News Taffy

As our parents or grandparents age, their safety and comfort in their home is of prime importance. It can be a difficult decision as to whether they can remain at home where they are happier or whether they need to move to some form of assisted care. There are several new products on the market which can help your loved ones live safely at home longer. Once you have fixed some of the obvious problems like removing throw rugs, adding handrails to outside steps and bathtubs, you might want to consider some high tech solutions.

If your parent has trouble using cell phones, try the Jitterbug phone designed especially for seniors. Some Jitterbug features are extra large buttons which are backlit, an extra loud speaker, hearing aid compatibility, a battery that lasts 25 days without charging, no touch screens or apps and a 5Star urgent response button for emergencies. It is simple and less intimidating to use than a smartphone. The Jitterbug can be found online or at Best Buy.

It is important to keep the home well lit for seniors, especially stairs, bathrooms and hallways but there is an extremely simple solution. Check out the SnapPower Guide Light (snappower.com). The SnapPower is a cover plate for your electrical outlets with a sensor that turns on an LED light as needed. They install in seconds; you remove your existing cover plate, slide on the SnapPower cover plate and screw it in. Your electrical outlet remains free for other uses and the light is available when needed without flipping a switch. A ten pack costs about $120.

Many seniors have trouble remembering to take their medicine on time or at all, leading to health problems or ineffective care. There are several versions of medicine dispensing systems which release the drugs when they are supposed to be taken or that will alert the patient when it is time to take their medication. They can be programmed to let a caregiver know if the medicine wasn’t taken, relieving the caregiver of the need to call and check up every day.

Many people use video cameras or even baby monitors to keep up with their elderly parents but there are more sophisticated sensor based monitoring systems on the market now. These systems are less invasive of privacy than cameras as they monitor a person’s movements. They are even capable of learning a person’s routine and can alert a caregiver if there is a change in that routine. Some systems allow for social interaction as well, through messaging, video chat and photo sharing capabilities or they can connect to a health care provider for constant updates on vital information.

If you can, have conversations about the future with your parents long before the need arises. You will all feel better if there is a clear understanding of their wishes and they are able to make decisions regarding their care while they are still capable. You should discuss advance directives, living wills, a durable power of attorney and DNRs or do not resuscitate orders. Having a plan brings peace of mind.