As society ages, there is an increased need for developing a trustworthy and efficient elderly monitoring system. Most seniors wish to age in place, in a familiar and comfortable environment, and we need to find solutions that support a healthy and active lifestyle.

The desire to age at home is understandable (and preferable in most cases), but we must be mindful of the potential risks it presents, including isolation, depression, physical inactivity, self-neglect, and even being prone to household accidents.

Family caregivers, who usually commit to supporting their elderly loved ones from afar while juggling other responsibilities, may fear remote caregiving is not enough.

Fortunately, there are solutions.

Studies show that senior home monitoring systems, such as CareAlert, can play a crucial role in maintaining the health and safety of aging loved ones, as well as filling the human resource gaps in caring for older adults. These systems allow for discreet, non-invasive monitoring of seniors' activity and can provide peace of mind for the elderly individual and their caregiver.

In this article, we'll explore the benefits of using CareAlert's elderly monitoring system, and how it can help you take better care of your aging parents and grandparents, even from afar.

Whether you are a trained family caregiver or you have recently found yourself in the situation of quickly adapting to new caregiving responsibilities, this article is for you!

8 Ways CareAlert's Elderly Monitoring System Makes Long-Distance Caregiving Easier

As a long-distance caregiver, it’s natural to worry about the well-being of your aging loved one:

• Is Mom alright at home? Did she take her medication today?
• Did Dad return home safely after grocery shopping?
• Did my grandmother finish her shower with no incident?

While you can check up on them in various ways (visiting, calling,or  installing a security camera for seniors), it’s not always enough. For example, as a caregiver, you don't always have to time to check on the senior personally, so installing a monitoring system could be a great idea to both save time and check how they are doing. At the same time, the device can complement in-person care, so you don't miss any subtle clue that something might be wrong about their environment or well-being.

We believe that CareAlert can make remote caregiving much easier and more reliable. Here’s how!

1. CareAlert Helps You Keep a Safe and Healthy Home Environment

A healthy family starts with a healthy home.

CareAlert uses advanced sensors and machine learning technology to track important data like air quality, light, sound, motion, temperature, humidity, pressure, and vibration. Then, it sums up and interprets the information to let you know, in real time, how your elderly parent is faring, via the connected smartphone app.

2. It’s More Discreet and Convenient than Cameras or Wearable Monitoring Devices for Elderly Individuals

Wearable monitoring devices for elderly individuals are not yet a suitable solution for everyone. People usually dislike having a 'mark' on them that betrays their old age. Due to the stigma, many seniors avoid wearing these kinds of devices and thus, are more prone to accidents.

At the 2023 CES conference, there was a lot of discussion about making PERS (Personal Emergency Response Systems) more inclusive, functional, and fashionable. We welcome any improvement in this regard, as people have different needs and preferences when it comes to tracking their health and well-being.

If you’re looking for an alternative solution for monitoring elderly parents remotely, CareAlert can be a viable option. The device is unobtrusive (it resembles a tasteful nightlight), and it’s much more preferable than, for example, installing a security camera for seniors.

Rest assured that CareAlert does not record video or audio footage, nor does it save or share any other personal data.

3. The Monitoring System Is Active 24/7 Because It Doesn’t Need Batteries or Recharging

CareAlert doesn't require batteries or recharging, making it dependable for remote caregiving.

You can plug the device into any electrical outlet in the bathroom, kitchen, or any other room with a lot of activity, so it can learn the patterns of your parent’s daily habits.

What’s more, in case of a power outage, CareAlert can be used as an emergency backup light or flashlight.

4. You Can Communicate with Your Elderly Loved One at Any Time

Unlike other elderly home monitoring devices, CareAlert allows you to easily communicate with your aging parent if you cannot reach them on their phone. You can talk to them at any time, similarly to using an intercom or a walkie-talkie.

Caregivers who purchased the device for their relatives awarded this as one of their favorite features, especially since many of us can be quite forgetful when it comes to recharging our phones on time or having them close by.

5. It Helps Your Aging Parent Remember Their Daily Routines

CareAlert allows you to create audio notifications to help your aging parent remember their routines or appointments.

For seniors dealing with memory impairment, this feature is particularly helpful for following day-to-day grooming tasks and maintaining a healthy diet.

The best part is that you can record the messages in your own voice so that your loved one is more comfortable hearing the reminders.

6. It Helps Detect Early Signs of Depression or Other Illnesses

CareAlert uses advanced technology to analyze health parameters like hygiene, sleep, and eating habits. It can also connect to various gadgets that keep track of vital signs such as heart rate, physical activity, blood pressure, and more.

It takes around two weeks for the AI to adjust to your parent’s particular habits and identify a baseline routine, and it gets smarter the more you use it.

Having so much data on hand, caregivers and medical providers are able to detect early signs of depression or other health issues.

7. You Will Be Alerted in Case of Any Abnormal Activity

The main purpose of CareAlert is to notify you in case of a lack of activity or other abnormal behaviour, to help ensure the safety of your loved one.

While it doesn’t provide fall detection like some wearable monitoring devices for elderly individuals, CareAlert can report various issues that can indicate a possible fall:

• Lack of activity at various time intervals
• Certain activities that take longer than usual
• Unusual floor movement or loud sounds

It’s worth noting that devices renowned for the ability to detect falls are not completely dependable. Companies that develop them can never guarantee a 100% detection of falls, so the users would still need to push a help button if they suffer any injury. However, research and experience have shown that seniors don’t always ask for help because they don’t want to be a burden to other people. That’s why we believe that having an advanced monitoring system is much more reliable than a wearable device.

Another advantage of CareAlert is that you can use it as a burglar alarm as well. To do this, you only need to turn on the ‘vacation mode’ in your connected app’s settings when you know that your parents are away from home. Since it can detect movement, it will alert you of anything suspicious right away.

8. Our Elderly Monitoring System Facilitates Collaboration with Other Caregivers in the Family

Sharing your caregiving tasks with other family members is one of the best things you can do to make this job less stressful and more sustainable.

CareAlert is a collaborative tool that allows you to add up to five caregivers to the system, making remote caregiving a team effort.

Ensure Peace of Mind with CareAlert's Remote Caregiving System

If you are looking for a comprehensive solution for long-distance caregiving, look no further! With features like easy communication, daily routine reminders, and real-time updates via the connected smartphone app, CareAlert offers a range of benefits to caregivers. Additionally, the ability to collaborate with other family members makes it a powerful tool for families looking to provide better care for their aging loved ones.

Contrary to popular belief, aging does not have to mean the loss of independence and joy. With the right tools, it can become a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. As Charlotte Yeh, chief medical officer of AARP Services mentioned at CES 2023, aging in place should feel like “thriving in motion”.

At SensorsCall, we are committed to making a positive impact in the lives of caregivers and their elderly loved ones. If you have any questions regarding our senior home monitoring system, don’t hesitate to get in touch.