With old age may come diminished physical capability. When you’re young, you can usually brush off trips and falls, and keep on going. This is not necessarily the case for senior citizens, for whom a minor fall can have devastating consequences. The risk of serious injury from minor falls is significantly increased for seniors who live on their own.
Over 94% of Australia’s senior citizens live in their own homes, many of them completely alone. A medical alert system can mean the difference between life and death by allowing isolated seniors to easily call for help.
So how do you find the best medical alert systems for your elderly relatives to use?
Product Reviews
Reviews are one of the most effective ways of finding a suitable medical alert system for yourself or your aging loved ones. In reviews, you will find a lot of information about the product that you are considering buying. When you are reading reviews, do your best to ensure they are unbiased. Some unscrupulous people pay for reviews of products, leading to both biased individual reviews as well as skewed aggregate review scores. This is definitely something that you want to avoid when you are looking for senior alert systems . Independent review sites and reviews posted by trusted sources, such as newspapers, or well known product testing outlets, like Choice will also give you the opportunity to learn about new products that you may have never heard of before.
In addition to reading independent reviews, you can read user reviews on the retailer’s website. Most retailers allow customers to leave product reviews. In these reviews, you will be able to see what customers have to say about the product. These reviews may help give you a clear picture of how the product works, especially when used in combination with reviews made by independent reviewers on their blogs.
Medical Advice
Your doctor or your loved one’s doctor may be able to give you advice on which senior alert system you should invest in. In some cases, they may even be able to facilitate the device’s purchase for you. A doctor’s advice is not to be overlooked, especially when it comes to medical devices, as many doctors, especially those who specialise in elderly patients may deal with these sorts of devices on a daily basis, making them likely to know which are the most effective.
You should be able to schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss these devices, though due to COVID-19’s impact on Australia’s healthcare industry , this appointment may have to take place over the phone, rather than in person. With that said, if a senior alert system is your only reason for booking an appointment, it’s not advisable to make an appointment that could be of use to somebody else, considering everything that is going on at the moment.
Online Forums
There are thousands of forums and a number of them cater specifically to senior citizens, carers, and people involved in senior care. If you are struggling to find a senior alert system, then these forums may be a great place to look, because you can get information from people who are in the know. Australian forums such as Agedcare101 and Whirlpool are a great place to start.
When you are using these forums, try to provide as much information as you can about your loved one’s condition, so that other users can recommend the best products for your situation. There are literally hundreds of different alert systems available for purchase and if you aren’t specific, you could wind up being recommended a system that’s not ideal for your situation. Make sure to specify how much you have to spend when posting online so that people can make appropriate recommendations. If you don’t make your budget clear, then people may recommend devices that are outside your means.
Comparison Websites
Comparison websites are another place that’s worth checking out. While these websites are designed to help you find a single product for a variety of prices, many will also recommend alternative products that consumers have purchased instead of the one that you are looking for. If you want to use a comparison website to find alternative products, simply paste a link to a popular senior alert system. When the comparison engine begins displaying results, you will inevitably end up with several that are for alternative devices. Make sure to conduct your own research into these products before buying, so that you can ensure they are of good quality.
Word of Mouth
If you know of any other senior citizens that use alert systems in your community, then it’s worth asking them for their advice. It’s highly likely that they, more than anyone else, will be able to recommend the best alert system. They will also be able to advise you against purchasing specific systems that they have tried in the past and didn’t work for them.
In addition to asking senior citizens, you should also ask carers and the children of people who use medical alert systems. The children of seniors who use these devices can be very useful sources of information, because they are likely the ones who purchased the device for their parents, to begin with. Whenever you are asking people for referrals, beware of bias. There’s always a chance that a person is trying to encourage you to buy a medical device so that they can benefit from your purchase. If they try to send you a referral link, this is probably the case.
Browsing Online
Conducting an internet search is a very effective way of finding a senior alert system. According to Timesunion.com , the best medical alert systems offer a variety of useful features, including GPS location tracking, automatic fall detection, and medication reminders. These are all things to consider when you are conducting your online search.
If you key in “medical alert system” on any of the major search engines, you are likely to find a long list of results. With this list, you can then use the tips put forward in this article to make a more informed decision. You should read reviews, ask people for their advice, and see what people have to say about specific devices on forums and in chat rooms.
A medical alert system can be very useful for senior citizens, particularly those who are vulnerable or live alone. Not only are these devices extremely affordable, but they are also widely available. Purchasing one might be the best decision that you ever make. If you’d like to talk to a doctor about medical alert systems, the fastest and easiest way to search for and book healthcare appointments online is with MyHealth1st.