Feeling concern for the care of your ageing parent is a common theme among adults, especially if your parents are living independently. Parents do not wish to become a burden to their children and family as they grow older. They want to live their life without troubling their loved ones emotionally, financially, and physically.
However, living independently is stimulating and invigorating for most seniors and provides them with a sense of purpose in their later years. Most adults opt to live out the remaining part of their life in the comfort of their home in which they live the most of their lives and in the company of neighbors whom they know for years. It grants them a feeling of security, familiarity, and privacy, which they cherish.
Besides, these products can ensure a high level of safety and timely care and grant you peace of mind. Through this article, let us explore the 7 products that you need to have for older individuals living alone.
1. Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are incredibly useful for older adults who are living alone as they can contact and talk with someone if they have an emergency irrespective of the situation. Seniors often find it difficult to use smartphones due to their medical conditions such as poor vision, arthritis, hearing loss and many more. You can gift your aging parents a senior-friendly phone which has heaps of useful features such as a big display with large texts.
Other convenient features include large buttons with backlight, extra loud sound, compatibility with a hearing aid and an SOS button for emergencies. You may also assign speed dials on the keypad of the mobile for easily contacting frequent contacts.
2. Mobile Medical Alert System
You can relax with peace of mind if you are installing a mobile medical alert system for your parents. If your elderly parents have a chronic medical condition, stroke, fall, or heart attack, the medical safety solution the doctor recommends using a medical alert device. The most important features of the mobile medical alert system are GPS tracking, automatic fall detection, two-way speakers, and 24-hour monitoring.
The second most common cause of unintentional death is by accidental falls, according to the World Health Organization, and the chances for falls go up with increasing age. Older adults can avail of help within seconds with the help of this innovative product. The alert system will send a notification to you if your elderly relative living alone is in a medical emergency.
3. Install Grab Bars
Seniors can lose their strength and sense of balance as they age and are more susceptible to fall and injure themselves. A bathroom is a place where there is a higher chance for elderly persons to slip. Grab bars are an exceedingly useful feature that is inexpensive and saves you from taking a fall.
Install grab bars at the places such as the transition between the shower and the toilet and the grab bars also allow for reaching shelves and taking things from there. They are also convenient for getting up from a sitting position or if your elderly parent uses a walker or cane to support walking.
4. Automatic Dispenser Or Pill Crusher
With age, many seniors acquire memory loss and forgetfulness that can inhibit them from taking their medications at the right time. The automatic pill dispenser helps your elderly parents to take their medicines at the right time every day of the week. You can program the pill dispenser to provide the drug at a fixed time and also alert you with an alert system to minimize forgetting the medication.
It may be difficult to swallow whole pills for the elderly, and a pill crusher can crush the pill instantaneously and provide the medicine in powdery form. It prevents the risk of choking, which can be detrimental to health
Install grab bars at the places such as the transition between the shower and the toilet and the grab bars also allow for reaching shelves and taking things from there. They are also convenient for getting up from a sitting position or if your elderly parent uses a walker or cane to support walking.
5. Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Cleaning is a tremendous chore if you are an older adult suffering from disabilities and chronic health conditions. The robot vacuum cleaner is excellent for cleaning wooden floors, carpets, and washing the hair of pets. The robot cleaners have sensors that can detect their surroundings, and the only requirement is to charge the device by plugging it in before using it.
6. Mobility Scooter
Mobility scooters are an exceptional gadget that allows elderly people with disabilities that prevent them from moving or traveling to move independently. Many types of mobility scooters are useful for both indoor and outdoor use and it helps the seniors to move without needing the help of anyone else. Folding mobility scooters allow you to fold and store it easily in your home or while traveling in a car.
7. Gorilla Grip Bath Mats
Bath mats provide additional grip and traction that reduces the chance of an elderly senior to slip and fall in the bathroom. Falling alone can be especially dangerous as the delay in getting help can complicate the issue. Gorilla grip bath mats stick to the floor of the bathroom, avoids the growth of molds and is machine washable making it perfect for seniors.
Conclusion
As we age, our bodies become weaker, and it becomes difficult to perform everyday tasks without assistance. According to a report by the AARP, adults over the age of 50 contribute over 7.6 trillion dollars to the economic activities in the U.S.A. Seniors have a huge influence on the economic force of a nation, and the expectations are for the trend to keep growing by 20 percent by the year 2050.
Technology is the single largest leverage that can help seniors to age gracefully and comfortably and carry on an independent life. Entrepreneurs and businesses are viewing this situation as a significant opportunity to make useful products that can aid in making elderly living more comfortable and satisfying for seniors.
This guest post was graciously contributed by Content Marketing Executive, Emma Willson.