elderly GPS tracker that lasts at least seven days. Not only will it save you from the hassle of charging it now and then, but a long battery life means the tracker will stay active the whole time you go looking for your elderly loved one in the event that they wander. You don’t want the device to lose power during an emergency.
SOS button
GPS trackers have a convenient panic or SOS button proven to be useful in emergency situations. With this safety feature, it becomes easier for elderly loved ones to ask for help when necessary. Once pressed, the device will instantly send an alert message to you and the authorities, giving you directions to the location of the wearer. Some devices even provide two-way communication systems so the wearer can deliver a message directly to the watcher without delay.
Smart alerts
GPS trackers are capable of tracking and recording every address your parents have gone to. Additionally, they let you set up a virtual fence around a particular area. The moment the wearer of the device steps out of the predefined safety zone, you’ll be immediately notified and informed of their location. In the event that they are unable to find their way home, you will be able to find them instantly and lead them back.
App
Before buying any tracker, make sure that it has a standalone software you can download for free. The app alone has many useful features. For one, it’s where you set the geofences, modify the tracker’s setting, and monitor the tracker’s battery life. Through it, you can also change the alert notifications depending on the necessity. When looking for and purchasing the best GPS tracker for kids, see to it that the device allows you a higher level of control over personalizing location reports.
Gadgets aren’t just for the millennials anymore. More and more older people are hopping onto the bandwagon of wearing smart, wearable gadgets that can help them lead easier and more comfortable lives. Now more than ever, you can see seniors using smartwatches or wearing sleep trackers.
These gadgets aren’t just for show. They actually have an efficient role to play in the lives of these elders. For instance, some of them are useful in tracking health stats and physical activity, while others are useful for tracking their locations. We’ve compiled a list of the best wearable technology nowadays that are suitable for seniors:
• Garmin Vivosmart 3
This fitness tracker claims to do it all. Aside from monitoring your daily fitness stats (such as steps taken, calories burned, stairs climbed, and the like), it can also track your heart rate and analyze its variability, which it then uses to calculate your stress levels. This stylish device also boasts a set of guided and built-in breathing exercises to aid in relieving stress and easing relaxation.
• Fitbit Charge 3
This tracker was recently voted as Fitness Tracker of the Year in 2018, making it truly an impressive device that is trusted by lots of users. One of its features is automatic sleep tracking, so you can easily monitor your sleep patterns and use the information you get from the device in ensuring better rest. It is also user-friendly to most seniors as it boasts an easy-to-read backlit display and a long battery life. It also has a set of of everyday apps that will be useful to seniors like you, such as calendar and weather apps.
• Samsung Gear 3
Described as both “timeless” and “revolutionary” by its makers, this device truly lives up to its hype. Boasting the look of a traditional watch on the outside, it has revolutionary features on the inside that allow seniors to lead healthier and happier lives. Indeed, one of its best features is its ability to notify a pre-set list of emergency contacts. With just three easy presses of a button, the wearer can send out a call for help to his carers or loved ones, who will then be notified of his emergency. They will then access an app so they can find out where he is.
• Apple Watch 4
The Apple Watch can do so much more than track your location. It can also generate an electrocardiogram (ECG), which can be useful to your doctors and caregivers as it can be used to find out the state of your health, especially your heart. This makes it easier for you to have better-informed conversations with your doctors and caregivers about your health.
• Trackimo 3G GPS Guardian Tracker
This device packs a powerful punch in a small, compact device. Aside from being a location tracker, it also has an SOS button feature, which is useful in those instances when you are in an emergency or you’ve fallen down and need help. Another feature it has that most tech don’t have is an audio monitoring feature, which allows your loved ones to listen in on your environment so they can check in you without necessarily disturbing you. Finally, it has a health feature in that it can also determine and monitor your vital stats and even your physical activity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, falls are the leading cause of injuries and deaths among elderly Americans. Around 33% of the elderly fall at least once a year, and these falls result in over 2 million visits to the emergency room. Even when the fall did not cause any serious injury, the experience can still be so frightening to seniors that they may avoid certain activities all because they’re afraid they’ll fall again.
You don't have to completely remodel your entire house to avoid hazards. Here are simple tips to prevent falls at home. What Seniors Should Do to Prevent Falls and Slips at Home Declutter.
Perhaps the easiest way to prevent slips and falls is by keeping your house neat and organized. It's important to make sure that walkways are kept clear to reduce the risk of tripping. Remove tripping hazards and clutter, like piles of newspapers and magazines, boxes, electrical cords, or wiring. Toys from pets and children can become tripping hazards as well. Move coffee tables, magazine racks, and plant stands from high-traffic areas.
Remove tripping hazards. Even home fixtures can contribute to falls. Check items such as loose carpets, throw rugs, or floorboards or nails that stick out. Start repairing, removing, or replacing these hazards. Secure loose rugs with double-sided tape, tacks, or a slip-resistant backing or remove loose rugs from your home altogether. Repair loose, wooden floorboards and carpeting right away. Install rails and grab bars.
Grab bars and handrails are actually crucial for many simple daily activities such as going up and down the stairs, getting on and off the toilet, stepping in and out of the bathtub, and even walking along the hallways.
Avoid wearing long, loose clothing.We understand you want to feel cozy, but sometimes long, loose clothing can make you trip or slip, especially when climbing the stairs. Opt for clothes that do not drag on the ground as extremely loose clothing can put you at risk. It can get caught on doors, windows or furniture, causing a fall. Add or improve lighting.
Poor lighting is the most common culprit for slips and falls. Many falls in the senior community may occur because of vision problems or limitations, but many of these risks can be reduced by using adequate lighting and making sure that lighting is working properly. Add more lighting or replace some bulbs with brighter lights if necessary. Also, consider trading traditional switches for glow-in-the-dark or illuminated switches.
Wear nonslip shoes or socks. You may need socks for warmth during the colder seasons, but they won’t go well with polished or tiled floors. Try wearing shoes or purchasing nonslip socks that have grips on the soles. Move downstairs. Even with handrails, stairs always present a significant falling hazard. If possible, live downstairs. Move to a room on the lower level, along with all the other things you need. If it's not possible, try to at least limit the trips you take upstairs.
A police dog was able to locate a woman reported missing, when other search parties were not able to do so with success. Last year, a woman from Rockdale Healthcare was reported missing, and security operatives, despite doing a thorough search, were unsuccessful in locating her. By dawn, Conyers K9 Eddie and his handler, officer Myra Scruggs, came to the scene to start their own search, with no leads as to where the woman could be.
Missing Woman Found by Police Dog
Upon starting the search, Eddie led his handler straight to two other officers involved in the search, and Scruggs had him start over again at the facility to ensure that the previous search party did not miss anything. While they were looking around the property, the fog suddenly stopped and turned his head to listen before leading the officer to the wood line. Eddie was let go, and he ran straight to where the 83-year-old woman was and he started barking. According to the officers, they found her lying on the ground, wet, and unable to get up.
"Thank goodness for K9 hearing, because I would not have ever heard her," Scruggs shared. "The coolest thing about Eddie is once I put his tracking harness on, he knows what we are about to do. No commands need to be given." Eddie is three-year-old Belgian Malinois who joined the Conyers Police force a year ago. His services are usually used for tracking children who are lost or for people who are suffering from Alzheimer's disease—generally, people who are at risk. It is incredible what Eddie and his fellow K9 dogs can do. Thanks to their handlers who train them to help with cases, they are capable of doing things that prove more than ever that dogs are, indeed, man's best friend.
You can't help but get nervous every time your parents go out on a trip and drive alone. If your elderly parents are already retired, that's bad news for you. Because you will be in that condition for a long time. After all, retired elderly people have all the time in the world to do the things they want to do. Surely, they won't waste their time staying in one place to pacify or rely on you to provide for all their needs. However, it's a different story if in one of your elderly family member's trips, they can't be reached either through landline or mobile phone. In order to stop worrying if this occurs, you need them to have an elderly monitoring tool for your parents.
Reasons to Get Elderly Monitoring Tool for Your Parents It's just natural for someone to worry about their parents' safety especially when they're getting too old. This is why getting elderly monitoring tool for your parents has gone from being just an option to a necessity. After all, all types of danger come without notice, and that includes the following: ROAD ACCIDENTS
When you're on the road, whether you're driving or commuting, the accident risk is higher. Even if your parent is the kind that follows the rule, you can't say the same about the others. Furthermore, elderly drivers have slower reflexes and reaction times compared to younger drivers. To be sure that your parent still has the ability to drive defensively, see it for yourself by going on a drive with them. Take note of any negative changes in their driving habits and decide from there. If you don't have the time, it's about time you should install elderly monitoring tool for your parents.
Lawbreakers
There are robbers who steal a person's valuable possessions while there are also naturally hot-tempered people. The latter, though not really a lawbreaker, are dangerous just the same. If your parent happens to encounter this kind of person on the road, it's not good. They are the type to get easily enraged over minor road incidents such as slow driving, something most elderly drivers end up doing. You can't choose the kind of people your parents encounter on the road, but with an elderly tracking device, you can keep track of their situation while they are behind the wheel.
Health Conditions
Another concern is your parents' physical and mental health condition. Are they in the pink of health or are they taking medications for certain health conditions? This information is vital because some medications can affect the driving capability of a person. Make sure that you are aware of your parents' health status. A GPS device for elderly drivers is also a huge help in determining whether they are still physically and mentally fit to hold the steering wheel.
Elderly Tracker Device
If you choose the best device for tracking elderly, you will be able to monitor your parents properly. Cell phone is also a useful device to keep in touch with your loved ones while they are in travel. The downside of using a cell phone is that cell phone batteries drain fast. Apart from that, there is also the case of forgetfulness, which most aging people have an issue with. So even if you get them such device, there is no guarantee that they will check or carry it with them all the time. So getting an elderly monitoring tool for your parents proves to be a better choice. You don't have to call them to know where they are at the moment. Just a few clicks on your computer and you can see their exact location, where they are going, and at what speed. Your only problem is whether your parents will allow you to install a GPS elderly locator on their vehicle or not. That's why before you do that, it is important to explain to them first that the main purpose of putting elderly tracker device on their car is not to spy on them but rather a way to assure yourself that they are safe somewhere. The elderly need GPS tracking devices just as much as the rest of us. While we need trackers to get around from place to place and to track shipments, possessions, assets, and the like, for the elderly, these devices simply give them a life that is more comfortable, secure, and safe. If you’re caring for an elderly parent or relative or you work as a caregiver in a senior's home, tracking devices will not only help to make your job easier; it will also give you peace of mind and ease your worries. To help you shop for the perfect GPS tracker for your elderly relative or patient, here is a list of the best devices in the market today: Top GPS Trackers for the Elderly 3. Hangang Mini Locator Micro A9 GPS Tracker This device was created for the use of tracking the elderly, young kids, and luggage. Like other trackers, it boasts real-time GPS tracking and geofencing options, so you can be updated in real time and create safety zones for the user too. It also has an SOS button, which is perfect for emergencies, especially in situations when the person has wandered off and gotten lost. It can accurately track location for up to five meters, but unfortunately, it doesn’t have a long battery life as it can only last for up to 5 days. It’s also not that easy to carry, despite its small size, because it doesn’t have an accessory you can use to strap it to a bag or a belt. 2. SpyTec GL300 This device comes with a lot of features that are helpful in monitoring elderly people. One such feature is real-time tracking, which gives you regular location updates in real time. It also has geofencing, so you can customize it to set safety zones for the wearer. It has an accelerometer, which tracks movement. There is also an SOS button, which the wearer can use to call for help if he ever wanders off or gets into a potentially dangerous situation. Its battery lasts for up to two weeks, so it’s relatively long-lasting. It’s quite a bulky device, but it is versatile in that it can be worn in different ways: attached to a belt, worn on a backpack, and installed on the underside of a vehicle. However, according to many reviews, the GPS on this device is not that accurate because it is limited by its 2G network. It also doesn’t have a secure website. Lastly, it’s expensive as it has a high monthly service rate of $26.34, one of the highest in the market. 1. Trackimo 3G GPS Universal Tracker This device is considered by many experts to be the best all-around GPS tracking device as it can be used for various purposes. It is versatile, and it comes packed with features that can be beneficial for the elderly. Its foremost feature is its real-time tracking technology. It also has geofencing so you can set safety zones as well as an SOS button that can be used to call for help in case of emergencies. But what really sets this device apart from other trackers in the market is that it offers plenty of connectivity—GPS, GSM, Bluetooth, and WiFi. It also has both 2G and 3G networks, so you can always expect a speedy and reliable connection. It also boasts a long battery life, one of the longest we’ve seen in the market: 30 days. It is also cost-efficient as it has one of the lowest monthly service rates in the market: $8.88.
GPS trackers certainly are life-saving devices that make difficult situations easier for the elderly and their families and caregivers. They can help caregivers monitor and protect the elderly person while also giving him or her a sense of independence. |