When It Comes To Personal Alarms, Seniors Have Options
When seniors need assistance for a fall or an accident, they often turn to a device known as a personal alarm. Personal alarms can give elderly folks peace of mind and a feeling of safety, and allow them to live independently for a bit longer. Knowing their parents have a personal alarm also provides comfort to friends and family.
Personal alarms when away from home
A basic alarm – these devices come with the least bells and whistles and typically do nothing more than make a loud noise when activated. These personal alarms are the cheapest available, and, while better than nothing, they are limited because their effectiveness requires help being close enough to hear the alarm when it goes off.
Signaling systems – there are more complex devices available that will contact a monitoring service that provides senior care in Houston or a family member via a GPS powered system that is portable and can be carried outside of the home. These alarm systems are usually activated with a simple push of a button, and in some cases, they will integrate with your cell phone case with the same push-button feature.
Higher end systems will even detect falls. This means an alert is sent automatically to your care provider or monitoring service should the unit detect a fall. Because the system integrates with GPS, your location can be detected when the alert is sent, making it easy for help to locate you. These GPS integrated personal alarms are also useful for finding loved ones who have wandered away from home and can’t find their way back.
Personal alarms for the home
There are a number of options available for those interested in a personal alarm system that allows you to call for assistance when help is needed. These range from a simple device that sends a signal to a care provider’s pager when a button is pushed. These devices are effective, but the range is limited and will require that the pager be close by to receive the signal.
For senior care in Houston providers who are deep sleepers, pagers often come equipped with a vibrating alert attachment that connects to the pillow when sleeping.
Buying the right personal alarm for you
Different people have different levels of need, so put some time into deciding what kind of equipment and service will best serve your situation as there’s no reason to pay more for features and services you don’t need.
Once you’ve decided on the level of service and features you require, shop around and compare prices to make sure you get the best deal you can.
If you engage in a lot of outdoor activity such as working in the garden, be sure any system you are considering has the range to accommodate this activity.
Since battery life often varies from system to system, don’t forget to find out how long you can expect your batteries to last before needing replacing, and find out who will be responsible for covering this cost.
If your personal alarm is the kind you wear, don’t forget to ask if it is waterproof. This is an important feature since you’ll most likely be wearing it in the bathroom during baths and showers where falls are most likely to occur.
Also, since care providers will need access to your home should you need help, you will need to have a key safe installed outside your home with a spare key inside so they will be able to get in your house. Often these key safes will be provided by the alarm company, but they can be purchased separately, and it may be cheaper to do so, which is why it’s important to shop around before purchasing. Should you decide to purchase your own key safe, try to stick to brands that have been police approved.
For more information on the senior care services we provide, please feel free to give us a call or contact Assisting Hands Houston today! Visit our blog for more related articles.
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