Medical alert systems or personal emergency response systems (PERS) help provide emergency assistance to the elderly. These devices with emergency call buttons for seniors are designed to alert medical personnel in case of an emergent condition, apart from alerting the family and/or caregiver of the patient. In times of need like this, it is essential that you get the best care as early as possible for you and your loved ones, and to ensure that you always choose the best, here’s a list of some of the best medical alert systems available in the market.

Medical Guardian

Medical Guardian has been one of the most prominent names in the country for medical alert systems over the past decade. The company provides an in-home medical alert system, an in-home cellular option, two mobile plus GPS options, a fall detection system, and a smartwatch. The system comes with a water-resistant button and is safe for seniors who do not want to remain confined to their homes.

Bay Alarm Medical

Bay Alarm Medical has been in the business of medical alert systems with emergency call buttons for seniors since around 1946. The company is well-known and loved among users and has great reviews to boast about. It offers an in-home cellular system and a GPS+4G LTE system for out of home service. The company was also the first to come up with an in-car medical alert system to ensure the safety of older drivers. In addition, it has water-resistant buttons.

LifeStation

Lifestation’s recent equipment upgradation has helped severely improve their services and their ranking. The company offers three types of medical alert systems: an in-home traditional system, an in-home cellular system, and a mobile+GPS system. The users also have the option of adding fall detection to any of these systems. The upside of this service is that it comes with no long-term deals and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Mobile Help
MobileHelp offers an in-home and a cellular alert system. The system makes location tracking easier and provides quick services. The equipment’s clear speakerphones and emergency call button for seniors makes it easy to use.

ADT Health

ADT Health comes with basic devices that are easy to use by the elderly. The company has various plans you can pick from depending on your needs, and the system also has a watch band and a fall detection system.

Low impact exercises is beneficial for seniors as it helps in stretching and strengthening muscles, thereby reducing stress and preventing injury. It also helps in lowering one’s blood pressure.

Let us look at some of the exercises for seniors that are low impact and can be performed by them easily.

Walking
It is one of the best low impact exercises, and takes very little planning to get started. It is easy on the joints and they can keep up with this routine until very late in life. For a beneficial walking routine, make sure that you have the right pair of shoes that you feel comfortable wearing. While you are walking, focus on the posture. Walk with your back straightened and shoulders rolled back. Begin walking for small distance and gradually increase the duration by a couple of minutes.

Swimming
This exercise helps in increasing endurance and flexibility. Water helps in relieving stress on the bones and joints. As compared to other endurance exercises, swimming helps in conditioning your whole body. You can make this exercise a fun routine by trying different styles of swimming that help in conditioning different muscle groups of the body.

Stretching
Stretching is a very important part of exercise no matter what workout one follows. Stretching is one of the exercise for seniors that specifically helps in improving the range of motion and flexibility in the body. Make sure you are doing the stretches properly to avoid any injury. All you need to feel is the gentle pull on the muscle as you stretch. Take slow deep breaths as you hold. Be very cautious that over stretching can lead to a muscle pull.

Water aerobics
It is one of those cardiovascular exercises that also involves strength training. The water’s resistance helps strengthening your muscles as you move. It is a low-impact, full body exercises for seniors. It is a misconception among seniors and otherwise that to take part in water aerobics, one must be able to swim. The fact is, water aerobics takes place in shallow waters which is waist and chest deep, thus swimming is not a requirement.

Yoga
many seniors shy away from yoga as they envision yoga classes as room full of people performing contoured and impossible positions that their body would never abide. You can always try those poses that focus more on stretching and flexibility. Perform yoga poses in the presence of a qualified, well trained yoga instructor who will help in guiding the seniors with alternate positions that they won’t find any trouble performing.

It is completely imperative that you talk to your healthcare provider before starting any of these new low impact exercises if you are suffering from any medical or physical condition.

Caregiving is not only a job; rather it is a service towards humanity. A caregiver can provide services to someone suffering from some kind of disability or an aged person unable to manage his or her daily chores. Here are some of the countries that recognized the importance of caregivers, most notably senior caregivers, and set up an example by regularizing caregiving services within their borders.

Australia
Australia has an association called Australian National Young Carers Action Team (ANYCAT). The team of 75,000 young carers advocates on behalf of young carers. Most Australian states have their own version of ANYCAT, such as the YCABQ a.k.a. Young Carers Action Board Queensland in Queensland. As per a recent study conducted by the University of Queensland, the combined Australian carers provide $13.2billion worth of free mental health support. As such, they are equivalent to 173,000 full-time mental health workers.

Italy
The country with the world’s highest percentage of residents aged 65 or older is Italy. The nation has high life expectancy 76.7 years for males and 82.9 years for females. By 2050, these numbers are expected to grow to 81 years and 86 years for men and women respectively. In order to assist family caregivers, the Italian government provides many backing schemes, such as support services, service vouchers, and daytime centers, to provide support for families by offering recreation and rehabilitation to old people.

Scotland
According to a 2001 census, the total number of carers, including senior caregivers, in Scotland is well over 480,000. While 37% of these carers provide about 20 hours per week of care, 24% give over more than 50 hours of care in a single week. The Scotland government recognizes carers as partners in care provision. Unlike other nations, carers are not recognized as service users and hence, are not held responsible for the cost of services provided in Scotland.

Taiwan
Approximately 600,000 family caregivers are active in Taiwan. These caregivers spent an approximate time of 13.5 hours a day in caregiving. About 80 percent of the family caregivers in Taiwan are women, out of which 50 percent are over 50 years old. In order to aid these caregivers, the Taiwanese government has initiated a number of caregiving services. Since 1995, Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) has been providing quality healthcare to people, especially aged people. In 2007, the Taiwanese government started the Bureau of Health Promotion aimed at integrating and implementing resources, including caregiving, for elderly health promotion.

United States of America
Around 1.4million children, between ages 8 and 18, assume the role of a caregiver for an adult relative in the United States. As per the Caregiver statistics fact sheet of 2012, 43.5million family caregivers provide services to a person over 50 years. Approximately 14.9million caregivers are providing services to someone with Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia in the US. The number of male caregivers is increasing in the country. In some US states, in-classroom certification is required for licensing a caregiver, while in some other US states, the only caregiving license required is by the company providing caregiving services.

With an increasing number of aged people in many societies across the world, there is an emerging need for senior caregivers. A caregiver helps elderly people manage their daily activities, such as hygiene and medication. Over and above helping aged people, a caregiver also aids people suffering from some kind of disability, disease, or mental disorder. Due to the increasing demand for senior caregiving services, the domain is becoming an important part of the world economy. The following section highlights the basic obligations that a senior caregiver is bound to.

Help in managing medications
Most aged people have medications that need to be followed for keeping them in the best of health. A senior caregiver needs to take care of this and help the person receiving care to take medicines on time. Medication might vary from taking pills and liquid medicines to having injections at specified intervals.

Keep the person mentally alert
Mental alertness is of utmost concern in aged people. As there is an indispensable relation between physical activity and mental health, the overall mental health status of an aged person receiving care can be uplifted with some form of physical activity. Such activities might include, but are not limited to, talking a walk in the park, paying a visit to the neighborhood, meeting and having an outing with other aged people receiving care, and making friends in other age groups.

Oversee with respect
Taking care of an aged person requires staying in contact with the doctor appointed for managing their health. As per the doctor’s notice, a senior caregiver needs to monitor the aged person for body temperature, blood glucose level, blood pressure, and breathing pattern. A caregiver also needs to have a close watch on the emotions exhibited, such as unhappiness and discomfort, by the person receiving care. Overall, a senior caregiver needs to note down any unusual activity of the aged person under care and share the same with the physician.

Provide eating assistance
Senior caregivers assist the person receiving care in fulfilling all dietary conditions, ranging from recommendations of a concerned dietician to nutritional and energy needs. Fulfilling these requirements might put up a challenge, if the person receiving the diet is unhappy about the diet. This can be managed by arranging meals that the person loves, but substituting all the unhealthy ingredients with the healthiest options possible. Elderly people are less likely to recognize the need of water and hence, should be offered drinking water at regular intervals.
Taking care of elderly people is not just another form of employment; it is a devotion and way to display respect towards the most experienced people in our society.

Deciding to live in a senior housing community will be one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Depending on the type of senior housing you have chosen, there are both advantages and disadvantages of moving to senior housing. It can mean that you can live in a suitable and secure environment without being a burden on anyone, but you will have to live apart from your loved ones. There are a variety of senior apartment rentals around you, but you need to choose wisely. Here are a few factors that you need to assess before moving into a senior housing community

Facilities
Check the facilities available in the community you are going to move to. Do they have elevators, smoke alarms, good quality food, handrails, handicapped access, guest accommodation, and salon services? You may or may not need all these facilities but you need to be aware of all this in advance. It is also necessary to know that these facilities will come at a price so pick those you really need.

Scout the location
This is one of the major things you need to evaluate. What kind of area is the community located in? Suburban or metropolitan. Find out if the community is licensed. Is the staff kind and friendly? Are visitors are allowed or not, are the residents comfortable? You shouldn’t be in for any big surprises when you move. Be prepared. Ask current residents what it’s like.

Design
Is the design of the community suitable for the elderly and disabled? Are the doors and floor compatible with wheelchairs? Are there elevators? These are some of the things that you need to consider.

Payment
Learn about your various payment options. The most common is private pay, where you pay all the amount from your pocket. But, if you are coming from low-income background your rent will be subsidized. You will have to pay only 30% of your income as rent. Also, try to find out if the apartments cover some policies such as long-term insurances.

Different levels of care have different costs, so get one that will perfectly cater to your needs.

Healthcare
With age, your health gradually declines. If you are suffering from some illness or disability then you need to be sure of the kind of medical aid you will be getting. Will emergency medical service be enough or do you need monitoring 24/7?

Day-To-Day Activities
What daily activities will be covered by the community? Meals, laundry, shopping, and transportation should all be taken into consideration while selecting a senior housing community. You also need to find out what kind of food is provided. Make sure that you get not only tasty but nutritious food as well.

Social Activities
Check if these communities hold programs and events. See if they have visits to museums, concerts and picnics to keep the residents occupied. Do they have facilities to keep pets? Get information about all these things as well.

Senior housing is one of the best retirement options for you as you age. Not only will you be able to live on your own to a level that suits you, you’ll also have help available for you whenever needed. Though there are several programs to ensure that you get cheap and affordable senior housing, moving into one of these senior housing communities can burn a hole in your pocket. However, there are ways in which you can save money even though you are living in apartments for seniors.

Research
Be it for buying a simple thing as a refrigerator or getting a house, research is important before you begin any work. Moving into a senior housing can be emotional for both you and your loved ones. It is important to plan well and do your research. Ask around. Your friends or relatives might already be living in senior housing and may help in giving you an idea about what’s best for you. Plan well in advance if you have a particular senior housing community in mind. It’s better to join the waiting list rather than wait until the last minute and pay more. Or even worse, settle for a place you didn’t even want to go to.

Check For Flexibility
The prices at senior housing communities are not fixed. Talk to the authorities. Try to negotiate. Also, make sure to only request facilities that you actually need. If your family member or caregiver is in a position to help you with some activities, discuss it with the officials.

Pick The Right Place
This is where your research comes in handy. If you pick the right place from the first time it can save you a lot of money. Don’t pick a place in a rush. You might regret it later as you may not be satisfied. Vacating one place and moving into another is going to be a huge inconvenience and cost you a lot as well. There are a variety of senior housing communities. Choose a place that best fits your needs.

Location
The cost of senior housing depends on the location. The senior housing communities in metropolitan cities will be costlier than those in suburban areas. Not only will the communities in suburbs be cheaper, they will be spacious as well.

Sharing
Consider sharing a room. It might be a more economical option. Make a thorough comparison of the rates and facilities of shared rooms and independent rooms.

Veterans Benefits
If you have served in the US Army or are the surviving spouse of someone who served in the US Army, then you are entitled to some benefits. The Aid and Attendance program provides you with a significant amount of pension that could cover most of your senior housing costs.

Long-Term Care Insurance
It is necessary to be aware that most of your health care can be covered by Medicare or Medicaid. But if the remaining amount is still a little too much for you then get a long-term insurance. Long term insurance allows you to reduce the burden your care can cause on your loved ones and lets you be more independent.

As we grow old, we tend to rely on certain amenities that are not conveniently available in an otherwise regular apartment in the neighborhood. Care and service is more than just a liability as we grow old. Senior living apartments are communities that offer low maintenance low income based apartments that cater your housekeeping and dining necessities making your life much easier. Senior living apartments are a good option if you are retired.

To qualify to live in a senior living apartment, the applicant must be 55 to 62 years or older. For the community, to qualify as senior living apartment, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) and the Housing for Older Persons Act states that the housing must include at least one person who is 55 or older in at least 80 percent of its occupied units. This means that one spouse can be under the required age. Housing and Urban Development also makes an age exception for disabled individuals.

You can choose your type of senior living apartment based on your most required amenity. You can choose to live in a home with minimal or no maintenance. There are senior living apartment for divorced or for widows and widowers who are looking to downsize their budget or stay in close vicinities of their loved ones.

There are three general pricing categories of a senior living apartment. Affordable senior living apartments let their renters pay not more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. Federal and state laws provide them with other protections and funding. Market rate senior living apartments offer apartments 15% below regular apartment rates. These apartments normally offer dining, housekeeping and transportation amenities. Luxury senior living apartments offer dozens of upscale amenities. These apartments are normally larger than 2000 square feet in area. They are generally second home for senior citizens and are close to the vicinities that have cultural activities.

The amenities that senior living apartment offer range from common area with TV and living room. Community dining room with meals offered two to three times a day, smoke detectors in every room with fire alarm and sprinklers, computer work stations, and laundry rooms with washers and dryers. Other amenities include pharmacy with onsite pharmacist, 24-hour emergency service, and much more.

When selecting a senior living apartment, do a quick check on factors like; are the residents friendly? Is there a walking trail nearby? What is the crime rate of the neighborhood? Are there any local community centers (a church group etc) nearby to maintain a good social life? All these factors can equally contribute to your selection of senior living apartment. You should anyway choose for a senior living apartment that best suits your lifestyle as they are a very good and an inexpensive option to maintain your lifestyle even after you have retired or do not have a steady source of income.