860.265.4427If your loved one is aging in place it may mean that she/he has limited mobility and may have issues when it comes to being able to live independently. While you wouldn’t leave someone who is completely vulnerable and unable to care for themselves alone entirely, your loved one may be able to care for him/herself under normal circumstances, but when an emergency arises, can you be that confident?
The truth of the matter is that while independence is a necessity for those who are choosing to live while aging in place, there are some dangerous situations that need to be addressed. Take for instance if your loved one falls and no one is around to tend to them for hours or even days, this could be devastating and leave she/he scared and alone, not to mention the threat to her/his health.
Another situation may arise where an outside force like a weather event or a fire has trapped your loved one inside her/his home and they cannot get out and may not have enough mobility to move about their house and get to a phone to make a life saving call.
These situations are scary and may cause consternation for caregivers who wish to give their loved ones the independence they want, but are concerned that a situation like this might arise which gives them pause to let a loved one be completely on her/his own.
Enter the advent of a smart watch. There are many options to choose from that range in price and when you’re choosing one you should go with one that matches the type of mobile phone your loved one has. So, for instance, if your loved one has an iPhone, you will want to get her/him an Apple Watch so the two can sync seamlessly together.
With a variety of benefits that come with smart watches they can also be rather pricey, so you may want to consider if a watch is necessary at the time you are purchasing it. One of the many benefits to a watch is that is hands free and would allow your loved one access to emergency services no matter where she/he is at any given time. In the emergency situations described above they would be able to make a call or send an S.O.S. via text message. Another benefit that may be a welcome sigh of relief for caregivers is your ability to monitor vital signs like heart activity. This could be beneficial if you are not nearby and need to have someone check on your loved one should a concern arise.
Smart watches are relatively new, but the possibilities are endless. For a loved one who is aging in place they could make the difference between independence and dependence and they can set you on a path to peace of mind as your loved one’s care giver.
