Holidays. Birthdays. Graduations. The special events families celebrate together all provide opportunities to make new memories and share old stories. It’s a time for distant family and friends to be together. But with parents aging and adult siblings often separated by long distances as well as juggling jobs and their own families, special events are also a perfect time to plan for the future. That’s why Halo Monitoring, maker of myHalo, the most advanced medical alarm with automatic fall detection, is urging families to use the holidays as a time to talk about caring for aging parents.
“Holidays and special celebrations bring children who live away and will notice dramatic changes in a parent’s health together with siblings who deal with these health issues constantly, so it’s a good time to compare notes and work together,” says Chris Otto, CEO of Halo Monitoring. “While no one wants to think about themselves or family members needing care, planning ahead puts a family in better control of its future and the resources needed to provide for it.”
In its book, “The Four Steps of Long Term Care Planning,” the National Care Planning Council provides guidelines for family planning meetings to discuss caregiving options. Here are a few key points:
- If the meeting is for someone already receiving care or needing care soon, that person, a member of the family, or an advisor or friend could conduct the meeting.
- Encourage discussion and try to get input from everyone.
- After thoroughly discussing the issues and the solutions to the problems that could be faced, there should be a consensus of everyone to support the plan. Remember it is not always possible to please everyone so people must be willing to compromise.
- At the end of the meeting, everyone present must commit to support the plan.
- WRITE IT DOWN! Good intentions are often forgotten over time, so if there are commitments to prepare meals or run errands, write the commitments down.
“Very often the elderly parent or grandparent wants to remain at home where it’s safe, comfortable and affordable, however someone with the ability to help needs to be close by just in case,” adds Otto. “That’s when families should consider a home monitoring system because it is critical that help arrive within the first hours of a fall.”
Most fall detection systems are designed with panic buttons. Those devices require a senior to push a button on pendant they are wearing that will send a call for help to a monitoring station. The latest in fall detection technology includes devices that detect a fall and automatically call for help. myHalo, produced by Huntsville, AL based Halo Monitoring, is the latest version. myHalo replaces the wearable pendant with a device that fits on a belt clip.
The advanced myHalo system not only sends an automatic alert- no need to push a button- in the event of a fall, it is the first system of its kind to monitor the user’s health and physical activity 24/7. Through the use of a private, secure website, the system provides the ability for designated persons and family to “look-in” on an elderly loved one for peace of mind without invading their personal privacy.
Howard and Sue Long, who live in York, Pennsylvania, decided to get myHalo for Howard as a precaution. He’s 84 and has undergone several hip replacements.
“I’m pretty active and didn’t think I needed it but my wife and our children insisted,” says Long. “A few months after the system was activated, I fell while moving a piece of furniture. The myHalo call center was on the phone in seconds making sure I was ok. That quick response convinced me myHalo was worth it. My whole family agrees.”
“Every families needs are different and there are many tools and services available to help maintain independence. But myHalo has the most advanced fall detection and is a critical part of any complete care plan,” adds Otto.
