Medical Alert Systems - Who Needs Them?

Baby boomers aren't the grannies and granddads of the past. Today's retirees continue to be active long after retirement age. They aren't sitting home alone waiting to die. They are fiercely independent and have no interest in moving into retirement communities or nursing homes. This means that a wide range of the aging population is now living independent lives than we have seen in years past.

Do all elderly people need medical alert systems? Not necessarily. That doesn't mean that they couldn't all benefit from having them around just that not everyone over the age of 65 actually needs the extra security that a personal emergency response system provides.

People at greater risk or in greater need of these systems are those who have underlying health risks, take a large amount of prescription medications, have mobility issues, or live alone are the people who face a greater need for the "insurance" provided by medical alerts for seniors.

It isn't enough just to have medical alert systems. There are other things you need to do in order to protect yourself from possible falls, slips, or trips. Here are a few suggestions that will help limit your dependence on others while also decreasing your risk from injury due to falls or poor health.

1) Simplify your life, home, and lawn. Low maintenance is a wonderful thing to people who are aging. Not only will it allow you plenty of time to enjoy those dream vacations and holidays but it will also ensure that you are less likely to trip over things that are out of place or simply in the way. Get rid of things you don't need. Eliminate clutter in the house or on the lawn. Sell or store bulky furniture that poses problems for mobility within the house. This is a time in your life when less things to dust, manage, and maneuver around mean more time to focus on other things.

2) Exercise. This does more than help keep you from packing on the pounds once you retire. Regular exercise will help you maintain a better sense of balance and coordination. These two things alone will help you avoid falls, slips, and give you better reflexes so you can right yourself before you hit the ground.

3) Reduce prescription meds that aren't absolutely necessary. The more medications you take regularly, the greater the risks of interactions or side effects that may impact balance and lead to falls. Find out if all the prescriptions you take are absolutely necessary and what alternatives you might consider when it comes to diet and activity or even lifestyle changes that might deliver the same results.

The odds are good that while you may not need medical alert systems just yet you could benefit. Either way it's insurance well worth having as you age and the potential for falls and other health problems grow.