First, Help! Aging Parents is a finalist again this year in Senior Homes’ Best of the Web 2012. A most sincere thank you to those of you who voted for my blog.

I spent most of yesterday on a plane and am spending today at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Translated there has been little time to write a long post today.

Since, as you know, I’m a firm believer in helping aging parents stay in their homes as long as possible, I’m revisiting technology devices from past posts to help parents age in place. (The most up-to-date information follows in my next post.)

Designed to help parents age well

Keeping an Eye on Parents to Help Them Age Well:
(https://helpparentsagewell.com/2010/07/30/799/) with links to 2 NY Times columns: the first–technology: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/garden/29hometech.html?pagewanted=2&ref=todayspaper) the second–literally keeping an eye on parents– a sort of Big Brother approach: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/29/garden/29parents.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

There are seniors who don’t mind the Big Brother technology–in fact become friends with this set-up. To get an idea, even if you only have one minute, it’s worth listening to part of this NPR segment. Click “Listen to the Story” on the NPR NEWS link— or–Read the full text below the link, where you can click a brief video segment and watch a “tela-caregiver” in action.

Of course when parents have an alert pendant adult children have a certain peace of mind thinking there’s help if a parent falls. It predisposes them to believe parents can age well in their homes with the right “equipment.” This is legitimate only if/when aging parents are committed to wearing the “right equipment” (necklace or bracelet). Often easier said, than done–trust me.

A selection of well-thought of or well-known alert pendants/bracelets were researched and compared by Sr. Advisors, an octogenarian friend and myself. This was done in preparation for Sr. Advisor R’s return home after surgery for the broken hip she suffered when she fell. Link to the first “Alert Pendant” post https://helpparentsagewell.com/2010/12/ then click the arrow to the second one.

People questioned whether cell phones were as helpful as alert pendants if an aging parent should fall. An August 2011 post https://helpparentsagewell.com/2011/08/23/best-cell-phones-for-seniors-alert-pendants-and-fall-prevention/ looks at the factors involved.

to be continued……