Q. My mother lives alone and is quite independent. At age 81, she is healthy, continues to work, has a trainer, travels, is engaged intellectually and more. Recently, a few of her friends have fallen, which is very unnerving for me. These women also were healthy, yet they tripped, but each had another person with them so help was there. Although I live close by, if my mother falls, no one is there to assist or even know she has fallen. How do I approach her conveying my concern and suggest she gets a personal emergency response device without insulting her independence? And what should she look for in selecting one? Truly thank you. D.L.
You are very wise in suggesting an emergency response system for your mother. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one out of four adults age 65 and older falls each year. Having a fall that causes a severe fracture and hospitalization increases the chances of dying.
We’ve come a long way from the traditional wearable devices such as a bracelet or a pendant with a button to call a response center. Now we have devices that might include GPS, cellular connectivity, fall detection or prevention services and in-home health and well-being monitors as well as activity trackers and movement sensors.
So, here is a suggested beginning conversation with your mother. Share a few statistics while appreciating your mother’s health and independence. Remind her that should she fall and cannot reach a phone, there is no one available to help her. And that worries you. Then present some considerations in choosing a system.
Here are just a few suggested by AARP:
Determine what the system needs to do: From your concern, the need is to address an emergency response from a fall. Decide if you want it to work just in the home or also outdoors. Should it depend on Wi-Fi connection or not? Some devices can detect a fall when it occurs as well as your location using the GPS system. Evaluate that option in relationship to the need.
Decide what kind of equipment will work best: Considering a home system, do you want a wearable device around your wrist or neck, attached to a belt or placed in your pocket? Check if the device is waterproof since many falls occur in the bathroom. Consider the range of an in-home system, particularly if a fall occurs some distance away from the base. The speaker needs to be loud enough for the recipient to hear in order to respond to the monitoring folks. Ask about the life of the battery, technology updates and the setup. Also, consider the merits of a wristwatch that also has fall detection features using the GPS system to determine your location.
Ask about the setup: For an in-home system, you may need more than one unit or console to cover the entire home and yard. Should it be placed on a table or mounted on a wall? Does it require a landline and a cellular base in case the phones are not working?
Evaluate the cost: AARP recommends avoiding a long-term contract. Ask for a detailed list of services and prices and be cautious on free offers or donated equipment; they can be scams, according to AARP. What are the initial costs and ongoing ones? Also, look for money-back guarantees or at least a free trial period. You will want the opportunity to cancel at any time with no penalties. The original Medicare does not cover medical alert devices. However, some Medicare Supplement carriers may give discounts on the cost. Medicare Advantage or other Supplemental plans as well as Medicaid may cover part or all of the cost depending on the plan and the state.
The Federal Trade Commission offers further guidance.
• Is the monitoring center open 24/7, and what kind of training do staff receive?
• What’s the average response time, and who gets alerted?
• What’s the repair policy? If the system malfunctions, do you receive a replacement?
The choices can be overwhelming. One way to evaluate the options is to compare the features on a grid. On the left or vertical side of a page or screen, list these 13 characteristics: price, equipment cost, cost per month, monitoring agreement terms, repairs or replacement charges, cancellation policies, button range, watch/button battery life, waterproof, 24- technical and customer support, senior-fall detection, cellular or phone line and GPS tracking.
Horizontally, indicate the particular systems in which you have interest and compare the features. Hopefully, this will help in making a good decision.
Finally, do an online search for reviews and check with family and friends for recommendations.
Thank you, D.L., for your important question. Your mother is fortunate to have you as a caring and sensitive daughter. Good luck!
Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging, employment and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulagingCommunity
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