One of the many benefits brought about by technology has been the ability to provide care from a distance. New technology has enabled children to monitor their elderly parents remotely, these devices alert caregivers to potential safety or health problems. But what is the best tech available on the market right now?
Ways to ensure ageing parents are safe
There are many things we can do to help keep our elderly parents safe and make their lives a little bit easier. From assisting them with their shopping, to dropping them off at appointments and helping them with cleaning around the house. Each small act of kindness will make their day a little less difficult and keep them from putting themselves at risk.
But for parents who still want to have control over their independence and enjoy having time to themselves, it’s important that we give them the freedom and ability to live their lives as they want to.
Things like ensuring that they have the right footwear with supportive soles and a good grip, along with a walking aid, is a great step in the right direction to giving your elderly parents the motivation to get up and go out for a walk. Something as simple as being able to get a breath of fresh air or take a trip to the local shop for a newspaper is enough to set up their day for success and is great for the mind, body, and soul.
For those that require additional help with their day-to-day lifestyle, there is some amazing technology that will help put your mind at ease and keep your parent’s safe day and night.
Personal alarms
Personal alarms are great as an extra bit of security in case your elderly parent needs some emergency help. It’s always recommended that the alarms are placed in areas of the home that are easy to reach and where assistance may be needed. For example, the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen.
You can also invest in personal alarms that can be worn and activated with the press of a button in case of events where they might not be able to reach their home-installed personal alarm. For example, if they are out in the garden or at the other side of the room and have a fall. They can also provide GPS tracking so you can make sure that your loved one has returned from the shop safe and sound.
Video door monitors
Doorbells with video cameras allow your parents to see who is at the door without opening it first They can also communicate with the person on the other side of the door without having to open it, too, perfect for elderly people who may be shielding and want to limit their contact with people.
You can connect the doorbell monitor up to your phone so that you receive an alert whenever somebody rings it, for added peace of mind. This will limit the number of unwanted visitors and will result in any foul play being caught on camera.
Accessible internet browsing and calling
Cleverly designed interfaces like Independa, designed to help the elderly stay connected, have been built into LG TVs and are ready to use, providing the viewer with a larger screen font and easier to see screen. When in use, viewers can explore the internet, use video chat programmes to connect with family and friends, access a simplified email service, play games, store and see family photos, be reminded of their schedule and to-do lists (including medication reminders) plus a whole host of other things to keep them connected and up to date with the world around them.