Most seniors want to remain in their own homes for as long as they can, even when they are sick and need consistent daily health care. There are several new devices on the market that can help to keep seniors independent and safe.
1) A new GPS tracking system has been designed specifically for this purpose – to assist the elderly and notify caretakers when something is wrong.
How The GPS Tracking System for Seniors Works:
Sensors in the home are set up and used to track a person’s movement, from the bedroom, to the medicine cabinet, to the refrigerator, to the stove, and so forth. The sensors are linked with computers that can issue alerts when people deviate from their usual routine. The GPS tracking system for Seniors can help to give family members peace of mind, knowing that grandpa has something watching over him 24/7.
2) There are several new GPS system devices, based on the same GPS technology in cars, that can help locate someone with dementia who’s wandered from home.
3) Computerized pillboxes that electronically track whether medication is being taken correctly.
According to a recent Health Day News article, for such technologies and GPS tracking devices to succeed:
* The design must be simple, elegant and enticing so that seniors can easily learn how to use the device — and perhaps even enjoy it. “You have to make sure the solutions are well-designed, in the sense that it’s exciting,” Wang said. “It’s not reminding seniors that they are old and fragile in the home, but reminding them that they are still young and able to enjoy life and remain in the home.”
* Companies and families must market the devices properly. “A lot of this has to do with the way the technology is presented, and the family conversation about this,” Ginzler said. “The message needs to be, ‘We want to make sure you can stay in your house and be independent the way you want to be, and we can respond if you get in trouble.’ When that family conversation goes well, it results in peace of mind both for that person and their family members.”