@bearcatfan I really like the idea of asking the local hospital (or similar). One would think they ought to know what works in her area. Thanks!
This is a field that is really hot (because it’s really, really profitable for the companies that do it) and developing quickly. There are any number of different systems, and any number of different players offering them (alarm companies, phone and cable, electric utilities, hospitals). Last year’s best system may not be best now, and for any given individual the “best system” could be different.
@JHS This is why my mom asked me to look into it. She started to and got overwhelmed with all the different options. I was hoping to find actual testimony from someone who has one and likes it (without being a paid spokesperson).
I would NOT recommend an Apple 4 watch for an elderly person. I love mine, but it is way overkill for this purpose. It is also likely that they would not be wearing it at night (during sleep hours) when it is likely a fall could occur during a bathroom visit. The bands can also be tricky to work for less agile hands. I love the Alexis idea unless the person is unconscious.
Some of the “necklace” type with lanyards are choking risks.
I wonder about a baby monitor style camera that would send an image to my iPhone? My mother lives with us and I work from home so most of the time, things are fine, but when I leave, it would be nice to be able to check the couple of areas of the house where she goes.
Get a nest camera. It will send images to your phone and you can speak through it to her.
Adding upon what JHS said, I was an early contributor/advisor at a startup called Zanthion a couple of years ago. I don’t know how advanced they got but that might be a company you can look into.
We installed 3 nest cameras in my mother’s home. One with a view into the den and then beyond that the kitchen. One with a view to the stairs and one with a view to the dining room and the living room beyond it. We can use the mobile app at any time to look at the live view from any camera or to look at historical “tape” (a service that you hae to pay extra for). We can also speak to her through the camera but it is one-way, she can’t speak back to us. This plus a Ring video doorbell gives us a fair amount of peace of mind. Granted, it doesn’t provide a way for her to contact someone if she has fallen and can’t reach a phone. But we are making baby steps in terms of being able to keep her in her home safely for as long as we can.
If there are monitors like Furbo for pets with two-way communication, I am sure someone has a system for seniors
For my mom it’s helpful if she can contact help where she’s at should something happen. I’m often at work not paying attention to even my cell phone and H is often out in the field where cell phone service is wishful thinking. We also live 8 hours away, so can’t exactly pop right over.
She has a very good friend in the same town, but I doubt she wants him looking at cameras. She’d be ok if they called him to pop over and check on her though. I’ve done that when I couldn’t reach her.
@adlgel- the audio with the nest camera is TWO WAY. She can talk to you. Do you have it set to notify you for sounds and motion? When you arent talking you can hear them. Here’s the info from their website: https://nest.com/support/article/What-is-Nest-Cam-s-Talk-and-Listen-feature-and-how-does-it-work
@jym626 Yes, thanks for pointing that out. When we were purchasing the cameras we did a compare between Nest and Blink cameras and it was the Blink cameras that only had one-way audio. So I confused myself between the Nest (which we did get) and the Blink.
@adlgel - you made the better choice!!
GreatCall, maker of the Jitterbug phone for seniors, has alert devices.
@my-3-sons Do you have any personal experience with someone who has used them?
My parents are happy with the Jitterbug phones, but do not have the alert devices.
Updating with a real life recommendation.
MedicalAlert (add .com if you want their website)
My mom signed up for them last week. Today she was driving home (alone) from my aunt’s house and didn’t arrive. Two hours after she should have arrived my aunt called my sister to check on her. Mom wasn’t home. She wasn’t answering her cell phone. My sister called me. We tried calling the state police to ask if there had been accidents along the route and weren’t able to get much information - none car specific. I thought to try Medical Alert’s phone number to see if they could track her through her button (after all, if they know where you are when you’ve fallen, it only makes sense that they know where you are).
Fortunately, she subscribed to the variety that tracks you both at home and on the go. I had to push the button for “technical assistance” to get a human, but yes, they were able to find her. She was sick - very sick. She’s at the ER now with my sister.
This service is priceless to me. Thank you mom for getting it. If you’re looking for a recommendation, that’s my experience. I still can’t tell you how good they are in a fall, because that’s not what happened, but wow, I’m thankful she signed up and it worked for tonight.