Senior citizens are reported to be the fastest growing portion of the US populace and while the vast majorities are healthy, able bodied individuals - there are a great number who are debilitated in some way.
Ensuring the safety of our debilitated loved ones, especially if they are our elder loved ones can be stressful at times.
Whether your loved one lives alone or in your care, there are several ways to make this task easier for everyone involved.
In recent years, a great deal of technological advances have created affordable, easy to install devices that can greatly help lessen the chance of your loved one being injured or wandering.
If your loved one lives independently: Kitchen safety is generally a high priority in most homes and can be even more important when an elderly individual lives alone.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, leaving a stove unattended is the major leading cause of all kitchen fires.
Most everyone has had an incident of "letting a pot boil dry" or burning something while distracted.
Unfortunately the possibility these types lapses can be more frequent in cases that involve the elderly.
Installing a Stove Guard can prevent these types of dangerous accidents from happening.
These devices can be connected to both gas range and electric stove models.
They monitor the motion in the room and will automatically turn off the stove if no motion is detected.
The trigger time can be customized so each unit is personalized for the individual who's stove is being monitored.
These units are easily installed on electric ranges.
If you're loved one has a gas model - a licensed electrician and gas fitter are required for installation.
If you are caring for a loved one in your home: A common problem encountered while caring for a debilitated loved one is the propensity to wander.
For individuals with memory loss, general or temporal memory loss wandering can help relieve restlessness and anxiety.
However, without properly monitored 'safe areas', the elderly can wander away from their beds at night or even their home or have the possibility of becoming confused even inside of their 'safe area'.
Simple infrared motion detectors, door and/or window switches and panic buttons can alleviate the risk of this happening without alerting someone who can be of assistance.
Infrared motion detectors are easily installed by anyone and can be connected to a variety of alerting devices.
Simple receivers can be placed in strategic positions around the home and set off a pleasant chime when the motion detector is triggered, alerting anyone in the vicinity of movement in other areas of the house.
Pager receivers are also available.
These devices allow a greater range of movement for the individual monitoring the situation.
The alert signal can be set as either an audible alarm or vibration depending on your preference.
Window and door switches can also be installed very easily to alert the monitoring individual if anyone is attempting to open a closed door or window.
These devices can be used with any of the above mentioned receiving devices.
Strategically placed panic buttons, which again can be connected to various alerting devices, allow your loved one to have a greater sense of independence while ensuring help is available when needed.