Working in Home Care, delivering services in Winchester and surrounding areas in Hampshire, we can see that the need for more gadgets is needed, particularly in the Uk where there is an growth in the amount of elderly people without there being on-going funding available. Relatives of the elderly can be time constrained but still need to be reassured that their loved ones are safe, turning to technology may be one way of retention relatives informed about what is going on or being assured that the elderly are living comfortably.
There are now products from amplified telephones and listening systems for televisions to devices for fall detection and remote monitoring. The technology industry is said to be responding to a growing examine for products specifically designed for today's aging population.
Innovative gadgets and contemporary technology are helping people to deal with daily living. There are, also, some low tech devices nearby to help make daily tasks easier, together with soft-handled or large-grip cooking and eating utensils, swivel cushions that make getting in and out of a car easier, and assorted assistive devices that eliminate the need to bend over when putting on socks, stockings or any other garment that you need to pull up over your feet.
We are hearing from America that high-tech assistive technology for aging adults is "nearing science fiction territory". Examples being reported include shoes that help you keep your balance, a scanner that "reads" text aloud, and a voice-activated wheelchair knows its way nearby your home.
Other products are wearable devices that can automatically detect falls and send alerts to loved ones over the internet, there are devices that monitor heart-rate and body-temperature changes with the data being sent real time to centres where clinicians are based to monitor the data. To detect falls there are motion and floor-vibration sensors, devices that detect abnormal walking and pressure pads to put in beds to detect whether person has got out of bed.
In reality, as we know with technology, it is expensive to be an early adopter so we expect that the more "science fiction" the products are the harder they are to find and the more expensive they are.
The more down to earth products that can be found today, bearing in mind that we are not recommending or endorsing any of these products because there are others on the market, are:
- Amplicom ring flash 100 phone call amplifier, can be switched to 'T' mode for hearing aid wearers nearby £20.
- Glow flow temperature controlled basin light, fits most taps with an adapter, illuminates the water with blue for cool and red for hot (over 32 degrees C) nearby £15
- Light switch illuminator for appropriate particular gang light switches to enable to be found easier in the dark nearby £7.
- Doro big button cordless phone nearby £40.
- Powertel 49 plus home desk phone with large buttons nearby £40.
- Powertel V 100 vibration pillow to put under a pillow or cushion to alert you to calls nearby £20.
- Lutall big button mobile phone with Sos button, works on all networks except 3, nearby £35.
- Sen Cit fall monitor that detects when a person has stopped bright and sends a message to person remote to take operation £198.
- Geemarc wireless Tv listening device, basically a wireless headset and a base center that plugs into the Tv nearby £150.
Just some of the products available.
Home Care Smart Gadgets for Savvy Elders