posted by Carer Min at 06/09/2012 13:58:12
With all this innovation and technology
flying around, I’ve found that there are a lot of products and services that can
help older people to keep safe, healthy and happy.
I’ve found that assisted-living
technology (or telecare), can help older people who live alone feel safe and within
a few minutes of assistance. For example, they can wear wrist or pendant alarms
which link up to call centres, so that they can get help quickly in an emergency.
There are plenty of gadgets that can
help with health too. Bed epilepsy sensors, heart and blood pressure monitors
and chair vacating, are all items that can offer families who don’t live close to
each other some peace of mind.
Other helpful gadgets include key
turners, kettle tippers, long handled shoe horns and raised toilet seats.
Then there are the fancy hi-tech
products. I’ve found that for some older people, the ipad can be a very useful
gadget, even for those who aren’t very tech savvy. The ipad is so versatile and you can even expand
the text size, so it’s much easier to use than a pc or laptop - some people
even prefer to send text messages from it rather than a mobile phone! Also, if you
connect the ipad to the internet, you can download some really useful apps (applications)
such as pill reminders, digital talking books and hearing checks.
Then there is the computer software, such
as Skype - a free downloadable application that allows you to see and talk with
somebody over the internet via a webcam.This can be particularly useful if you
live far apart from the person you care for.
You can also read my previous posts on the 12 things your parents may not be 100% honest about.
