One of the most important technological breakthroughs that have happened in medicine is the development of senior alert systems. They are designed to send out a signal when I retiree develops an acute illness which if not treated promptly could lead to severe morbidity or mortality. Individuals who are at risk of falls and medical events such as a heart attack should definitely use these systems.
The market for senior alert systems has grown rapidly over the past few years. Today, there are many designs available for use in different scenarios. These ranges from small devices that are worn on your body to wall mounted sensors which can be used in apartments in assisted living communities. Some of the benefits of these systems are:
They Can Work Without Your Input
Some senior alert systems are designed such that you do not need to make any input for the device to send out a distress signal. Alert systems that are designed to work this way a wearable devices or implanted ones. They work by detecting the movement of your body and then using artificial intelligence to decide whether it is a fall or not. Systems that integrated into these devices include accelerometers and G-force meters. Smart watches designed in the past two to three years have these features by default. When using the device for the first time, you may need to set up the alert system. This means indicating who should get the system signal when a fall or other event is detected. More advanced wearable devices can trace vitals and EKGs, and then send signal if an anomaly is detected.
They Enable You to Get Prompt Medical Treatment
The main point of using these devices is to make sure that events that need urgent intervention are identified and help sough rapidly. A fall detector will send out a signal indicating that you have fallen normally less than one second after the event. If you live in an assisted care community, team members will get this information and come to your aid as fast as possible. This allows you to get medical attention within a very narrow window period of time. In many cases this determines how well you will recuperate. In the treatment of conditions such as a stroke or a heart attack, time is of the essence, so this is important.
They Can Help Reduce the Cost of Health Care
Because the signal sent out from these devices enables you to get prompt medical help, your prognosis improves. This reduces the difficulty of treatment and increases your chances of fully recovering. It also reduces hospital stays, the number of drugs used and the number of specialized procedures that you will need. Your medical bill will thus be lower. Your health insurance deductibles will also be lower because your claim will not be as significant as someone who got the same condition but presented late.
Investing in these devices is well worth it. If you are at risk of having urgent medical events that need quick treatment, investing in one of these is an easy decision. Consult your healthcare provider for pointers on which devices to get, or which features the devices should have.
