Most people are in need of someone in their lives who would just hear them out. This is more so for elderly people who are living independently. The volunteers from the CONTACT Cape-Atlantic Reassurance Program make sure that elderly people in the area don’t feel lonely or left out. It is a part of CONTACT USA that provides 24-hour service to elderly people living alone in USA.

Homebound elderly people often feel suffocated and suicidal without having anyone to talk to. Also, in case of a problem or emergency they may not know with whom they should talk to. The CONTACT Reassurance Program volunteers call their elderly clients at least once a day to find out how they are, whether they are in need of any kind of help, and just to lend a comforting voice to these lonely souls.

The Gatekeeper Program by CONTACT has also been designed to keep in touch with elderly people in a locality. Volunteers from the community are trained under this program to keep a tab on the health and well being of the elderly people they meet. In case of any problem, they can inform CONTACT for help.

Thus, CONTACT has made great progress in elderly care by helping seniors with independent living.

Did you know that about a third of Americans who are aged over 65 suffer unintentional falls each year? Even more concerning is 16,000 cases resulting in death have been registered in the US due to unintentional elderly falls.

Now that you have sat up and taken notice (and probably worried for your over 65 parents living in another state or city), here are some facts that are even more alarming. The number of falls in the elderly population has been increasing by leaps since the last decade, and almost 2 million aged people were treated last year for injuries resulting from falls.

Statistics show elderly women fall more than men. However, fatal injuries resulting from unintentional falls are more prominent among men than women. Serious problems like brain hemorrhage, hip injuries, fractures, sprains and paralyses are most common due to elderly falls.

Preventing falls among the elderly can be reduced significantly – provided you take precautionary measures:

• Keep Active – Inactive or sedentary people often suffer falls more than active or fit individuals. As one ages, exercise and a healthy diet regime is what defines the line between healthy and the one routed for as possible fall.
• Mind Your Feet – Change your footwear to the more comfortable brands. It is advisable not to wear high-heels or shoes that you are not comfortable walking in. For men, it is advised not to wear shoes that do not have anti-slipping grids in the sole. While at home walk bare feet rather than in shoes.
• Fall-Proof Space – Fall-proof devices such as walkers and hold-on railings can be installed in order to prevent elderly falls within the house itself.
• Alarms – Medical or emergency alarms can also be fitted in the house at different places to ensure that the injured person can immediately call for help if they have fallen.
• Phones – In the event of a fall it’s critical to receive care from a emergency services or a family member as quickly as possible. Having the correct phone is a must. Many phones are now fitted with emergency pendants that can be pressed in the event of an accident. The pendant will activate the telephone handset to commence dialing pre-set telephone numbers so the injured can receive swift medical care.

Preventing falls does not require over-indulgence from your side or limiting the freedom of the elderly. All it needs is a little care and respect for the safety norms issued by medical professionals.

Almost 75%-80% of Americans worry about how they will take care of themselves in the later stages of their life. This concern stems from the present scenario, where many elderly people suffer from dementia and a lack of clear perception. It has become more evident with a lot of cases being reported where people over the age of 65 have gone missing or turned up miles away from their homes – reason, dementia!

But as with many other issues of contemporary living, technology has found a solution for this too. Cell phones and GPS tracking systems such as Zoombak (Buy Now) have made it really easy for the police as well as concerned relatives and friends to track down a missing or wayward elderly person.

The cell phone tracking software has been a boon to the police too, as many officials from the Missing Persons Units have declared it as one of the ideal tools to rescue a lost person. With more people realizing that phones for the elderly are a necessity than a luxury, cell phone GPS tracking has also risen in relevance.

All one needs to take advantage of the cell phone tracking software is a phone connection and a GPS enabled cell phone. With portals such as www.phonesforelderly.com, it has become a lot easier to make the best buy even for an elderly person on one’s own. All one needs to do is to consult such a portal and all allied information will be made available within a few clicks.

Not just the elderly, you too can keep a track of your teenage children as well as kids through the cell phone GPS tracking systems. Available within affordable pricing ranges, protecting your loved ones may not be an expensive matter after all.

With the monetary investments (read losses) and emotional turmoil that one has to go through when an elderly parent goes missing, isn’t it advisable to invest one-hundredth of the same for subscribing to a cell phone tracking software provider?

After all, ‘Prevention is always better than cure’!

This week we have discovered some very interesting posts from across the globe. Make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and read the posts below:

EldercareABC has some very useful Surgery and recovery tips.  The post outlines the challenges faced by Mary, an elderly lady who is recovering from open heart surgery.

Over at SandwichINK, a blog dedicated to the Sandwich Generation, you will find an interesting post for any of you who have an iPhone. Kaye provides an in depth review of this useful iPhone App For the Sandwich Generation.

Seniors Discounts highlights the dangers over 70s face when getting behind the wheel of a car. According to a recent poll 34% of Over 50s Say ‘Yes’ to Driving Tests from Age 70.

If you thought your boots were made for walking head straight over to eldergadget.com. Let them give your the run down on Great Shoes with Elder Friendly Features to Boot.

With the Swine Flu pandemic spreading across the world like wildfire, elderly people are facing a life threatening disease. Swine flu, unlike common influenza, is deadly and has already claimed over 3000 lives, most of whom are children or the elderly.

This calls for preventive measures that not only include wearing surgical masks and washing hands regularly (the clinical aspect) but also to help elderly persons by enabling them to solicit emergency help in dire situations. This is where phones for the elderly come into the picture.

Many think that phones for the elderly are unnecessary this late in life. Furthermore, children tend to avoid buying their parents or grandparents a phone due to the assumption they will not be able to work such a device. However, the importance of a phone in an elderly person’s life cannot be overlooked due to safety reasons.

Phones for the elderly are not only an assurance for them that they can get help easily during an emergency situation, but also continuously improve the independent living style of such elderly people. For those who have elderly parents, phones for the elderly are a very good option to stay out of serious trouble.

There have been several instances where elderly persons, having contacted the concerned relatives, friends or emergency paramedical personnel in time, have lived to see happy and healthy days in their life. So, if you have been contemplating getting a phone exclusively for a parent or grandparent, do it now. It may pay off rich dividends than you can ever imagine!

Home Phones and Big Button Phones for the Elderly

There is a large selction of big button phones suitable for people who can’t see as well as they used to or have impaired vision from ailments such as cataracts and macular degeneration:

Big Button phones in the United States
Big button phones in the United Kingdom

Simple Cell Phones and Mobiles for the Elderly

Simple Cell Phones – United States
Simple Mobile Phones – United Kingdom

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