New Technologies Make Caregiving For Parents Easier

caregiving

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, nearly 30% of the entire U.S. population will have served as a caregiver for a family member at some point in their lifetime.

While caregiving is one of the most beautiful acts of devotion and love one person can offer another, it can also be one of the more difficult. This is especially true when you have a family and career of your own.

Helping with activities of daily living, monitoring safety, administering medications, grocery shopping, and keeping them in the company can be overwhelming and stressful, to say the least.

fall scents for your home

Below are some newer technologies that can help make caregiving for your parents a little easier.

New Smart Tech for the Home

Assistance with activities of daily living like bathing, cooking, toileting, and dressing are high on the list of caregiving tasks. Fortunately, there are a host of new smart technologies that can provide your parents with continued independence.

Some of our favorites include motion sensor taps and automated bidet toilets, both of which improve hygiene and help seniors with mobility, flexibility, and dexterity issues.

Other smart technologies we like include motion sensor lighting and remote thermostat control.

Using a personal voice assistant like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home to control electronic devices with one’s voice can also be revolutionary for seniors making phone calls, changing the TV channel, listening to their favorite music, locking and unlocking the door, making appointments and so much more.

Home Safety

Making sure your parents are secure when their home alone will bring you and them peace of mind, but most importantly, these new technologies can actually keep your parents safer.

For home security, take a look at something like a Ring video doorbell. This will give your parents and you the ability to see every visitor that rings your parent’s doorbell (or nefariously steps up to the door). It can also give your parents and you the ability to speak to the person at the door and unlock the door remotely.

One of the biggest risks seniors face in their homes is falling. A full 1 in 4 older adults fall each year, and a large percentage happen in their own homes. An AARP medical alert system can get seniors to help quickly in the event of a fall when no other help is around. Also known as a life alert or personal emergency response system, the latest technologies are fully mobile, come with GPS, and can even offer an automatic fall detection system. As a caregiver, you can ensure the monitoring center notifies you in the event of an emergency. Moreover, you can also use the GPS tracker to locate your parent in the event wandering is an issue.

Communication Panacea

One of the biggest concerns regarding senior health is loneliness, which can lead to depression and other mental and physical health issues. Fortunately, never before has it been so easy and affordable to stay in touch with your parents.

Make it a point to call your parents every day. Use video chat like Facetime, WhatsApp, and Skype to make it more personal. Doing so will also give you an opportunity to check on their physical condition and make sure they’re still getting dressed, looking kempt, alert and healthy.

Telehealth

One of the major responsibilities and time-consuming tasks of caring for a parent is taking them to and from medical appointments. One solution is telehealth, whereby you and your parent can consult with a medical practitioner through video chat. It won’t avoid all visits to the doctor, but it can cut down on many of the more routine follow-up consults.

Medication Reminders

Another significant need of many seniors is help taking their medications. It’s not unheard of for some seniors to be taking 8 or more medications 4 times a day.

To help manage your parent’s medication compliance and adherence, consider getting an automated pill box or medication dispenser. In either case, your parent will only be able to access the pills designated for that particular time. Moreover, many will also come with caregiver alerts in the event they miss a dose, putting you at ease.

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New Technologies Make Caregiving For Parents Easier
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