RetirementHomes.com - Gadget Reviews

How wearable technology can keep you younger - longer

aadmin — Mon, 25 May 2015 20:42:09 +0000

How Wearables Can Help You Stay Healthy

From the Pebble to the Apple Watch to Samsung Galaxy Gear, smartwatches are the talk of the town. Are you ready to jump on the bandwagon?

Wearables are great for keeping track of your health and keeping you safe as you age. These are some of my favorite wearables for seniors.

Track your steps

It is important to keep active, especially as you age. Fitness trackers like the Fitbit make exercising fun and you will love watching your step count increase.

You can set activity goals and compete with your friends to see who moves the most. The companion app helps you record what you eat and track how much you move each day. You can even wear it to bed and learn how well you sleep.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a bore. Make it fun with a fitness tracker.

Improve your posture

Remember when Mom used to remind you to sit up straight? It’s easy to slouch, but your back will hate you for it later. Posture monitors like Lumo Back will help you train to have good posture.

These devices vibrate when you slouch for too long. You can wear it around your abdomen or on your neck. That little reminder will help you take notice of how you hold yourself.

Sitting up straight will increase your core and back strength, which is key to long-term health. You will feel better and look more confident with your back straight and your head held high.

Stay safe

Medical alerts are an important part of a successful aging in place plan. You can connect to personalized help at the push of a button. Seek the newest models with fall detection technology like those from Alert1. These pendants sense if you fall and call for help.

Get moving

It’s easy to plop down in front of the computer or TV and sit there for hours. When you emerge, you feel stiff and realize you haven’t stood up in hours. And that’s dangerous. Sitting all day can increase your risk of diabetes, heart attacks, and obesity.

Activity reminders, like those in the Apple Watch, help you avoid the trap of sitting all day. Every couple of hours, you will feel a buzz from your wrist as a reminder to get up and move. Even a small bit of walking around can improve your health.

See your improvement

Want to know how effective your workouts are? Heartbeat sensors like those in the Samsung Galaxy Gear help you get a more accurate picture of your fitness. Working out makes your heart stronger. With a heartbeat sensor you can see your improvement. As you get more fit, your heart won’t have to work as hard.

Recover faster

Physical therapy is challenging. Dutch fashion designer Pauline van Dongen has created a sweater that makes it a bit easier.

This sweater acts like a wearable physical therapist. It is woven with sensors and conductive fibers that record motion data. It tracks your progress as you go through the rehabilitation process. When you do physical therapy exercises, it makes sounds to help you do the exercises the right way.

While not yet available to consumers, the wearable physical therapy sweater is coming soon. Rehabilitation is difficult, but this new technology makes it easier. You will get better faster. And you will do it by wearing a comfortable sweater.

Wearables Are Here To Stay

With the rise of wearables we can know more about our health than even before. These gadgets will help you keep track of your progress and encourage you to stay active and healthy.

And this is only the beginning. The future is here, and it is making aging easier than ever.

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Learning and Technology

Maryland retirement home gets own Zipcars

aadmin — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 12:20:00 +0000

In the race to find technological solutions for an aging population, one senior living community is already out of the gate. Roland Park Place, a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Baltimore, Maryland, recently launched their own Zipcars, a unique car rental service where renters can share a car, or book the vehicle by the hour.

Keith Spillane, Roland Park Place’s VP of Finance, told RetirementHomes.com that there were a number of factors which caused them to bring on two Zipcars of their own, including a shortage of parking space on campus, environmental considerations, as well as increasing the ease and convenience for older people who don’t have their own vehicles. In addition, the Zipcars are helping the bottom line of Roland Park Place’s residents, Spillane said. “For those residents that use their car very infrequently, this could also be a cost savings option as well since insurance, gas, and maintenance are all included,” he said.

For many seniors without vehicles of their own, daily outdoor activities – even when living in a senior living community – can be trying, including going to the local coffee shop or restaurant, visiting friends and family, or even just going to the shopping mall.

Without a car, especially during the cold and snowy winter months, waiting outside for public transportation can be dangerous for older and vulnerable seniors, so the ability to rent a car, especially for a short time, can be a big help.

While Zipcars are available throughout Baltimore, and much of the United States and Canada, Roland Park Place physically houses two vehicles of their own – a Nissan Versa, and a Honda Fit – so residents are able to pick up the car without leaving the campus.

According to Jeremy Pomp, General Manager of Zipcar Baltimore, more seniors are using the vehicle sharing option, often for the financial savings. “For any age group – including seniors – owning a vehicle is both a hassle and expensive, especially when the vehicle sits idle most of the day or for multiple days,” he said. “Zipcar members report savings of up to $600 per month compared to car ownership.

Zipcar is a great option for seniors who want on-demand access to a car, but don’t want to deal maintenance and high-costs.” Beyond the financial savings for seniors, Pomp said that many seniors and older people are also attracted to the environmental benefits which come along with car sharing.

“Zipcar has been proven to reduce car ownership in cities like Baltimore,” he said. “Third-party research shows that each Zipcar eliminates the need for up to 15 personally owned vehicles – which will ultimately free up more parking and make roads less congested.”

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How technology is making seniors safer

aadmin — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 17:55:46 +0000

Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple are the well-known technology titans changing the world. They have delivered self-driving cars, drone deliveries, and computer watches to the masses. But can the kings of the Internet Age defeat Father Time? Don’t bet on it.

Until Google invents a cure to aging, smart home technology is filling the void. The new range of emerging home technologies will change your life.

Imagine -- a remote controlled home. Waking up to the smell of coffee. Never needing to flip a light switch. Always being the perfect temperature. A smart home learns your preferences so that everything is ready exactly when you need it. It sounds like something from Star Trek, but if you have a smart phone, you can now control your entire house from one device.

The future is here. With a few smart products and a single app, and you’ll see how easy it is to make your home more accessible and simply easier (and more fun) to use. This post discusses the new smart home technologies that will change aging forever.

The Perfect Environment

Everything just as you like it – that’s the beauty of a smart home. Start your day off right when your home makes you the perfect cup of coffee and plays an energizing morning playlist. As you move around your home, the lights automatically turn on thanks to motion sensors.

Why dash to the thermostat on cold mornings when you can wake up to your ideal temperature? Smart thermostats learn what you like throughout the day so that you never have to get up to turn the heat on and off. To save energy, your home can turn the temperature down and the lights off when you leave, or for security it can make it look like you’re at home when you’re on the go.

For those with limited hand mobility or for those who simply want a luxurious experience, a smart shower adjusts to your ideal temperature, angle, and intensity. To enhance your experience, you can enjoy your favorite playlist, colored mood lighting, and aromatherapy.

In your smart home you’ll never need to fuss with the lights, shower temperature, or thermostat – everything will be customized just how you like it, automatically.

Chores Made Easy

Do you always forget to unload the washing machine? Avoid musty clothes with a washer and dryer that tells you when the laundry’s done. With your smartphone you can communicate with all of your appliances.

Your refrigerator can tell you if you need more milk and your oven can tell you that your food is ready. Getting all of your alerts on one device makes it easier to remember household tasks.

Better Home Security

Smart home security systems keep a sharp eye on your home and let you see what’s going on in your house at any time. Since you and your home have gotten to know each other, it can notify you of important events or if anything unusual happens, and you can control it all from the palm of your hand.

Smart doors mean you no longer need to fumble with your keys. Just walk up to your door and enter – your smartphone serves as your identification. Some smart doors will even open for you like your own personal butler. With no keys, locks, or handles, you can easily move about your home while maintaining privacy and security.

You set who you want your home to open for, and you can get notifications that they've arrived. And what if someone unexpected shows up as your door? Take a look at the picture your home sends to you for your approval. If it turns out to be someone you want to let in, you can unlock the doors from your phone – you don’t even need to be at home! If it is intruder, you can press your panic button to sound an alarm and summon help.

Do you tend to forget if you've closed the garage door? No need to worry about it all day – your home will text you that it closed it for you. If there is unwanted motion in your home, including doors, windows, and cabinets, an alarm will sound and you will get an instant alert and photographs so you can see what’s happening. You will also be notified of more subtle threats, including a buildup of moisture that can cause structural damage.

It’s easy to forget to lock your doors or not notice moisture buildup. Smart homes keep watch for you when you aren't home, and allow you to monitor and control your home no matter where you are.

Conclusion

With today’s technology you can control almost everything in your home with your smartphone. You've worked hard all your life taking care of your home – it’s time to enjoy your golden years and have your home work for you.

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Learning and Technology

Staying ahead of the Wii Learning Curve

aadmin — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 11:58:27 +0000

Video games allow people to venture into a world fueled by the imagination. A virtual reality can be a lot of fun whether you’re a child, middle aged professional or older adult! Play a video game and you can be almost anything — a race car driver, a web slinging super hero, a soccer star or a tennis mogul. The possibilities are limitless. In today’s digital society, video games are one of the most popular forms of escapism, which we all need from time to time :)

Nintendo Wii - The New Normal in Assisted Living

It’s universal for assisted living centers and retirement communities to host video game events in their weekly activities calendars. The game console of choice is Nintendo Wii due to the social flavor of the gaming experience. The controls are simple and easy for new players to enjoy on their first try in an enticing assortment of games, including golf, bowling, boxing, and fishing.

Wii was the first mainstream video game console to use motion sensors primarily to control the gameplay. With motion sensory, Wii players control the games with physical movements. While holding a wireless controller, players’ motions are tracked by an infrared sensor, setting off actions in real time within the video game.

The Intuitive, Natural Feel of Wii

The learning curve is short to play video games on Wii, because the physical motions to control the games are designed to be intuitive and natural. When a couple of old time sluggers in Wii's homerun derby swing the wireless controller, the virtual player on the screen swings in unison. Players can stand close or far away because the accuracy of the motion sensory is remarkable as is the range of the wireless controller. The console is inclusive and accessible for seniors to get familiar with the basic motions of Wii games within minutes.

There are two important points to consider when setting up a Nintendo Wii event:

Have extra batteries on-hand for the wireless controllers to ensure no one is left out if power runs out.
Place the infrared sensor that detects the motion of the wireless controller at an adequate height. For players who are sitting, the sensor may need to be positioned lower so the motion is detected properly.

Wii encourages everyone to participate in physical activities that form relationships and a sense of community. Residents can play against each other or as teammates head-to-head on the Internet against other retirement communities to promote good old fashion, healthy competition! Just remember what Tom Hanks said in A League of Their Own, “There’s no crying in baseball!” :)

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Accessibility Settings Make Technology Use Easier for Seniors

aadmin — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:09:56 +0000

With our forever changing world of digital technology, comes a universal design movement with significant focus on increasing the accessibility of the gadgets we use. The customizable settings on our devices make modern technology more accommodating to all potential users, instead of a smaller, more particular user base.

Devices like tablets make it possible for seniors in residences and everywhere to get started using the Internet and the seemingly endless opportunities created by it. The touch screen design and light weight of tablets make them easy to handle and control with one hand.

Additionally, there are accessibility options available on tablets that help adapt the device to the specific needs and interests of different users, including those with vision and hearing challenges.

Voice Over and Zoom Accessibility

Voice Over is a common accessibility setting on tablets that will read all the text displayed on the screen out loud to users. This application is helpful when reading Emails, online articles, or Facebook. Utilizing these common tools becomes possible for people who might have avoided them because of difficulty seeing text on the screen.

For older people who need to make the tablet's text bigger, Zoom is a common accessibility option that uses multi-touch commands to zoom in on screen contents. It’s important to recognize that not everything on a tablet can be zoomed in on by default. This zoom accessibility option makes this function possible. Using three fingers at once, users can zoom in on text, pictures, video... just about everything, so it can be easily seen.

Bluetooth Connectivity and Hearing Aids

For older music junkies and film buffs, many tablets are compatible with modern hearing aids, playing audio from the tablet through the hearing aid itself using Bluetooth connectivity. This technology makes the sound much clearer and easy to listen too, especially when video conferencing on Skype.

Another helpful tablet accessibility setting is the LED flash notification, designed to signal users who cannot hear the traditional chimes and dings made by tablets when new information becomes available, like new emails or text messages.

Voice Recognition

A truly accessible feature that everyone finds valuable is Voice Recognition (Siri on iPad and “OK Google” on Android). With these tools, a user can operate some tablet functions using only their voice; like finding information online, composing emails, or saving dates in a calendar, to name just a few.

Due to this amazing leap in technology, new users intimidated by typing on a keyboard, realize the accuracy and simplicity of voice recognition and how quickly they can learn how to use it. Everyone likes feeling comfortable as they steadily progress on something new.

With the right guidance and support, anyone with a willingness to learn can adopt technology use into their life. Ongoing dedication to universal design will ensure that gadgets will continue to improve at accommodating more users, facing different challenges and requiring more individualized customizations. Until then, there are some terrific accessibility tools, already helping people get online around the world.

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Touch Screen Technologies for Seniors with Dementia

aadmin — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 09:34:07 +0000

Technology is easier to use than ever before. Tablets and touch screen monitors have forever changed the way we interact with technology, making the experience much more accessible and accommodating for new users.

Tablets and touch screens can be used by anyone, including older adults living with dementia, mobility and dexterity issues, and other common disabilities, like vision impairments. Everybody – with guidance, support, and a willingness to learn – can find great value in touch technologies and the Internet.

Tablets are the easiest device for beginners. Older adults without previous computer experience can begin by playing online games, asking Google to find information using a “voice search” command, or zooming in on their home town map - in only a few minutes.

Tablets simplify accessing the Internet with their light weight and intuitive design, opening the gateway to amazing user possibilities. The primary reason tablet computers are so helpful for seniors is due to their user-friendly controls. Unlike a computer or laptop, a tablet’s touchscreen interface only needs one finger for basic control. Even those with shaky grips or limited dexterity can still accurately touch the screen by implementing a stylus pen.

A huge benefit of having access to tablets and the Internet is free entertainment. Many complimentary games are available on tablets to stimulate the player’s mind, including puzzles, word games, memory games, and sports games, like golf. These games are often considered to assist in brain fitness. They push players to think, be creative, solve problems, and complete tasks. Games can be great fun as a viable means of escapism, which we all occasionally need. The look on someone's face driving a virtual race car at a hundred miles an hour is priceless :)

Another popular use for tablets is watching online videos, through“apps” like YouTube. Users can call up videos of anything they want ... from live music concerts and old television shows, to knitting instructions and documentaries about World War II. There are online videos on just about everything for all to enjoy.

It may not be possible for some individuals with dementia to remember all the steps in operating tablets. It’s suggested that someone stay close to act as a technology coach. New learners will feel they are positively progressing, instead of forgetting what to do next, or accidentally tapping on an in-app advertisement, which can happen to the best of us.

Having a guide to answer questions, or set up activities or games, motivates seniors to try new things that could make them uncomfortable on their own. Often, quick reminders of the simple controls helps users with dementia progress and overcome small hurdles in seconds, which positively reinforces their own accomplishments too!

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Teaching Positive Technology Techniques to Retirement Residents - A Case Study

aadmin — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 12:17:08 +0000

Modern technology has forever changed how we interact with and understand the world around us. Every day, the importance of technology’s role in our society increases. As gadgets get better and more intertwined in our daily lives, we often forget how frequently we use technology to enhance our day to day living. Whether it’s accessing information and entertainment, learning new things and exploring unfamiliar places, or communicating with loved ones, using technology has become essential to living a full life in today’s digital world.

The nature of technology is to change over time. As it improves, this change happens faster and more frequently, which leaves individuals with limited exposure to new technologies behind. Older adults in particular make up one of the largest demographics that do not fully benefit from the endless possibilities technology can provide. Quite often this is caused by a lack of access to the modern technologies available and unfamiliarity with how to use them.

Recognizing this void in the community, ETAG was founded in 2008 to provide accessible technology assistance to older adults specifically, bridging the digital divide between generations. ETAG’s Technology Enabled Living program focuses on providing technology education and support to seniors living in retirement lifestyle communities. Equipped with a variety of laptop computers, tablets, and WiFi Internet, ETAG’s mobile technology lab and patient instructors help residents plug into the essential, life changing technologies many of us take for granted.

Advocating for Technology for Residents

The ability to learn about technology in the comfort of home is important because it helps illustrate how practical and convenient today’s digital gadgets and Internet tools can be. It also helps seniors recognize the value of using devices like tablets and cell phones in everyday life. For these reasons, it’s important for retirement communities to be advocates for technology and encourage residents to try things like a computer and the Internet, even if they have no previous experience, because of the amazing opportunities these common tools make possible.

To get seniors interested in using technology, there are a few key things a retirement home’s team can do. First, have a variety of technologies available for residents to use. Having a few device options is necessary to accommodate the many types of users there are. For instance, someone who can use a tablet comfortably because of the touch screen might have trouble controlling a mouse on a desktop computer due to an unsteady grip. Creating options for different user types makes for an accommodating and positive experience for learners. There is a technology out there for just about everyone, so having different options available helps learners determine which one if best suited for their needs and interests.

Reduce Unnecessary Barriers to New Learners

It’s also important that the technology made available for residents is not out of date and works properly. As a regular technology user, it can be quite frustrating when your equipment is slow, constantly displays errors, or stops working because an update is required. This negative experience is heightened exponentially when the user is unfamiliar with technology and thinks they personally did something wrong that created the issue in the first place. Although these are common issues with technology in general, they create an unnecessary barrier for new learners to face when first getting started. Having someone responsible for regular maintenance of the technology can eliminate these troubles.

One of the most helpful aspects of ETAG’s TEL program is the one-to-one instruction residents get about how to use technology. Instead of “doing” things for the participant, take the time to talk about technology with each learner, and actually teach them how to do things instead of showing them. The idea is to promote making mistakes to see what happens. With this information, residents gradually learn to not be intimidated by the devices they are using, even when they are trying something new for the first time. Encourage learners not to be worried about breaking something or doing the wrong thing. These “mistakes” are part of learning.

Making the Learning Experience Fun

By making the learning experience fun, new technology users are often more receptive to their first few experiences with a new gadget. Watching YouTube videos of favorite musicians, exploring old neighborhoods and reminiscing, connecting with a family member for a video call, or playing a challenging game are all great ways to make learning about technology a little more fun. Once someone has had several positive experiences using technology, and they feel good about using it, they will be more forgiving when a technology problem occurs, which is inevitable. Making the positive experiences outweigh the negative ones is essential. Don’t get hung up on things not working. Move on, try again, and do your best to finish every technology use experience on a high note.

As recent trends suggest, the integration of new digital technologies into everyday life will only increase moving forward. The current senior demographic plus the aging population will unquestionably require an infrastructure that promotes Internet access and ongoing technology support. Retirement communities are in the position to play a key role in this infrastructure.

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Seniors and Social Media are on the Rise for all the Right Reasons

aadmin — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 07:09:44 +0000

Pew Internet’s release, finding 60% of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 employing social networks, unites with its other major statistic – 43% of adults over 65 hitting the social media trail.

Reading the Tea Leaves

Previous Pew Internet reports displayed that the 50 + demographic had become more in touch with online tools – computers, tablets, cell phones – to utilize social media [Tablet Ownership 2013, June 10, 2013]

Lynn Strickland, Director of Social Media and Outreach for Interactivity Marketing, perceives a growing online market between older adults and Internet businesses.

“Social media is reaching out to older adults,” said Strickland. “Ads on Facebook can drill down to age groups based on their interests.” More seniors, especially with discretionary income, see the value of Facebook’s reviews and promotional discounts.

Seniors In an Age of Yelp

Strickland points to the popularity of review sites like Yelp.com, TripAdvisor.com and Foursquare – actually an app – as contributing to the online flow of older adults sporting smartphones and tablets.

Older adults trust social media because it connects real faces with real names. They can read authentic testimonials about products and services with less reliance on letter writing, phone calls, or personal visits to businesses.

Social Media – The New Employment Path for Older Adults

Networking is an effective way to find a job, especially with the growth of the long-term unemployed and a tight job market for older adults.

The average duration of unemployment for older workers is nearly 50 weeks, far above the 37-week average for the broader workforce, wrote the Huffington Post on April 17, 2013.

Author and Social Media Consultant, Don Power believes that social media offers a possible solution to 55+ unemployment. “It broadens their small circle of friends and introduces them to a new community.”

Twitter for Older Job Searchers

The recent Pew Internet research showed the 50 to 64 year old age bracket climbing from 6% to 13%, from November, 2010 to May 2013. Employment seekers could form a meaningful part of that statistic.

“Twitter provides an avenue to break out of Facebook’s customary loop and to meet new people,” said Power. “It’s Facebook pared-down.” With a 140 character maximum, it’s designed like a social network appealing to seniors’ natural congeniality.

The Twitter Employment Network

Through Twitter, older adults can find workers, owners, and managers of companies. They gravitate towards employment opportunities to find internal people. It’s non-solicitation, an informal introduction.

Employers get to know older adults and when opportunities arise, the familiarity has been established. Older adults create their personal brand awareness to match Twitter job boards.

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Pew Internet has offered statistical confirmation for older adults and businesses to continue to reach out to each other through social media.

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Learning and Technology

Online Learning

Tablets KO eReaders for Older Adults

aadmin — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 11:38:55 +0000

eReaders became trendy among seniors as compact electronic reading tools, but tablets are poised to take over on the popular and residential front.

Older adults are part of a growing surge in tablets as reported by PewResearchCenter’s Tablet Ownership 2013. According to the report, tablet ownership has grown from 3% to 34% in three years. Although eReaders maintain a slight edge within the older population, that situation is about to change.

PewResearchCenter’s statistics show older adults increasingly going online to e-mail, search the Web, make purchases, bank, read news, and participate in social networking – Generations 2010. Online activity by seniors will create a demand for tablets.

Patric Welch, also known as Mr. Noobie, has assisted many older adults with computer and gadget problems as an educator and on his website, Noobie.com.

He asks seniors, “Is reading books the only thing you want to do with this device?” Once they realize they can e-mail, play games, and build a reading library, they become convinced to choose tablets.

His observations contrast with analysts who predicted the dominance of E-readers for Older Adults.

According to Welch, the tablet satisfies up to 95% of the activities of seniors now utilized on computers. “Computers are losing relevance," he said. “Even a laptop is cumbersome to carry compared with a tablet.”

Tablets are easier for older adults than computers. Their start-up is automatic compared to the slower boot up speeds for computers. Tech-challenged seniors find tablets to be the most adaptable computing tools on the market.

Welch cites his parents: “It’s demanding for my mom and dad to boot up a computer, login, install virus software and backups,” he said. “It’s a real learning curve.”

Older adults can find difficulty in installing new software and navigating a computer. Touching apps on the surface of tablets is easy. Installation is effortless. The tablet takes away the fear of technology.

Tablets have proven to be effective platforms for designed therapeutic music in Alzheimer’s settings streaming spiritual and music audio programs to residents.

An app newcomer to the 55+ demographic is babbel, a language-learning device, from babbel.com. Markus Witte, Founder and CEO said the app goes deep into grammar courses and other language areas. babbel.com, from Berlin, Germany, offers 13 languages including English. Its top languages in the USA are Spanish and French. Other top-ranked learning languages are German, Italian and Portuguese.

Witte said babbel.com doesn’t specifically target senior citizens, but the demographic still constitutes a large portion of its users. Often, older adults utilize the babbel app to refresh a previously-learned language or to train their brain, said Witte. “Language learning is one of the best approaches to staying mentally agile.”

He references his parents as examples of the capability of the babbel app. "My 80-year-old parents are power users.”

A few popular senior apps:

Skype
Crosswords
Luminosity - a brain games app
WebMD - for health information
Med Reminder - a medication tracker
Big Calculator
Dragon Dictation – transcribes verbal language into e-mail

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Software Reviews

The Brave New World of Medical Alarms

aadmin — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 10:11:11 +0000

The medical alarm industry is on a growth curve. Innovations ensure a greater acceptance in more homes of adults opting to age in place.

Also called PERS (Personal Emergency Response System), these small, unobtrusive gadgets are gaining wider spread recognition.

How Do Medical Alarms Work?

Chuck Stevens is the Vice President of the Health and Wellness Strategic Business Unit for Linear LLC, a large manufacturer of PERS devices, located in Carlsbad, CA. He described the inner workings of these electronic devices.

A pendant, watch or clip is carried or worn by the older person in a home setting. A button on the device activates radio signals to summon help. A residential console contacts a remote emergency reporting center; a 2-way voice communications is activated with the senior-in-crisis.

Remote Call in Centers

They are located across the USA with trained accessible emergency reporting operators. They do not provide medical advice, Stevens said. They determine the situation and condition of older adults and summon help via 911. The reporting center calls designated people of the elderly person – family, friends, and neighbors.

Previous medic alarms possessed limited range, but Linear’s PERS-4200 can function within a range up to 1,000 feet, in the home, yard, and garage. “But not miles or blocks away,” said Stevens. “It’s designed for local use only.”

PERS – Response or Reporting?

Linear LLC, founded over 50 years ago as a security and access control company, has expanded into the medical alert field. Stevens utilizes the PERS moniker differently, deviating from the standard Personal Emergency Response System, renaming it as a Personal Emergency Recording System. The company’s PERS 4200 possesses add-ons for 16 devices, including smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide detection.

Expanding the Horizons of PERS

Active Care Inc. of Oren, UT, has designed a PERS product that can alert emergencies of older adults across North America – USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Michael Z. Jones, the company’s Chief Strategy Officer, outlined the far-ranging capabilities of its premier product – the Active One PERS Device.

In the event of an emergency, Active Care communicates regardless of the location of the older-adult-in-need, said Jones. The company’s proprietary technology embeds GPS-location capability within a miniature PERS device.

The PERS Device employs a cellular network. Combined with GPS, the exact location of an injured senior can be determined and a remote communication line established from vast distances.

At Home and Abroad with GPS

GPS capability means PERS wearers can reside in their homes or travel anywhere in North America and utilize the Active One. In emergency situations, cross- continental seniors can push the PERS button. An alert will be sent to the local cellular provider and relayed to the internal call center in Utah.

Emergency response will be dispatched to local first responders. Family and friends will be notified of the crisis.

A complex system – access to emergency regardless of location – has been combined with the ability to locate the respondent through GPS – said Jones.

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There are many other PERS providers in North America. Consumers need to select the right option for their lifestyles.

Image One - PERS 4200 Lifestyle. Image Two - DXS-LRC Wristband. Courtesy of Linear LLC.

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