For senior citizens, staying alone can be a tough task. Since the elderly have a tendency to suffer from chronic illnesses, sudden injuries, and other serious physical conditions, giving them timely help and assistance when they need it is crucial. They may also feel more vulnerable to other threats, such as an unwanted person's entry into their home or in cases of fire or theft. Installing a medical alert system in a senior citizen's home can offer protection against unforeseen events that can endanger their health and safety.
How Medical Alert Systems Work
Most medical alert systems come with a pendant and a console, each of which has a button on it. When the user faces any emergency or suffers a fall, he or she can push the button on either the pendant or the console, depending on which one is closer at that given moment. This will immediately put them in contact with a 24 hour emergency medical monitoring center. The customer care representative will have access to the individual's home entrance and contact information and if necessary will quickly dispatch the right person to help based on the gravity of the situation - whether it's a friend, family member, neighbor, doctor, ambulance, or even the police. The representative will remain connected with the elderly individual to monitor the situation until the appropriate help arrives.
How Medical Alert Systems Can Improve an Elderly Person's Life
1. Get access to help quickly in case of a fall: Studies show that more than a third of all senior citizens suffer from injuries due to a fall. Though in many cases no serious injuries are sustained, it can sometimes be an uphill task for individuals to get back up on their own. To make matters worse, lying there unattended can worsen minor injuries or lead to the development of other physical problems.
However, when an individual has access to the medical alert system, they can push the button and seek help immediately after a fall. The customer service representative will not only send help the elder's way after determining the nature of the emergency, but will also check to find out which loved ones should be notified.
Many seniors restrict their movement and limit their activities since they fear that an active life may increase the likelihood of suffering from a fall. However, such an approach limits their physical fitness and mobility, which in turn actually escalates their risk of falling. A medical alert device can offer the perfect solution to such a situation. Once the elderly individual starts using a medical alert service, they will be able to enjoy living independently at home, knowing that help is close at hand whenever they need it.
2. Get help in serious cases: If a senior citizen suffers from a heart attack or a fall that renders him unconscious, he may not be in a position to push the alert button, which is why some medical alert systems, typically worn on the body, will require regular check-ins from the senior citizen. If the system believes there is a problem, it will then alert the call center to dispatch the necessary help, without requiring any action from the senior citizen.
3. Round-the-clock-monitoring: Several medical alert systems do periodic system checks to ensure the base unit is working correctly at all times. In case of a non-response, the monitoring center will be notified immediately to therefore resolve the issue.
4. Peace of mind: Medical alert systems enable the elderly to have a protected and safe environment at home. These not only help immensely in cases of medical emergency, but can also offer protection in the event of a fire, theft, or other crises. Since they usually cost less than the fees charged by senior care facilities and are quite simple to install and operate, many senior citizens are able to safely live on their own without worrying their loved ones.
5. Make use of additional features: Medical alert systems also offer other ways to enhance the lives of the elderly, such as a lock box outside the home where a house key intended for emergency responders is placed, a standby battery which keeps the console functional even in cases of a power outage, hallway and bathroom buttons, and alerts to remind them to take medication.
6. Tech-team and 24/7 customer service: Most medical alert system companies have customer service personnel and tech-teams working round the clock. So, whether a customer faces problems while operating the unit, has pressed the emergency button by mistake, or experiences other technical issues, the problem can be quickly resolved at any time by an actual human being.
For senior citizens who do not wish to turn to care facilities or retirement homes, or for the relatives of such elders who are worried endlessly for their health and safety, medical alert systems make for the ideal solution. It is no wonder then that such devices are in great demand for senior citizens and their families all over the world.
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