Medical Alert Systems Help Maintain Independence for Elderly

You might remember the TV commercials where the person helps out, "Help me, I've fallen, and I can't get up." As people get older, their risk for falling increases. One in three people over the age of 65 experience a fall every year. Falls are a major reason for death and the need for long-term care for older people.

This has become a much more significant concern in recent years. The expected lifespan for a person born in the U.S. in 1950 was 67 years. However, as a recent article in Forbes points out, there has been significant progress in medicine and science.

This is especially so for women who today have life expectancies of 85+ years. For every 100 women age 65, there are only 77 men, and when they get to age 85, women outnumber men in the U.S. by 2.6. Women also need more long-term care services than men do and thrive in a care situation longer than men.

Family Members Often Live Away

As more people get older, they are living away from other family members. The days that a couple's children live nearby are long gone. Even if they enjoy good health, the risk of falls or sudden health issues is always a concern.

As a person needs help with normal living activities, or start experiencing dementia, being at home, alone, is a danger without the proper help and technology.

Medical alert systems can be simple or much more sophisticated, including a GPS where the user can seek assistance anywhere. Some of these systems include fall detection sensors. 

Boomers Embracing Technology

Many of today's Boomers have embraced technology. They use computers and smartphones. Indeed, the Late-Boomers and Generation X who tend to use technology all the time will not hesitate to use advanced tech to help maintain their independence and health.

Telemedicine has advanced very quickly since the virus crisis forced it to the scene. This allows a person with age or mobility problems to visit a doctor or nurse without leaving their home.  

Some Long-Term Care Insurance policies will even pay for medical alert devices and other technology.

More Americans are seeking ways to maintain their independence in the future and avoid facilities. For those who are still younger and have time to plan, reviewing options, and using affordable Long-Term Care Insurance to provide the resources to pay for future care is essential to retirement planning.

For those with older family members, be sure to remember today's technology can give you and your loved one additional peace-of-mind.