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.

With more and more elderly people living alone or independently away from their children, the concern for their safety and health has become a major issue. Even after installing the most secure precautionary devices, the concern for their safety in case of an accident at home or a medical emergency is still not efficiently taken care of.

However, the Tunstall Emergency Response Service changes all that. Even though often mistaken for being just another phone for the elderly or for over-60s couples who live alone, the Tunstall Emergency Response Service entails much more!

It has a stationary unit with a red, illuminated alarm button, which can be pressed in case of an emergency. The resulting action is pretty reassuring to say the least. The operator responds to the emergency call and tries to establish contact with the one soliciting help through a powerful loudspeaker on the unit. Even if one does not respond, emergency help and notification of the incident is sent to two key-holders – family, colleagues or friends – as mentioned in the personal information dossier you have submitted to the service provider.

The unit may also respond automatically to other emergency situations such as a fire (as smoke detectors are installed within the unit). The mobile alarm button allows soliciting help even if you are in the garden or porch, within 50 meters of the unit, and cannot go back into the house.

The Tunstall Emergency Response Service is especially beneficial for over-60s age group, seniors and elderly people, for some of whom, dialing a number on the conventional phone during an emergency may seem a herculean task. And being priced at just 55p per day, it is surprisingly affordable to have this automated security system installed in your home!

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.

Aging parents are often difficult to take care of, especially, if the finances of your family are not in good shape. Statistics show that almost 30% of American adults care for their parents (including financial support), which on an average amounts to about $2,400 a year. At a time when the recession has dealt a hard blow on even the strongest of economies and job losses have become the order of the day, the average amount may well be out of reach for the average individual – forcing them to abandon financial assistance to their ailing or aged parents.

So, what do you do in these trying times? Do you go broke trying to fend off ill health from affecting your parents? NO! Here are some points you may consider to tackle the financial matters while caring for parents in a positive light:

• Discuss the Situation – Most parents will be ready to discuss their financial situation once they realize what’s plaguing you. Do not hasten. Carefully note down and analyze the existing finances, retirement plans, insurance covers, etc. that have been set up by your parents. If they do not have any, it is high time to initiate one.

• Try Long-Term Care Insurance – While this may not look beneficial at first glance, it is sure to help your parents get regular medical attention and professional care. Moreover, with a one-time investment in the policy, the financial worries will subdue for the destined period of care cover.

• Reverse Mortgage – Provided your parents are not already in debt or have not mortgaged the house, you can use it for a reverse mortgage policy. This way they will get a steady flow of money till they die or move out of the house (the latter should be discouraged at this age anyway).

• Government Policies and Grants – There are numerous health care and professional care giving policies and grants available for aging parents and older people in general. Try to find out what best suits your parents’ finances and go for it.

• Professional Care – Hiring a professional caregiver may be expensive, but if you have done your homework, you’ll find lots of cost-effective professional care giving solutions around you.

With these tips in mind, caring for parents would be easier – both emotionally and financially. However, make sure you have the right documents and legal rights in place to use your parents’ finances on their behalf in case they are disabled or fall ill.

Financial matters can be tricky, especially, in case of looking after aging parents. But with proper planning and a clear insight, caring for your parents won’t be as difficult as it seems.

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Further Reading

Aging Parents Authority has recently published an article on Stressed Out and Taking Care of Your Parents.

Kay Bell over at Don’t Mess With Taxes elaborates a little further with Aging parents, ageless money issues

Age tends to soften us up – not only emotionally but physically as well. Most of the people over 65 years of age tend to start noticing a loss of their senses. It is not only hard for them to deal with this but is also difficult for their friends, family and acquaintances!

The loss of hearing or a considerably weak eardrum can pose a lot more problems than expected. For instance, about 18% of people in the USA haven’t been able to access medical assistance in emergency situations due to their inability to comprehend or conduct calls for assistance on phones. The conventional phones or mobiles have a subtle ringtones and voice loudness – making it very difficult for elderly people to communicate.

The Geemarc Amplipower 50 provides a tailor-made solution to this problem with their corded phones having powerful sound quality. As many elderly people use hearing aids, a hearing aid compatible phone is definitely a much needed product from the manufacturers of telephone handsets.

The Geemarc Amplipower 50 has forged a new direction by taking a progressive step in the quality of amplified telephones. It has a volume limit of 60dB, which is pretty high compared to industry standards. The Geemarc Amplipower 50 is also a hearing aid compatible phone with not only a variety of features but also good looks.

Advantages like toned up outgoing voice and sound quality, hands-free speaker-phone facility and a Direct Vibe option that helps sounds to be converted into vibrations and sent through the bones above the ear, allowing a much better and comprehensible conversation. It has great optical features too with the brightness of the lights turned up a notch to let elderly people locate or identify a ringing phone easily.

Purchase Now – through Amazon UK – Geemarc Amplipower 50

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.

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.

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.