I recently had a question on www.caring.com where I serve on the panel of experts. The question was from someone who was struggling with the decision of how to care for an aging father who desperately wanted to continue living independently but was suffering from memory loss and wasn’t taking care of himself. Friends and neighbors were helping but it wasn’t enough. Anyone who has watched a loved one losing their cognitive abilities and the ability to live independently knows the difficulty of making the decisions necessary to help their loved one cope. If you still have your father, be thankful and wish him a Happy Father’s Day. Father’s Day never seems to get the attention of Mother’s Day and fathers have a tendency to be on the independent side and are uncomfortable asking for or accepting help even when they need it.
One suggestion for a father or other loved one who is living alone and needs some help is a remote activity monitoring system called SimplyHome. With this system we install a series of sensors in the home to keep track of activity and inactivity. Based on an initial interview we conduct with the client and their family and any other caregivers we determine areas of concern that we can then monitor with the system and send out customized alerts. For example if your loved one is always up and about by 8:00 am you can program the system to send out an email, text or phone call to whomever you designate if they are still in the bed at 8:30. You could program the system to turn on the lights if they get up during the night or turn off the stove if it’s left on with no movement in the kitchen for a period of time. There is even a medication dispenser that you load with pills and each section opens at the proper time. If the pills aren’t taken, someone gets an alert. If wandering is a concern, there is a GPS watch that can be used to pinpoint their location. The technology utilized in the SimplyHome system is a truly fantastic way to help people continue to live independently. If you would like more information on SimplyHome and the other products and services we offer here at Solid Rock Enterprises, Inc. please call (540) 384-2064.
