Caring for the Elderly this Christmas

The Christmas season is, traditionally, a joyous time when we can all get together, focus on our families, and celebrate without a worry in the world. However, for the growing elderly population, this year is a bit different.

With record lows sweeping half the globe, and a multitude of other problems looking to interrupt the holiday celebrations, your elderly neighbours and independent-living family members are facing some harsh threats.

We want to give you a few pointers to help them through the holiday season safely.

Let’s get started.

1: Check on Your Elderly Neighbours

First and foremost, the holiday season is all about giving. So, give a little bit of your time to check up on your elderly neighbours.

Just because your elderly neighbours live on their own or with their partners doesn’t mean that they are 100% capable of handling everything they might need to. They might be reliant on daily or weekly visits from younger family members to make sure they haven’t fallen, run out of food, hurt themselves, etc.

However, one of the risks that are posed by such cold weather is that roadways can get clogged up, people can get snowed into their houses, or those younger family members might decide to stay home for several visits due to the cold.

When that happens, anything can happen to your elderly neighbours, and the family members that check up on them might not know anything is wrong.

Just take a few moments, drop by your neighbours’ houses, and make sure they’re all doing okay. If you can’t get an answer for an extended period, you might want to ask the police to perform a wellness check.

2: Make Sure They’re Warm

Whether we’re talking about your elderly neighbours or your family members, you have to make sure they’re warm.

With the ongoing energy crisis and extremely cold weather, elderly people living on their own are at risk. A lot of elderly individuals can’t afford to keep their HVAC systems running with the high cost of energy, and even if they can afford it, there is always the chance for a pilot light to go out or a power outage to leave them in the frigid cold.

If you know an elderly person without heat in this energy crisis, stop by to see how they’re solving the problem, and consider offering space blankets, some time to warm up in your home, or any resource you can offer; their life might depend on it.

3: It’s a Growing Problem to Solve

Protecting the elderly people in our lives isn’t a shrinking problem. It’s a growing one. The population across most of Europe is aging, especially in Ireland, and that means that more and more people will be subjected to the risks we’ve talked about here.

This is important to keep in mind because as the population gets older and there are fewer youths to care for those older members, many elderly people will be left without help.

If we all band together and make it our mission to watch out for each other, we can minimize the injuries and unfortunate passings caused by that.

4. Consider an SOS System

If you have an elderly family member who lives independently but might need help, don’t rely on daily visits or phone calls. You might not be there when something happens, and they might not be able to reach the phone to call for help.

Instead, consider a wearable SOS system such as the WatchOvers SOS Personal Alarm Watch. With fall alerts with automatic calling, SOS calls, reminder alerts, GPS location,  and more, you can rest easy knowing your elderly loved one is safe.

Thank you for considering our growing elderly population, and Merry Christmas!

New Assure 4G Mobile SOS Personal Alarm Watch Saves Lives

Elder falling is a major concern for any family that has elderly loved ones living on their own, and especially for independent elders who can function on their own but might end up needing immediate help in an emergency.

Luckily, that doesn’t have to be a problem, anymore. Thanks to advances in technology, and WatchOver's dedication to making independent living not only possible but easy, you and your loved ones can rest easy.

Our latest product is the Assure 4G SOS Personal Alarm Watch, and it has some exciting, lifesaving, features that we’re proud to show off, now.

Let’s get started.

Five Key Features that Keep You Safe

The Assure 4G SOS Personal Alarm Watch is our 3^rd generation watch phone. Not only have we been doing this for a long time, but this is a culmination of all our efforts to create the finest, most reliable, and most effective product money can buy. 

There are five main features that make Assure 4G stand out from the competition. 

Fall Alert with Automatic Calling:

If you or your elderly family member takes a tumble that knocks them unconscious, they won’t be able to do something such as dial a phone number or even hit a simple auto-call button. That’s why the Assure 4G comes with automatic fall detection and calling. 

If you fall and lose consciousness or the ability to manipulate objects, the Assure 4G will automatically place the call for you; even in the worst-case scenario, help is on the way. 

Video Calling and 2-Way Calling:

In the unfortunate event that the worst happens, and you seriously hurt yourself after a fall, the Assure 4G provides video calls and 2-way calling with your loved ones. You’re not stuck on the phone with customer support; you get to speak directly to the people you love and are comfortable with. This can make all the difference in a serious situation. 

GPS Location

Just letting someone know that you’ve fallen isn’t enough. If they can’t get to you quickly, it might be too late. 

That’s why we’ve incorporated the latest in GPS location technology to pinpoint your exact location at all times. If you’re wearing the Assure 4G, help will know exactly where to find you. 

This feature can also increase independence in elders who suffer from other conditions and might get lost or wander away from safe areas. 

1-Button Design:

The one-button design of the Assure 4G makes it exceptionally easy to use day-to-day. There are no complicated tech gizmos or silly operating requirements to worry about; even if you’re not good with tech. 

Quality of Life Features:

On top of its emergency features, the Assure 4G also functions like a standard smartwatch. You can set medical alerts to remind you to take medications or schedule doctor appointments, track your health, and have a multitude of other exciting features that will help you enjoy independent living safely. 

Try the New Assure 4G for Independent Living

Independent living can be scary. Thousands of elders fall and suffer serious injuries every year. The new Assure 4G was crafted with the purpose of preventing that. 

At WatchOvers, our approach is that we’re family caring for family. We put the best we have to offer into this SOS personal alarm watch just like we want for our own loved ones.

 If you’re living independently, or you have an elderly relative who does, or someone who needs support, try the Assure 4G Personal Alarm watch to keep everyone healthy, safe, and happy.  You will find full details at www.watchovers.com  

 

The Elderly and Falling: Staying Safe with Independent Living

It’s an unfortunate fact that, while people are enjoying longer and more fruitful lives overall, there are serious risks posed to elderly people due to their bodies continuously degrading over time. One of the biggest risks facing elderly individuals across the UK and Ireland is the risk of falling.

This year, one in three people over the age of 65 will sustain a potentially life-threatening fall. For those over the age of 80, the number is more staggering, and the falls are potentially more deadly.

We want to go over the fall risk posed to seniors, why it’s such a big deal to those living independently, and a solution to this problem that can allow seniors to maintain their independence safely.

The Risks of Falling and the Need for Immediate Help

Fall situations are extremely common, and they can create devastating situations for the elderly.

Unlike falling as a child, or when someone is in their prime, seniors face an increased chance of serious fractures, more substantial blood loss, concussions, or internal bleeding. This is largely caused by a lack of bone density, more fragile skin, and general degradation of the bodily integrity they had when they were young.

Those injuries are all extremely serious, and if they’re left unchecked, they can be deadly without the person even knowing that the situation is as bad as it is.

As such, it's important for seniors to get help as soon as possible when a fall occurs. Even if they feel as if their injuries are minor and they just need a bit of time to shake them off. A simple headache can be a concussion with life-threatening consequences, large patches of bruising might be internal bleeding that doesn't become obvious until it's too late, and a sore limb or bone might be a fracture that needs to be checked and wrapped immediately to prevent the development of worse issues.

How Living Alone can Make Falls Worse

Everyone wants to live independently, and as long as that’s a safe option, it should be something that seniors are allowed to do. However, independent living can make falls much worse; there’s no one around to help when a senior falls and can’t get themselves up, and it might be days before anyone outside of the home realises something is wrong. By then, the senior might succumb to wounds that could have easily been treated with immediate care.

How SOS Devices Help Seniors Stay Safe

A lot of the issues we mentioned above can be minimized with planning, a good sense of communication between family members and neighbours, and of course, having preemptive measures set up such as bathroom railings, staircase aids, and their home free of trip hazards. Knowing those key points is crucial for independent living. However, the risk of falling will always be present for seniors.

There is a solution; SOS devices can get help as soon as it’s required.

An SOS device is something that an elderly person can wear on their body, and when they fall, the device can be used to immediately contact help; whether the individual is able to stand up and reach a phone or not. Once the SOS is activated in an elderly falling situation, a service is contacted to dispatch help; how that help is received varies depending on the system.

An SOS system is important, because having something such as an SOS watch, means that elderly individuals can maintain independent living without worrying about a fall leaving them helpless until someone happens to stumble upon them. Help can be reached immediately, and the many life-threatening risks associated with elderly falling are minimized.

Nik for WatchOvers.com 22nd September 2022