How to Take Care Of Your Parents Without Checking Up On Them Every Day

Growing up is hard. Being away from your parents and seeing them aging might bring fear to many, especially if their parents suffer from any type of illness. Sometimes, people don’t have enough time to visit their parents often, and the first time they don’t pick up the phone, a thousand thoughts rush through our minds.

Even if we do have the time, calling them every day to check up on them might be a little too much, not for us, but for them. Thankfully, there’s a way to make sure they’re in good health. Medical alert systems.

What Are Medical Alert Systems?

Medical alert systems are a set of medical aids that monitor certain health parameters of people wearing them. Depending on the illness a person is having, these systems monitor different sets of parameters, so if someone is known to have heart disease, the system will monitor heart rate and blood pressure. If someone has diabetes, the focus will be on randomly checking blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Monitoring these parameters in real-time is important so people can move freely, go to the store, or for a walk. The main benefit of these systems isn’t monitoring these parameters but remotely notifying emergency services or sending a message to a chosen phone number if any of these parameters indicate a possible issue.

Almost all medical alert systems come with a “panic” button which allows the user to instantly contact emergency services or call their emergency contact with an exact location. This is a great feature if your loved one falls or experiences any other type of injury that will prevent them from calling emergency services on their own.

How Does a Medical Alert System Work?

There are a couple of options when choosing a medical alert system. Depending on a few factors, some remote help systems are basic that they only include a help button and fall sensor. Mode advance remote monitoring systems include other health monitors and can work nationwide.

The basic principle is that the system is made to help the elderly by monitoring their vital signs and monitoring possible falls. Some monitors are worn like bracelets or pendants while others are a bit more complicated and require some time to set up properly.

If there’s an emergency, the medical alert system is used to notify emergency services, family members, or neighbors, depending on the severity of the case. Some of these remote help monitors offer two-way communication with the call-center so an agent will be able to speak to the patient and assess the situation accordingly.

Help The Elderly Without Invading Their Privacy

One of the reasons why a medical alert system is a popular choice is that it offers privacy for the users. Instead of family members or neighbors checking in every single day, a remote monitoring system offers a piece of mind for everyone caring for the user.

The user will also have a sense of security, and will have more self-confidence in doing certain activities. These activities can be as simple as taking a walk or going to the store alone.

Because most of these remote help systems are equipped with GPS tracking, they’re a great addition for users suffering from early stages of Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia.

The simplicity of contacting emergency services or contacts make the medical alert system a necessity for users that have diseases that are hard to control such as epilepsy or diabetes. A medical alert system can mean the different between taking immediate action in helping someone and long-term consequences.

How To Choose The Right Remote Monitoring System

Not all monitoring systems are the same, which means that they’re not a one-type-fits-all kind of product. Different remote help systems include different health monitors which are specifically designed for certain diseases and conditions. If you want to help the elderly members of your family, it’s important to choose the right type of remote monitoring system that will monitor certain aspects of the user’s health.

Some of the best remote monitoring systems currently available include MobileHelp, OneCallAlert, and MedicalAlert.

Before choosing a medical alert system for your family member, there are a couple of factors to take into consideration. These include:

• Monthly fees
• Features and included health monitors
• Customer service availability

Even though there are significant differences between certain manufacturers of remote help systems, there are also a lot of similarities. The best way to choose the right medical alert system is to take your time while looking into the benefits of each service, while comparing them to the most similar competitor. You’ll be able to find more than one medical alert system that fits all of your needs, but with different monthly fees.

What Features Should Does The Best Medical Alert System Have?

Even if you find a medical alert system that fulfil all your requirements regarding the health and fall monitors, there are some features that make a remote monitoring system better than others.

Comfort while wearing the remote help system is one of the most important aspects to consider when buying. Even if the medical alert system fulfils all your requirements, having one that’s uncomfortable won’t be a good idea because the user won’t want to wear it.

Another feature of the best medical alert system is that it’s monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even though most medical alert system providers have 24/7 monitoring, a lot of these companies outsource monitoring activities to third-party companies that are often located outside of the US.

Having a waterproof monitor is of the essence because most falls occur in the bathroom where it’s slippery. It’s not uncommon for these monitors to get wet, but it’s the place where they’re most needed. Before choosing a monitoring system to help the elderly members of your family, make sure their monitors are waterproof.

Battery life is another feature that should be a priority. A lot of monitoring systems work outside the house as well using cellular coverage, and it’s common that people wear these monitors even when they’re outside their house. Aside from monitoring health, these devices have active GPS tracking which can drain a battery pretty quickly. These devices work only with a charged battery and can inform emergency contacts only if there’s enough battery for this activity.