Assistive technology is equipment made especially to help people who are unable to perform their daily routine without any help. This technology is helping kids living with cerebral palsy or any development defect to live a safe life. It also helps adults with dementia and Alzheimers be more independent and socially involved, without the crippling costs of full time care or the fear of the person wandering off and getting lost. Caregivers are appreciative of this technology, since it lets their loved ones live a fuller life, keeping them living independently at home, safer and for longer.
To manage the risk associated with living an independent life, and improving safety and well being, more and more people are making use of telecare equipment. Telecare equipment has real-time monitoring technology that detects the emergencies and records the lifestyle changes to allow the appropriate action to be taken, if and when an emergency arises. It is a manually activated personal alarm device, which provides support to the user at the press of a button.
HOW DOES IT WORK ?
The telecare equipment or any assistive technology will generally have a base unit, which is plugged into the user’s home. When the alarm is activated, either by the user pressing the button on their pendant or one of the other sensors available (fall detector, smoke detector, CO2 detector, etc.) being triggered, it dials through to the 24/7 Response Centre.. The telecare response center responds quickly to the crisis by calling an ambulance, or alerting family and friends, depending on the circumstances.
A competent telecare response center has a database consisting of all vital information about the user of the service. This information will include name, address, medical history, as well as the emergency contact details of family, friends and neighbours to contact in case of an emergency. The most effective way to provide telecare assistance is through a two-way talking pendant, preferably with inbuilt fall detection technology.
The following are the most common types of telecare equipment being used to support a safe and independent lifestyle:
Increasingly common, and a very important feature of a telecare device is fall detection. If the user falls, due to an accident or any medical condition, they may not be able to reach to the pendant or wristband and press the alert button. Fall detectors have inbuilt fall detection sensors, which immediately raises an alert and send the signal to the unit, if and when the user falls. The device can be worn as a pendant or a wristwatch and gives peace of mind to the wearer and their loved ones. The FallSafe with 24/7 Connects Monitoring is a leading fall detection device that is made from a hypoallergenic plastic, making it suitable for anybody and is also water resistant.
Telecare devices with mobile technology offer the advantage of having GPS detectors. This will help the response centre and/or loved ones, who are worried about their parents/grandparents/family being lost, locate them in an emergency. This device provides two-way communication and works on real-time monitoring technology to allow members of the family know where the wearer is and reach them if there is an emergency. The best level of protection would be to choose a device with a 24/7 monitoring service, this means that you never need to worry about an alarm activation being answered as the response centre are there 24/7. The response centre is also a good option if you don’t have any nominated contacts in case of emergency.
The pendant alarms detect the fall and alert the response center by measuring changes in air pressure and having an accelerometer to detect sudden changes in movement. These advanced high-tech devices also have additional features that help prevent false alarms. Fall detectors can be vital if the wearer is at risk of falling and losing consciousness. This could be because they are at an increased risk of a fall, or they have a medical condition such as epilepsy, a heart condition or a high likelihood of a stroke.
Assistive technology like telecare equipment can help the wearer have peace of mind that they will get the quickest medical attention possible, should they have a fall or a sudden illness. It makes them feel more confident and improves their quality of life. If you have a family member with a serious medical condition, or a high likelihood of a fall, make sure you get them this type of telecare device so that, if you are not with them all the time and they have an attack or a seizure, you are alerted instantly, and an ambulance can be called for them quickly.