How Technology Helps Aging Parents Stay In Their Homes

NEENAH, Wis. - July 1, 2015 - PRLog -- Aging in place, the preferred lifestyle for older adults, requires tools and support that allow seniors to live in their own homes safely and independently. This concept is the foundation of The CareGiver Partnership (https://www.caregiverpartnership.com/), a national retailer of incontinence products and home health care supplies.

“Products and services to facilitate aging in place are continually emerging, with technology making a big impact on home safety and quality of life,” says Lynn Wilson, founder of The CareGiver Partnership. “There’s never been a better, easier time to age in place.”

With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day, manufacturers and service providers are adapting to the growing need for tools that allow seniors to safely and affordably remain in their homes as long as possible.

Universal design: Many builders, architects and designers today are embracing the concept of universal design — producing buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to older people, people with and without disabilities — by combining the latest technology and modifications. Tech innovations in this area include automated heating, cooling and lighting systems controlled by smartphone applications; environmental sensors that notify homeowners of water leaks, fire, broken windows or the presence of carbon monoxide; and motion sensors that control lighting, surveillance and door locks.

Universal design also is related to “visitability,” having a home where friends or family members who rely on wheelchairs or walkers could comfortably visit or live there. Elements of such a home include zero-egress entry, wide doorways, easy-access counters, levered faucets and more. Putting these principles into practice, the founders of The CareGiver Partnership built a home in 2013 that serves as a state-of-the-art demonstration center by incorporating a wide range of these aging-in-place elements.

Home and health care apps: With the Apple Watch — and new HomeKit, HealthKit and other apps —we’ll be able to control a broad range of devices with the touch of a display. Plans for future functionality include using watches to control home lighting, temperature and security, as well as monitor nutrition, exercise and health — the possibilities are endless. Read more (http://blog.caregiverpartnership.com/2015/05/apples-new-h...) about how the Internet of Things will help aging parents and others stay in their homes.

Personal Emergency Response Systems: For the elderly interested in the extra security of monitoring at home, companies like Philips Lifeline make personal emergency response systems (PERS). Lifeline products include easy-to-use phones, smartphone apps, a waterproof pendant that allows the wearer to call for help 24 hours a day, and Auto Alert, which detects falls and calls for help. Visit The CareGiver Partnership for a special discount (http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/landing/philips/) on Lifeline.

For those looking for simpler solutions at home, new products continually arrive on the market, from amplified big-button phones to medication reminders to Web-enabled surveillance cameras.

Visit The CareGiver Partnership for more information on aging in place, free resources and online support.

The CareGiver Partnership is a national direct-to-consumer retailer of home healthcare products for incontinence, diabetes, nutrition support and more. In addition to providing products and services that help caregivers and loved ones maintain personal dignity since 2004, the company also offers an online library of more than 1,500 family caregiver resources and personal service by experts in caregiving. Call 1-800-985-1353 or visit online at caregiverpartnership.com.