The freak disappearance and subsequent death of a 21 year old Australian backpacker, Britt Lapthorne, has inspired a whole new application for iPhone, which has not only been critically acclaimed but has also made common iPhone users sit up and take notice. Unlike other iPhone apps that usually deal with upgrading the gadget to even better tweaks and fine-tuned features, the ‘I am Safe’ iPhone app, as named by developer Tim Hine from Melbourne, Australia, works as an emergency panic button – notifying five predetermined family, friends or colleagues of imminent danger or threat to the owner of the iPhone within seconds.

Tim Hine, who is responsible for marketing the new app through Xpertise Mobile, his new company, says that a few hundred copies of the app have already been sold to a consumer base that encompasses over 38 countries. It has been mainly targeted towards the female segment of the iPhone users as well as for the elderly people. The ‘I am Safe’ app does the following when solicited for use in an emergency situation:

• Sends a prerecorded SMS message (pretty much an SOS) to 5 friends, family members of colleagues, who have been selected by the owner beforehand
• Also sends an email message to the same lot
• Sends across a prerecorded voice message, again to the same guys
• Records the whole process and incident and saves it in the server for reference in consequent events or just for the record

But why is the app being called the real savior of the elderly or backpacking girls? The reason is the incorporation of a Google map that tracks the location of the owner. This way, not only can the victim of an accident or mugging be accessed immediately with the use of the ‘I am Safe’ app, the actual evidence and related elements can also be picked up from the exact location of the incident.

The only issue with the app is (as with any other cellphone application) you got to have ‘Signal’ when you solicit for help. The absence of this little element can pretty much render the app ineffective, but isn’t it the case with all applications in general, no matter how perfect they are?

Is the world a safe place for elderly women and seniors over 65? Not with guys like Jack Rhodes around – a man convicted on 13th October, 2009 for assaulting and mugging three defenseless aged women, one of whom was no less than a 101 years!

New York City is no stranger to burglaries, thefts and mugging. However, the case of Jack Rhodes stands out as an outright violation of the New York State Hate Crimes Act of 2000, that have been put in place to render harsher sentences for those assaulting elderly people, taking advantage of their age and loss of strength and agility.

Rhodes, who is no tipsy teenager himself, being 47, can get a sentence of up to 90 years in prison for charges that account for burglary, robbery and assault.

Morat, 101, was attacked and assaulted by Rhodes two years back. She was hit in the face and lost her walker, falling face down on the concrete pavement. Surveillance camera records proved it was Rhodes, and a background check by the police revealed more similar assaults on elderly women. Solange Elizee, 81 was attacked only about 30 minutes after the Morat mugging, and another aged woman, Angela Khan, then 51 had been hit and robbed by the same assailant a year back.

Commenting on Rhodes’ conviction, Richard Brown, the Queens’ District Attorney quipped, “The defendant’s propensity to savagely accost elderly and defenseless women, two of whom need the aide of a walker to get around, was rightly condemned by today’s guilty verdict”.

However, to avoid such incidents from happening over and over again, not only police surveillance, but easy-to-use mobile phones can also come in handy for elderly people, especially, to solicit help while or after being mugged or assaulted.

Mobile phones can be really complicated to use these days, especially, with the advent of nano-technology and state-of-the-art devices! As a result of this, elderly people are unable to or severely restricted in using the potential of their mobile phones to the fullest.

However, the problem of inaccessible technology and communication barriers are easy to break with the help of simple mobile phones such as the Nokia 1112. Large keypad tabs and a simple monochrome display with a white back-light makes the phone a real boon for elderly people with disabilities or dysfunctional eyesight and hearing.

Moreover, the Nokia 1112 mobile phone provides a comprehensive user-guide demonstration that will help elderly users to handle and manage the technical elements of the phone in a better way. This model of Nokia phone is not only user-friendly but also an exemplary phone as far as simplicity is concerned!

Apart from the regular features, the phone also comes with an allied headset and speaking clock. Both are handy for elderly users as they can plug it to the headphone and keep talking while continuing walking with the help of a stick or while doing similar exercises that require the assistance of both hands.

The phone promises about 5 hours of talk-time and about 380 hours of battery standby. All in all, this feature-rich phone might not look like its state-of-the-art counterparts, but it is surely what elderly people would find very useful.

The last and the most important aspect of this mobile phone is its price, which is cheaper than almost all other Nokia phones. This is definitely a gem of a possession for retired people or pensioners!

Purchase Now – through Amazon UK – Nokia 1112 – Simple Phone

We’re all very aware Google dominates the internet search arena. Well now they are even bigger, literally! Google has recently adjusted its home page and search box so when you type the text is larger. Also, the text is larger for the suggestions which display below the search box.

For the elderly and sight impaired this is wonderful news as it makes searching for websites more comfortable and enjoyable for the mature users of the internet.

Surprisingly the slightly larger text doesn’t take away from Google’s minimal approach to its home page. Don’t take our word for it, have a look for yourself at Google increases size of text on its homepage.

And who said “size doesn’t matter!”

So, are you wondering how your not-so-tech-savvy grandpa might fare while you are on vacation this month? Well, the solution probably can never be more endearing than the Amplicom PowerTel M5000 mobile phone, which has been almost tailor-made to suit the elderly people.

The mobile phone has been acclaimed by critics worldwide for being HAC (Hearing Aid Compatible) – a great success for being an ideal telecommunication device for the elderly. Amplicom PowerTel M5000 also features a large range of characteristics that aim towards helping the aged consumers handle the phone better – especially, in emergencies.

• Large buttons for impaired eyesight
• Over-audible ringtones and sound (up to 100dB)
• Emergency button that can dial up to 5 emergency numbers in a sequence.
• Automatic keypad locking system
• Letters and fonts in larger size to allow easy reading of text and other matter on the display screen
• Other normal features such as red LED lights to showcase malfunctioning, hands-free, etc. are all available for the specified Amplicom mobile phone.

The phonebook and SMS memory is also considerably large in the PowerTel M5000 and can easily become a pet of the elderly person it is gifted to.

With easy to use features, you can relax while on the go, as the aged guys in the house won’t take long to familiarize themselves with the phone. Also, with the extra features incorporated into the Amplicom PowerTel M5000 phone, you don’t have to spend hours teaching your parents how to use it.

The facility to dial up to 5 emergency numbers in a sequence is also a great feature. By pressing a single button 5 pre-determined emergency numbers can be called up from the phone. Thus, even if the owner of the phone is not in a state to call, you will still be notified about any emergency or danger.

Overall, a great phone to ensure the safety of your near and dear ones when you are not with them!

Purchase Now – through Amazon UK – Amplicom PowerTel M5000 mobile phone

A recent survey suggests two thirds of children choose elderly and long term care over allowing a parent or relative to live independely at home, even though 76% of older people would rather stay in their own home.

Saga, which provides insurance, financial services and holidays to over 50s, asked 11,809 people how they felt about deciding the future of old or vulnerable relatives.

A combination of work commitments and not having the space to look after a parent or relative were the main reasons children opted for elderly care. Only one in 10 people survey had taken on the role of looking after a parent but they generally found the responsibility too great.

Andrew Goodsell, CEO of Saga, says: “Older people are fiercely independent and the vast majority (76%) hope to spend their final years living at home.”

In some cases appropriate elderly care is needed, however if older people would prefer to stay put surely their wishes should respected. By taking the necessary steps to ensure a parent or relative can live independently will help reduce the anxiety felt by both parties on making the decision for appropriate elderly care.

If you decide to keep a parent at home rather than moving them in to elderly care it’s important to make sure they can contact you in the case of an emergency. Start by getting them a simple cell phone or better still a medical emergency phone.

For further assistance Life Solutions offers some helpful advice on independent living. If your eye sight isn’t what it used to be check out Magnifier mouse for people with low vision and Scott Front highlights from personal experience how a simple cane can be so useful. Elder Care ABC also has some useful information on How to deal with aging parents.

Medical alarm systems help reduce the safety risks if you live alone or you are concerned about a parent or an elderly grandparent. Unfortunately, in many cases families tend to wait until an emergency or someone close to them has a fall before deciding to purchase a medical alarm system, which is too late. As simple as it may sound, yourself or your loved one needs a medical alarm before an emergency, not after!

In most cases medical alarm systems are easy to set up and there are many options available, from basic personal emergency alarms to medical alert emergency response services.

Although medical alarms are generally used for medical emergencies they can also be used for personal safety and protecting your home.

Which medical alarm system should I buy?

This depends on the features you require, how much you are willing to pay and the level of response needed. Below you will find a number of different options.

Tamper Proof Magnetic Pull Cord Alarm

Is a basic pull cord alarm that is ideal for people who do not live alone but may require assistance from family members during the night while they are sleeping. During an emergency carers who may be sleeping will wake from the noise of the alarm, which is of a similar volume to a smoke alarm. When magnetic pull switch is removed the alarm is activated. The pull switch can be activated from any direction and has an easy-to-use On/Off switch for activation-deactivation.

Easily mounted on wheelchair or bed and comes with an alligator clip for attachment to patients clothing. The pull cord alarm is a no frills medical alarm at a budget price of less than $50.00.

Purchase Now – through Amazon US – Tamper Proof Magnetic Pull Cord Alarm

Telemergency Pro-Elite 700C with Wireless Help Pendant

The Telemergency Pro with Wireless Help Pendant is a mid range medical alarm system for patients and carers. If the patient lives on their own we recommend this product as an entry level system as the medical alarm system connects to your telephone and dials “911″ and up to five telephone numbers of your choice with a single click. Also, the Telemergency 700C comes with a wireless pendant which activates the call center remotely and sends a pre-recorded emergency message to your carer or family when required.

The emergency pendant has two buttons. One to activate the alarm system and one to cancel. This can be a confusing for elderly patients during an emergency but as long as the person using it knows which button to push on the pendant the system will work correctly. Set up of the emergency phone numbers takes a little time but all in all the Telemergency Pro-Elite 700C does what it says and is a very good entry level medical alarm system for under $100.

Purchase Now – through Amazon US – Telemergency Pro-Elite 700C with Wireless Help Pendant

Medical Alarm System – Professionally Monitored Call System

This is a low cost, high quality medical alert system which costs less than $1 a day for complete piece of mind.

The Aegis Medical Alert System represents a complete home medical alert system. Patients will have instant contact with Help Advisers who are on standing-by 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to medical emergencies.

The console can be placed on a table or wall mounted and comes with a simple one-touch waterproof pendant that can be worn on the wrist or around the neck. In the event of an emergency a simple press of a button will activate the alarm system to automatically dial for help, providing immediate access to emergency services. Help Advisers will then take the necessary steps to contact emergency services, family members or a carer.

The console is currently priced at $99.99 and ongoing monitoring starts from $22.95 per month. Less that $1 a day. A small price to pay for yours or a loved ones safety. The Aegis Medical Alarm System includes:

• Two-way voice
• Suitable for temporary or permanent installations
• Braille characters for emergency, home, and clear functions
• Speaker phone capability
• Delayed, silent alarm feature
• Selectable inactivity reporting: 8, 12, or 24 hours
• Selectable two-way voice activation
• Single telephone seizure and true phone line seizure capability
• Distinct alarm tones provided for emergency and fire alarm conditions
• Power on/off switch
• Backup battery size: 12 volts, 1.2 Amp/hour (32 hour backup)
• 7.5″ W x 8.75″ H x 3″ D

Purchase Now – through Amazon US – Medical Alert System – Professionally Monitored Call System

The Doro Handle Easy 330 is a no fuss, easy to use cell phone. The first thing you will notice with the Doro Handle Easy is its simplicity – BIG rubber buttons and oversized, easy to read colour display, making it the ideal phone for making calls and sending text messages.

For the hard of hearing the Handle Easy 330 has a very loud speaker, headset outlet, speaker phone and vibrating aleart to make sure you never miss a call!

There is no need to memorize phone numbers, it has a memory to store up to 100 phone numbers. The main features include:

• Pre-dialling
• Two-way speakerphone
• Keylock
• Call timer

For safety and piece of mind the Doro Handle Easy 330 has an LED flashlight and one touch dial up safety alarm, which are not found in most cell phones.

Purchase Now – through Amazon US – Doro 330 HandleEasy
Purchase Now – through Amazon UK – Doro 330 HandleEasy

The mobile phone market in the UK is one of the most vibrant and widely adopted in the world. With over 70 million handsets servicing a population of just 60 million every age range and demographic has been thoroughly hooked on mobile phones for some time now. However, manufacturers have recognised that not every group requires the same kinds of functions from their phones, and that some modern handsets are difficult to use and understand for an older generation who may not be used to this particular technology.

As a result there are loads of great mobile phone out there that are specifically designed for elderly users. Every eventuality has been taken into account, whether it`s the simplification of menu screens so that you don`t need to work your way through superfluous menus to get the best out of a mobile phone, or if you`re having trouble using standard mobile phone interfaces and need some thing more accessible. Here are just some of the examples of mobile phone handsets made with the elderly user in mind.

Binatone Speak Easy Mobile Phone – If you’re looking for a big button mobile phone that`s great value then this is the handset for you. With its large, uncluttered button interface it`s easy to type in numbers and make calls no matter the levels of your dexterity. For those of you with digital hearing aids you`ll be pleased to hear that the Binatone Speak Easy is compatible with these devices, meaning you’ll never be left unable to hear a call again. It`s also doubles up as a handy tourch, and there are plenty of large hot keys for making calls to your three most frequently used numbers as well as a direct access to sending SMS text messages.

ITT Easyhelp – If you want slightly more from your mobile phone but want it to retain the ease of use of the Speak Easy then the Easyhelp has lots to offer. Not only does it have large buttons and a vibrant high contrast display, it also has an address book with the ability to store 100 different contacts. This phone also takes on some swiss army knife qualities thanks to the built in torch and flip out magnifying glass. If you want to talk without clasping the phone to your ear there`s also a particularly loud hands free mode, allowing you to sit back and converse whilst the phone is on the table or your lap.

Doro Phone Easy 410 Clamshell – Merging modern style with easy to access functionality, this is the worlds first digital hearing aid compatible phone that flips open like the aforementioned mollusc. It has a vibrant and easy to read colour display and also supports Bluetooth, a technology which allows you to connect a headset to the phone and make call without the need for wires. A modern phone suitable for elderly users who are unsure of how the technology works but want to learn more.

There are loads of mobile phone deals for the elderly online, and getting accessories like Bluetooth wireless headsets and neck loops for your phone is easy if you use price comparison sites.