Caregivers & Families Also Afforded Peace Of Mind
When discussing the pros and cons of a medical alarm system, the focus is usually on the recipient – the senior or elderly loved one.
But others, such as that person’s caregiver, as well as family both close and far away, benefit from the use of these mobile systems, even if indirectly.
“The first thing a family member will generally ask about their loved one is ‘do they have their medical alarm system with them at all times?,'” said Kay Boudreaux, General Manager of Arden Place, an 800-unit senior care facility in Bethesda, Md. “And frankly, it’s important to us as a staff, as well, as we know help for that individual is just moments away at all times.”
Indeed, the proliferation of medical alarm systems on the market give consumers quite a choice, but buyer beware, according to one manufacturer.
“Many medical alarm system companies do in fact provide a quality product, but it often comes at a price in the form of long-term contracts that are difficult to break, a sliding monthly fee scale buried in the fine print, as well as a host of other ‘extras’ that cost even more money that are again lost in over-wordy agreement language,” noted Tim Rutowski, President of Freedom Med Alert, one of the more popular medical alarm systems on the market today because of its no-contract, lifetime fixed pricing guarantee.
But once these hurdles have been overcome and a medical alarm system has been selected, these can be some of the most common benefits to all involved:
Cost
The greatest “selling point” of a medical alarm system is its cost. Even if a loved one is living in a senior or nursing facility to the tune of $40,000 annually (the average cost in 2012, generally speaking), spending another $20-30 per month on a medical alarm system is well-spent pocket change.
Less Stress
So why would you want a loved one in a senior or nursing care facility to also wear a medical alarm system?
“We encourage it,” added Boudreaux. “An individual could be walking to dinner by themselves and all of a sudden not be able to reach one of the call buttons if something falls on them, or out in the garden by themselves and in the same situation. With a mobile alarm device on them, access to help is guaranteed.”
And if a loved one lives at home by themselves, the comfort of knowing they are safe because of a medical alarm system is ever more reassuring. This also saves money in lieu of hiring an in-home caregiver, particularly if the loved one is still able enough to care for themselves and prefers the independence.
And an emergency call system such as a medical alarm system will give the elderly loved one just that – real independence. They would no longer have to rely on anyone else except themselves, especially in the context of any possible medical emergency or accident occurring at home.
As such, an alert system can be worn by the senior as a bracelet or a necklace pendant, getting help is as easy and instant as pressing that panic button. The system is also regularly tested to ensure it stays in top condition: the microphone and speaker are working to specification, and the home phone connection is where it should be.
So these positive benefits works both ways – because you know that your loved one is monitored and that any help is only a press of a button away, this alleviates any mental or emotional stress you might be having. With less stress in your day to day life, you can perform at your best level in all else you need to do.
More “Me” Time
With a medical alarm system’s constant and reliable emergency monitoring service, you can now afford to make time for yourself. Although you may not simply be entirely carefree, at least you can still enjoy a break every now and then without compromising the safety and welfare of the aging parent under your care, or in a senior or nursing care facility that still makes you feel just a tad guilty.
The caregiver is more often the one rattled with unspoken apprehensions and on-going concerns – the constant worrying, the high and rising cost of placing an elderly loved one in a nursing home, and a myriad of other matters.
“It’s amazing how a simple to use medical alarm provides a solid, robust solution to such concerns, and at such a minimal cost,” stressed Rutowski.
Of course the one who directly benefits from the reliability and efficiency of 24/7 monitoring service is the senior – but with the senior safe and cared for, everyone who loves them gets to enjoy some tremendous peace of mind, thanks to the use of a medical alarm system.
