Are Panic Buttons Enough?
Many seniors rely on panic buttons to keep them safe and allow them to continue living independently at home for as long as possible. But although a panic button is better than nothing, will it really be enough to keep a your senior safe in the event of a fall?
Before you entrust the safety of your loved ones to a panic button, consider these important questions:
- What happens if the senior is not wearing their panic button when they fall?
- What if the senior is immobilized, and unable to activate the panic button?
- What if the senior is rendered unconscious?
Going Beyond Panic Buttons To Keep Seniors Safe
If any of these questions make you uncomfortable, it is time to look into better alternatives to senior panic buttons. You should do your own research, but here are several options you might consider:
Simpler solutions:
- Take steps to prevent falls in the first place
- Call in regularly to check if the Senior adheres to their medication regimen
More expensive solutions:
- Hiring a service to call and check in on the senior. If they do not respond, 911 can be called In-home care (i.e., a full time nurse)
- Moving your parents into an assisted living facility
- Moving your parents into your home
- A next generation Personal Emergency Response System or a Wellbeing Monitoring System
The costs of these alternatives varies greatly. For many families, hiring a full-time nurse is prohibitively expensive, and moving can be uncomfortable and difficult. Be sure to involve the whole family in the decision making process and consider the impact of your choice on each family member.
What’s most important though is that you take action. Any option is better than nothing when it comes to protecting your parents’ health, but a panic button is not enough.