My 94 year old Mum had a gentle fall today. She was lucky that it happened while my cousin was there and was able to persuade her to get checked over. In hospital overnight and a scan tomorrow but all the signs are positive and they expect that she will be home tomorrow. She's on the money mentally and normally physically. Does yoga and a decent walk every day. Lives completely independently growing most of her own veg which probably helps keep healthy and active. Her self awareness is strong and she attends balance classes and practises getting up off the ground long before todays event.
However she has resisted having an alarm. We tried talking her into an Apple Watch as it won't be an "old person jewellery" solution (her word's and give an indication of her spirit). Given today's event I want to strike while the iron is hot and get her an emergency alert device. What are the most successful solutions and is an Apple Watch one of them?
and practises getting up off the ground long before todays event.
However she has resisted having an alarm.
Why's she doing the former but resisting the latter? That might be an entry point?
You have PoA right?
My nan, similar age has a thing called lifeline. I'm a bit sketchy on the details but it plugs into the phone system and has an emergency button on a bracelet.
Seems to work, if it's activated, I get a phone call from an operator, or they send someone round to check, which worked well when she fell in the garden and couldn't get up. It monitors power too, so if there's a power cut or a tripped fuse it will announce it via a speaker.
Would a smart speaker that she can verbally instruct to call you or another family member work? Appreciate it’s not as neat as an iwatch Or equivalent which would automatically detect a fall but May be seen as less intrusive to her?
I went through this and the only real solution was my mum spending 8 hours on the floor before she came round enough to try and get help.
Maybe some hard truths; "If you fall and injure yourself, not being recovered quickly enough could remove the independence you want/have."
Thats the speech I gave when she tried to return it the lifeline the first time.... it didn't work and then she had another couple of falls including the one where she spent 8 hours on the floor overnight. That was the beginning of the rot and she now has a broken hip and arm and very limited mobility.
Slightly softer, I think some fitness trackers monitor for a fall and reduced heart rate. Not sure what they then do with that info
Would she use one for YOUR benefit? To give you peace of mind?
Get a lifeline, it means you'll get a call if an issue arises and will be far easier than trying to navigate modern technology. It sounds like she's doing everything right for her physical health which is great to help her stay independent but physical decline will happen anyway.
Can you perhaps ask her to do it for you so she feels like it's to help you rather than herself (so she doesn't feel she's admitting defeat).
The reason I was considered an Iwatch was that she gets about a bit and would frequently be away/out of range from a plugged in device but will investigate.
Like the not for your benefit approach to having one. She has allowed me to have the 'find your friends" app on her phone switched on in the past so this could be presented as an extension of that.
Spoke to her this morning and she is cannily telling the hospital how isolated she is to maximise the rehab and physio she can access.
We're all set up with Power of attorney etc. She is well prepared for everything. An inspiration in attitude.
Thanks for the replies people.
Would she use one for YOUR benefit? To give you peace of mind?
Beware, Granny in law had one on that basis - she only wore it when expecting her children!
I'm no expert with Apple Watches but their battery life is not great, so AFAIK need to be taken off to charge each night. If she does that at 10pm and falls at 11 (or 3), you have no way of calling for help, and even if she wakes up and can't get out of bed may not be able to get to it.
Smart speaker could be the way to go, but I'm not sure I would remember I had that option if I was lying on the bathroom floor (and you probably need a few to cover most areas).
My Nan has one, but didn’t use it after a fall as “she didn’t want to cause a fuss”.
Get something a friend of my mother's slipped in the shower and was stuck for 2 days. She survived, even lives on a busy road and no-one noticed her curtains shut. People only see what they want to.
I got my mother a monitored service. It's a pendant whose range covers the garden. We have a key safe for emergency services if they cannot contact us.
⬆⬆ this, my mother slipped in shower , broken hip and shoulder ,92 ! The monitored service gets you to check signal all around the property to confirm reception and calls back to test.Pendant or watch plus button on phone , back up key safe as well.