When your senior loved one calls you for your regular chat and they mention they felt lightheaded earlier in the day or that they think they might be coming down with a cold, do you start to feel a little anxious? Maybe you are worried that the lightheadedness could be a sign of something more serious or that their small cough could be a sign their COPD is going to get worse. It’s not always the best idea to rush off to urgent care, but checking vitals or other health information right away could give both of you a little peace of mind.
Thanks to technology, seniors and their loved ones can pay closer attention to health metrics that could point to potential concerns. Here are a few tools and gadgets that your loved one can use to measure vitals and overall health. When used correctly, you might be able to follow up with a physician before something more serious happens.
Tools for Taking Vital Signs
Vital signs – temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiratory rate – are a sign for overall health. Fortunately, you don’t need to go to the doctor to take vital signs. With a few inexpensive tools, your loved one can take their own vital signs. Consider having a designated spot where all their tools are kept, along with a notebook where they can log the date, time, and results. This is an excellent way to look for trends. Be sure to take the notebook with you to physician appointments.
Grab a thermometer and a blood pressure cuff that also measures pulse and respirations for less than a $60 investment.
Remote Vital Monitoring Patch
Your loved one can take their vitals at home during designated times, but physicians might want more information in real time. A Remote Vital Monitoring device, like this patch from VitalConnect, takes vitals and sends them over to a monitoring center so that your loved one’s medical team can look for trends or watch for concerning information. Work with your loved one’s physician to see if this is an option for their needs, especially if they are leaving the hospital after a cardiac event.
Physical Fitness Monitoring
If your loved one has fitness goals, such as to maintain weight or live a more active lifestyle, certain devices can offer encouragement. A step tracker, like a Fitbit, is easy to wear and operate, giving your loved one (and their physician or physical therapist) a glimpse into their daily life. It can also help them to determine if they live a more sedentary or active lifestyle.
For a senior who loves to dabble in data tracking and biohacking, a wearable device such as a Whoop can help them see how certain behaviors, like eating enough vegetables and getting quality sleep, can positively affect their health and recovery. This device has a monthly subscription fee in addition to a one-time purchase of the device, but it comes with an app that provides personalized and detailed data in real-time that can also be downloaded and given to a physician.
Heart Monitoring at Home
For a loved one who has a history of cardiac events, a home EKG monitor can provide data to family members and their medical team. A device like a KardiaMobile connects to your loved one’s smartphone and gives real-time heart monitoring, which can help to document heart activity during different times of the day as well as alert if the reading is off and emergency care is needed. This device does not have to be prescribed by a physician and costs can be offset by healthcare flexible spending account money.
GPS Tracking
If your loved one has a history of stroke or a diagnosis of dementia, confusion can quickly become a serious safety concern. While GPS technology cannot necessarily cover all of your safety bases, it can give you an idea of where your loved one is when you cannot get ahold of them. Try an app like Life360 if they keep their smartphone with them most of the time, or invest in a smart device, like a smartwatch, that has GPS tracking and connect it with an app on your phone.
Medical Alert Device
The right medical alert device can be the solution if and when a medical emergency, such as a fall or a cardiac event, happens at home. A quick press of a button can connect your loved one to a trained operator who can help to assess the situation and dispatch help quickly while alerting designated family caregivers.
