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Assistive Technology Can Help
The world of technology is exploding with options that could allow seniors and baby boomers to live in their homes longer. So why aren’t they all taking advantage of available technologies? The simple answer is because most of the people who would benefit from these technologies are unaware that they exist.
We are all familiar with the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” commercial advertising wearable pendants that can be pressed when a person needs help. But there is so much more available today.
There are currently devices available that can visually and audibly alert individuals when it is time to take their medication. Given the fact that approximately 40 percent of nursing home admissions are the result of individuals being unable to take medication without supervision, these devices can help more seniors remain at home. Sold in varying shapes and sizes, holding large to small pills, medication management devices can beep, flash, and text patients and caregivers when it is time to take a medication or text when a medication is missed. They can be purchased with monthly services to allow distant caregivers the ability to manage medications. Devices range from $299.00 to $999.00.
Tracking devices are also available that allow people to be found quickly if they wander. These tracking devices can be worn as watches, placed in a shoe as an insert, worn on a belt or worn around the neck as a pendant. According to the Montgomery County Police – Project Lifesaver, it is imperative that an individual is found quickly, because for each moment lost, the search grid expands to a size that makes it almost impossible for individuals to be found. With that in mind, when choosing a tracking device, it is important to know how soon the device will notify caregivers the person is wandering. Very few of the devices currently on the market can give an exact location. Newer models also include two-way voice communication.
The assistive technology market also includes devices that can monitor health, sleep patterns and movement in the house. House sensors can monitor water leakage, movement in the bathroom, movement in and out of a bed or a chair, as well as the opening and closing of cabinets or doors. Finally, there are sensors that can turn off appliances if there has been no movement in a certain amount of time.
Using the power of new technologies, caregivers can provide independent, safe living environments for their parents or other loved ones and still have peace of mind. By working with loved ones and professionals, seniors can easily create secure environments where they can age in place.
SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE HOMES
SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE HOME SOLUTIONS HandyPro Live in Place So Unique Concierge Strategies for Independent Living
FEATURED PHONE
179 301-960-1060 180 703-433-0380 68 443-877-1493 178 301-523-5440
WEBSITE
HandyProWDC.com liveinplace.com souconcierge.com strategiesforindependentliving.com
PERSONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE Lifeline
181 703-558-6859 seniorhealth@virginiahospitalcenter.com
PEACE OF MIND AND INDEPENDENCE
VHC is your local partner to help you
Whether you are on-thego or at home, a medical alert button means help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Immediate assistance may prevent a prolonged injury or hospital visit. • Fall detection and mobile/GPS buttons are available • Month-to-month service; no long-term contracts
Call 703.558.6859
or seniorhealth@virginiahospitalcenter.com to discuss your options.
Hearing is Believing
Acccording to the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), nationwide relay services were first required by the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Relay services enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who have a speech impairment, to communicate via telephone with a person who can hear.
States implement their own individual programs and services vary from state to state.
How do relay services work?
Most states offer traditional relay services and other accommodations.
To make a call using relay services, users simply pick up the phone and dial 7-1-1. After dialing, users are automatically connected to a communications assistant.
It is important to note that relay service users who are experiencing an emergency should still dial 911 directly.
What types of relay services are available?
Traditional relay services are also referred to as TTY. A TTY has a keyboard, which allows the user to type their side of the conversation, and a text screen to read the other person’s responses. After the TTY user types their side of the conversation, an operator reads the text to the other person. As the other person speaks in response, the operator types the spoken words, so the TTY user can read them on their device screen.
Using Hearing Carry-Over (HCO), users who can hear but have difficulty speaking or being understood over the telephone are able to type their side of the conversation, which is then voiced to the other participant by the operator.
Speech-to-Speech (STS) is a similar service that assists individuals who have mild to moderate difficulty speaking and can hear clearly on the phone. Users speak with their own voice or with an assistive device and the operator re-voices what is said, as needed. This service may be particularly helpful for people living with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and other conditions.
Using Voice Carry-Over (VCO),
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Have confidence
IN EVERY CONVERSATION.
Do phone calls ever sound muffled or hard to follow?
Captioned Telephone can help! Similar to a standard telephone— but with one big difference—a Captioned Telephone displays captions of your conversations so that you can listen to what is being spoken, while reading captions on the device’s screen. As a service of Maryland Relay, Captioned Telephones can be purchased directly from a third-party provider. You can find more information at mdrelay.org. The Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program also offers Captioned Telephones, provided by the State, to those who qualify. The MAT program includes a variety of equipment options to support clearer communication, including amplified phones. Visit our website to see if you or a loved one qualify for no cost assistive equipment through the MAT program.
CapTel ® is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc.
For more information:
800-552-7724 | 410-767-6960 (Voice/TTY) 443-453-5970 (Video Phone) | mdrelay.org
Home Care
Receive assistance at home
Home care can include a wide variety of healthcare and supportive services from professional nursing and home health aide services to physical, occupational, respiratory and speech therapies. An advancing industry, home healthcare is essentially skilled nursing care and certain other forms of healthcare that you get in your home for the treatment of an illness or injury. It is an important option to consider regardless of one’s age or health conditions.
Options in Home Care
An incredibly diverse field, home care includes companion care, home healthcare or skilled nursing care.
COMPANION CARE is provided by caregivers or companions, who serve as surrogate family members, performing many of the tasks that family members would typically complete. Assistance from companion caregivers can include meal preparation, medication reminders, laundry, light housekeeping, shopping, transportation and assistance with exercising. The overall goals of companion care providers are to ensure that the home environment remains safe and that the individual has a companion to spend time with when family is not available.
HOME HEALTHCARE is for those who are no longer able to perform all of the functions of daily living by themselves but who do not require skilled medical services. A home health aide can help with activities of daily living (ADLs), which include bathing, dressing, transferring, eating and toileting. Additional services generally include meal preparation, mobility exercises, housekeeping, laundry, medication reminders and transportation.
SKILLED NURSING CARE is prescribed by a physician and is administered by a registered nurse. The services provided by skilled nurses include: administering injections, administering medications, wound care, IV monitoring, blood tests, catheter care, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, feeding tube administration and more.
Care at Home When It’s Needed Most
Senior Care. In-Home Care. Respite Care.
Comfort Keepers is here to help ensure senior safety and wellbeing through the current health crisis and beyond. Our empathetic caregivers are specially trained to provide uplifting care from the sanctuary of home. From picking up prescriptions and grocery shopping to providing companionship and personal care, we’re here to help.
Discover why for more than two decades, Comfort Keepers® has been Elevating the Human SpiritSM through its in-home care for seniors and other adults by empowering them to maintain their independence and realize joy in the everyday moments.
Northern Virginia 703-591-7117
comfortkeepers.com/offices/ virginia/sterling Suburban Maryland 301-340-0100
ComfortKeepers.com/Rockville-MD
Medicare and Home Care
Know the coverage options
When it comes to understanding Medicare coverage, many individuals can find themselves confused by a complex web of information. This especially applies to those who want to know if they are eligible for Medicare coverage when entering a nursing home or receiving home health care. Below is some helpful information on whether you can use your home health care benefits if you have Medicare and what services and products it will cover.
First, you can use your home health care benefits if all of the following applies to your situation. Your doctor must prescribe that you need medical care at home and create a care plan. The care you need has to be intermittent and in the form of skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy. The home health agency must be Medicare-certified and you must be homebound, or unable to leave the home unassisted.
Once you have established those requirements, it is important to understand what Medicare will actually cover, which includes the following: • Home health aide services on a part-time or intermittent basis, as long as there is a skilled need • Medical social services • Certain medical supplies • Durable medical equipment (wheelchair, walker, bedside commode, etc.)
Given the services and products that Medicare does cover, it is also valuable to take note of what is not covered. Care that is required 24 hours a day will not be covered. Other services not covered include personal care provided by home health aides such as bathing and dressing, along with homemaker services like cleaning and laundry. Also not included are homedelivered meals.
If you require care that goes beyond intermittent visits for a limited amount of time, or if your needs are not covered by Medicare, an important option to consider is private duty home care. For more information on Medicare coverage, visit medicare.gov.
Information Provided by Family & Nursing Care and adapted from medicare.gov.
Access to Compassionate, Reliable Home Care. Our Priority is Your Loved One’s Safety and Well-Being.
familynursingcare.com
Suburban MD: 301.588.8200 | Central MD: 410.697.8200 | Washington D.C.: 202.628.5300
