For Canadian seniors, one of the most dangerous accidents that could occur, either in or out of the home, is falling. According to Statistics Canada, falls are the most common cause of injury among older Canadians. Every year, it is estimated 1 in 3 seniors aged 65 years and older are likely to fall at least once. More than 85% of injury related hospitalizations for seniors. What’s more? According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, over one-third of seniors who are hospitalized as a result of a fall are placed in long-term care. If you worry about yourself or an elderly loved one, then you might feel relieved in the knowledge that you can prevent falls from happening. How? Through the use of advances in consumer tech, of course. These tools are designed and developed with the sole aim of keeping seniors safe and protected. In this article, we explore three of the most effective and popular solutions for senior fall prevention. Read on to discover how easy it is to stay safe and always keep your elderly loved ones or patients out of harm’s way.
Light It Right with Smart Bulbs
Reduced brightness, impaired eyesight, and nighttime tiredness can make falling in the dark all too easy. For this reason, it can be helpful to equip yourself, or the senior under your care, with smart bulbs. If you’re looking for something connected, add a Philips Hue motion sensor to you or your loved one’s lighting system to automatically switch your lights on when movement is detected, helping you (or your loved one’s) to navigate safely. The motion sensor is battery powered and completely wireless, allowing you to install it anywhere inside a home or aparement. You can customize the lights that come on and their intensity depending on the time of day. During the evening, you can set the motion sensor to trigger gentle nightlights to guide you in the dark. During the day, you can trigger crisp white light to flood your halls. The system also has an integrated daylight sensor, which can detects when there is still enough daylight so that lights do not turn on until you need them. You just need a Hue Bridge to pull it all together. Interested? Check out our write-up on smart bulbs here.
Consider a Stairlift
As we age, we begin to experience issues with our strength, balance and mobility. When our older loved ones lose mobility—it can causes more than just physical difficulties. As you can imagine, it can impact their mental wellbeing to be unable to perform daily activities without assistance. To ensure the health of a senior who has balance and mobility issues, a stairlift is often recommended. As you can imagine, walking up and down the stairs can present many dangers for those who aren’t steady on their feet. Of course, one of the top recommendations among caregivers of older adults is to live on one level. One slip and fall could lead to a major injury. You don’t even have to be elderly for stairs to present a hazard. Having a stairlift in the house provides seniors with several benefits, besides significantly decreasing the occurrence of falls and other related accident particularly among those who have a diagnosed medical condition that prevents them from getting around without difficulty. First, it enables seniors to avoid moving houses, which can often be very disruptive both from a physical and a psychological standpoint. Second, stairlifts increase the autonomy of seniors who live on their own or receive minimal assistance.
Finally, a properly installed stairlift will still provide other people with access to the stairs. This means that you will be able to keep receiving visitors at home whenever you want without having to worry about them getting around the house. Are you considering a stairlift for yourself or the person that you are caring for? Remember that only a professional company should handle the installation process, as the installation is quite complex.
Get a Medical Alert System with Fall Detection
A medical alert system provides peace of mind. Those who wear the devices can continue to pursue independent, active lifestyles and remain in their own homes, while caregivers can be reassured that help is a push of a button away. Whether for you or a loved one, consider overall health. Is falling a concern? Do you or your loved ones take medications that influence your energy levels or balance? A medical alert system for seniors with fall detection, such as TELUS LivingWell Companion, could be a solution to ensure they get the help they need, whether they call for help or not. So, when is it time for a medical alert system, and who do they best serve? We’ve researched dozens of companies to find the best providers of medical alert systems in Canada. Our expert reviews will provide you with everything you need to know to find the right system for you. Explore the best medical alert systems according to our editors. For seniors who wish to live at home longer, medical alert systems can provide valuable security, especially for those who live alone.
Conclusion and Recommendations
With aging, instances of falling in or out of the house can increase. This is why technology experts have designed and developed some sophisticated yet easy-to-use safety tools and gadgets. Their goal is to protect elderly people who live alone and support their carers. In this article, we discovered three of the most effective and popular technology tools for fall prevention. A nightlight, stairlift, or medical alert system can provide seniors and their carers with peace of mind. These technology tools are essential for seniors who want to age in place safely.
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and they do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the providers being reviewed. The providers and WirelessWizard assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. The information contained in this site is provided on an “as is” basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness and without any warranties of any kind whatsoever, express or implied.
Under the banner Tech For Seniors, WirelessWizard is pleased to share innovations for older adults—with a focus on deferring as much as possible the time when getting older gets in the way of living life independently. Check out all of tech-for-seniors content here.
