Tools For Better Living

By Dave Neumaier

Every tradesman or professional understands the importance of having and using the right tools. Whether you are a doctor, dentist, mechanic, carpenter, engineer, chef, babysitter or paratrooper, tools clearly matter. Tools save time, money and worries. They can even save lives. So, as a family member, friend or professional make sure that each senior in your life is empowered with the right tools for greater safety, wellness and happiness.

What would life be like today without fax machines, cell phones, internet, email, GPS, and countless other digital conveniences? Where would we be without contacts, lasik and advanced eyewear or hearing aides and cochlear implants, let alone advancements in prosthetic limbs and wheelchairs? Now imagine how technology can aid seniors along with their families and caregivers to create a safer, more proactive and productive environment.

Even though few are aware, solutions are now available that change senior's lives for the better. A new watch based monitoring system allows for wireless communication via a secure mesh network in a facility or residence.

Its form factor is attractive while it provides a wealth of information including heart rate, O2 saturation, skin and ambient temperature. It analyzes your personal gate over a period of 30 days so that it can differentiate between sitting, lying down, instability and falling. It can determine if an impact or fall has taken place.

A “panic button” or “nurse call” button is provided on the watch. A second button allows for communication in managed therapy. Ideal for seniors with memory loss where you can track where an individual is in a facility or home. GPS tracking is coming soon.

Additionally, this “Wonder Watch” is tied to a “logically centralized repository for real time data and events, patient profiles and annotations by health care teams.” In other words, information is securely directed real time to predetermined parties with notes. Subtle variations using cognitive analysis software can track trends and patterns that may be difficult to determine otherwise.

Furthermore, “tripwire” alerts can be created for medical intervention when physiological data is triggered. Simply stated, Mom falls and daughter, nurse and/or emergency service knows without any buttons being pressed. This open platform also can support third party sensors such as scales, glucose monitoring, automation, security, and communication devices.

Overall, this watch is the Swiss army knife of senior care tools doing many things well, simply and affordably.