Sometimes it is difficult to admit when we need help. Whether we are prideful or simply do not want to inconvenience others, sometimes we suffer in silence. Fortunately, if you are a senior you do not have to compromise your sense of independence or your privacy in order to receive the level of care that you are comfortable with. A medical alert can be just the answer you were looking for to solve your difficult situation.

A medical alert is a system that allows the customer to be put in contact with emergency services at the touch of a button. A pendant that is worn at all times serves as a type of speed dial to a safety monitoring center. You are immediately asked by the operator who receives your distress call what it is that you are in need of and the appropriate authorities are immediately dispatched to your home to take care of your needs.

A medical alert sure sounds like a nice thing to have around. But how can you know if investing in a medical alert is really going to pay off? And how are you supposed to know if you even need a medical alert in the first place. Below is a simple series of questions that you can ask yourself to evaluate whether or not you need a medical alert system in order to increase your level of personal safety.

Questions to ask yourself to determine if you could benefit from a medical alert system:

• Do you need the assistance of a device such as a walker or cane to get around your home?
• Have you ever taken a fall or multiple falls in your home that were serious enough to need to be treated by a doctor?
• Do you have brittle bones or difficulty healing after an injury?
• Do you have trouble getting up after a fall, balancing yourself or moving yourself around?
• Do you live alone?
• Do you suffer from vision, hearing, emotional, or medical problems? Do you take regular medications for any of these problems?
• Do you suffer from anxiety or feel unsafe in your home?
• Have you visited the hospital for any reason besides to receive a test of some sort in the last 12 months?
• If you do not currently have any serious medical conditions are you at risk for any?
• Is there a safety hazard in your home that would be difficult to correct (i.e. a flight of stairs leading to the bedroom, large scale disrepair, etc.)
• Are you older than 75 years old?

If you have answered “yes” to any of the above asked questions you may need to seriously consider whether or not you are taking precautions to ensure that you can get the kind of help that could save your life, were you to need it. Many seniors do not fully realize the dangers that are present in their own home. Studies have shown that nearly one third of all seniors age 65 and older will suffer from an injury that is acquired in the home. That statistic is frightening. Not taking the precautions necessary to protect yourself is foolish and could ultimately cost you your life. Additionally, failure to secure your own home and your well-being while you are there could be motivation enough for your loved ones to step in and take care of your safety on your behalf by having you move into a retirement home or assisted living center. Some seniors enjoy living in such facilities but many more miss the comfort and privacy of their own homes as well as the independence that they lose as a result of being monitored at all times by nursing home personnel.

howard :: Mar.24.2008 :: Medical Alarms, Senior Safety :: No Comments »

Many seniors lament their aging not because of their gray hair or bad hearing but because of their struggle to stay independent due to common senior safety concerns. However, there are some easy changes you can make in your home to help ensure safety with senior and elderly problems in mind. Here are just a few of the easy changes you can make:

Install a home security system. One of the common safety concerns for seniors is the fact that they are less able to defend themselves, and people prey upon them because of it. Most burglaries occur during the day. So, do a few of these things to reduce your chances of being a senior victim:

1. • Trim trees and shrubs to eliminate hiding places for thieves.
   • Keep the exterior of your home well lit.
   • Make it difficult for an intruder to enter.
   • Make sure windows are locked.
   • Secure the basement and attic windows.
   • Make your answering machine seem like someone else lives there.

Think slip prevention. One of the biggest safety concerns for senior is slipping. It is common for seniors to have more trips and falls. A lot of this comes as a result of decreased eyesight, and not as much mobility. However, slipping can cause fragile bones to break, and damage to occur. So, do some of the following simple things:

· Install grab bars in the shower and tub areas to help stabilize yourself in the slippery areas of your home.

· Do not use lotions or oils when in the tub.

· Have non-slip rugs near areas where there may be water, such as sinks and bathroom areas.

· Make sure any throw rugs are secured with double-sided tape.

· Wear rubber soled shoes that fit your feet well, and are easy to wear.

· Pick your feet up higher.

· Make sure lighting is good anywhere there are stairs, entry ways, etc.

Think Medical Emergency Preparedness. The fact is that as you age your chances of a medical emergency increase, and you do not want to find yourself lying on the floor helpless with no way to get help. The following are some simple things you can do in your home to help you think about and prepare for emergency medical situations:

· Keep a cordless phone on your person or near your person whenever possible. This way you are not trying to crawl across the floor with a broken hip to get to a wall mount phone.

· Install phones in every room so that should an emergency happen, you have access to help nearby.

· Consider using a medical alert system such as First Alert to protect you from being alone and helpless if a problem does occur.

· Make a list of all medications you take, and who your doctor is, as well as all other emergency contact information and keep it in your purse, in your home, in your car, etc. to help should an accident occur.

Many of the changes you can make in your home to help ensure safety as a senior are simple. They are things like making sure your furniture is easy to get in and out of, arranging it in a way that allows you clear passage through rooms even if there is poor lighting, putting reflective tape on stairs so you can see where one ends and another begins, etc.

howard :: Mar.22.2008 :: Senior Safety :: No Comments »

When you want to be safe at home as a senior, there are some things you have to consider. Problems that face seniors are very different from the problems that face others. So, to ensure your safety, go over this home safety checklist:

• Do you have poor lighting?

Good lighting on stairs, and anywhere the elevation changes can reduce your chance of falling. It is also smart to add bright strips of tape to the edge of each stair to help you see the stairs better. Another part of lighting is having access to lights. So you have switches in easy to reach places, at both ends of the hallways, etc.? Well you should. Consider putting a night light in the bathroom to make night trips to the bathroom easier.

• Do you have throw rugs?

While throw rugs can protect your carpet and look really nice, they are not great for senior safety, they are a tripping hazard. If you are not going to get rid of them, then at least make sure the edges are secure, and fastened down with adhesive, double-stick tape. If they slide at all, fix the problem, or get rid of them.

• Are walkways clear?

Clutter can be hazardous, even things like shoes, electrical cords, and the newspaper can be hazardous. Furniture too. Organize, rearrange, and make things easier.

• Are regularly used items in easy reach?

You are asking for trouble if items you use regularly are hard to get to. Make sure you have items you use often on shelves between hip and eye level.

• Are your floors slippery?

Do you have spills that go un-wiped? Do you have hard wood with rugs without non-slip pads? You want to make sure you have non-skid mats on the floor around sinks, tubs, etc. to keep them from being slippery.

• Can you get in and out of the tub easily?

Slips usually occur in the bathroom for seniors. So, install grab bars or handrails in the shower, on walls around the bathtub, where necessary. If mobility is difficult for you, then be sure to use raised seat and safety rails for toilet use.

• Do you have furniture that is difficult to get in and out of?

If you want to ensure safety and the ability to get to the phone if there is a problem, make sure you have firm chairs, with armrests, and good back support so you can get in and out easily.

• Are your phones easy to access?

If something were to happen to you, you would need to call for help, so make sure your phones are easy to get to. Consider a PERS (personal emergency response system). By pushing a single button, which you usually wear around your neck, you can summon help. This eliminates the worry of having an in-home injury without being able to reach a phone, and means not worrying that you may lie on the floor helpless and in fear.

• Are your shoes designed for fashion of function?

As you get older you are more prone to disorientation, slipping, falling, etc. So, wearing shoes that are supportive, properly fitted, non-skid, and rubber-soled means decreased likelihood of this.

There are many more things to consider:

• Use fireproof curtains on windows near the stove.

• Clearly mark the “off” position on stoves and ranges so a person with diminished eyesight can immediately tell if the element is off.

• When cooking, don’t wear loose fitting or flammable clothes. Long sleeves can catch fire easily.

• Be sure to tie your hair up before cooking with any open flames, or wear it short.

• Install smoke detectors in the kitchen and throughout the house.

• Keep a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it.

• Set water heater thermostats or faucets so water does not scald the skin.

As a senior, safety should come first. If you want to continue to live in your home, and if you want to maintain your independence, then you need to make precautionary changes to your home and lifestyle so as to ensure your safety.

howard :: Mar.22.2008 :: Senior Safety :: No Comments »