CAREGIVERS' JOBS CAN BE EASIER
Technology can help elderly stay home safer, longer
Dear Savvy Senior,

I recently heard about some new high tech products that can help adult children (and caregivers) keep an eye on their aging parent who lives alone. Can you tell me about these?

Worried Daughter

Dear Worried,

With approximately 52 million Americans serving as family caregivers today, many new technologies are being developed (see www.agingtech.org) that can help adult children when they can't be there, and help their elderly parents live safer and longer in their own homes. Here's what you should know.

Home Monitoring

One of the new technologies that has emerged as a great option for caregivers or concerned family members with aging parents is "home monitoring systems."

A more basic form of this type of product has been around for years called the PERS or personal emergency response system. With the PERS, a person wears a device (panic button) that sends out a signal or call for help, if needed. The problem with this service is that many seniors that have a device don't wear it regularly, and if they do have it on and fall, they still have to be alert enough to actually hit the button.

But the new, high tech home monitoring systems (which still offer the panic-button feature) operate around the clock and require no input from the person being cared for. They work through small wireless motion sensors (not cameras) placed in key locations throughout the senior's home to collect and analyze information on the their activities of daily living, such as getting out of bed, using the bathroom, eating and taking medicine. The system establishes the person's normal routines so that it can quickly detect when there are changes to those patterns. When something out of the ordinary occurs, such as a person failing to leave the bedroom in the morning or remaining in the bathroom too long (which could indicate a fall or other emergency), alerts are automatically sent to the caregiver via phone or email. Family members can also check on their loved one's patterns anytime via the system's secured Web site. Here are some companies that offer this type of product:

QuietCare: A leader in the industry and the first company to offer this type of service. The cost for their system is under $300 plus around $90 a month for monitoring. Visit www.quietcare.com or call 866-216-4600.

Healthsense: Offers a more comprehensive monitoring system that allows you to keep an eye on just about everything. With a wide variety of sensors you can monitor such things as sleeping patterns, shower and toilet use, if the stove has been left on, when your loved one has left their house and much more. This system costs up to $1,300 plus $60 for monthly monitoring. Visit www.healthsense.com or call 800-576-1779. Also see www.health-watch.com.

GrandCare: Provides a unique communication tool in addition to their monitoring system. It comes with a small computer that connects to the television set and the Internet which allows family members to send pictures, e-mail messages, calendar appointments and more to a dedicated channel on the senior's TV. The cost is $2,000 plus a $50/ month monitoring fee. See www.grandcare.com or call 262338-6147.

Medication Management Remembering to take medications is another problem for many a seniors. A possible solution is a good medication reminder like the MD.2

www.imd2.com, 877-563-2632). This home system organizes and dispenses medications on schedule, and provides multiple reminders to ensure the medication is taken on time. If not, the caregivers are alerted. It also can be monitored via the Internet. The MD.2 costs around $750 plus a $30 monthly monitoring fee, or it can be rented for under $100 per month. Also see www.epill.com, a great resource for locating dozens of different medication reminders.

Savvy Tips: A good way to get face-to-face time with your aging parent, when you can't be there, is with an online video chat service. It's easy to set up however you'll both need a computer, Webcam and high speed or broadband connection. If this seems too complicated, videophones (see www.packet8.net, www.viseon.com or www.ojoser vices.com) can provide the same service and are simple to use.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of "The Savvy Senior" books.

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