For many aging seniors, aging in place and continuing to live independently for as long as possible is a high priority. Older adults tend to value their independence, and it can be difficult to find themselves relying on others more and more as changes in physical health make it impossible to continue the same degree of independence they once enjoyed. Especially for seniors who live alone, a personal emergency system can make all the difference in the world by ensuring that help is always just the press of a button away, making it safer for seniors to live independently longer.

Safety First: Making the Home Safe for Independent Living

Decreased eyesight, impaired hearing, weaker bones and muscles, and cognitive impairments are all parts of aging that can make it more difficult to continue to live independently. Some steps you can take to make your home safer for independent living as you get older include:

• Seat additions, non-slip mats, and hand rails. These features can make a walk-in shower much easier and safer to navigate, minimizing the risk of falling.
• Sticking to a single level. Seniors in multi-level homes that frequently navigate stairs in order to go from one floor to another should be mindful of the trip and fall risk posed by stairs, particularly if they are covered by a carpet or rug that could wrinkle or if they are slippery hardwood. Containing your life as much as possible to a single level can significantly decrease your risk of falling and sustaining an injury.
• Don’t isolate yourself. For seniors living alone, it can become easy to go days at a time without seeing another person. Not only does this mean that it could take a long time for someone to notice if you had a health emergency and couldn’t call for help; it also makes you more prone to depression and a decline in memory and cognitive functioning. Human interactions are crucial to maintaining good health, both physically and mentally.

How a Personal Emergency System Can Increase Independence

Safety concerns are the number one reason that seniors become less able to live independently, whether the worry is their own or comes from concerned family members. A personal emergency system is a wearable alert device, typically a bracelet or pendant, that is equipped with a button that can be pressed to summon emergency services, alert a family member, or speak with an operator. In case of a fall or other emergency, the senior won’t have to worry about reaching the nearest phone and remembering the correct number, but instead can simply press a button to be immediately connected with help.

Different personal emergency alert systems come equipped with a variety of different features, including GPS tracking, automatic fall detection in case the senior is unable to reach the button, and more. To learn more about the different options available and decide which is best suited to meet your needs and match your lifestyle, see what’s available on our reviews page.