Communication Tools for Caregivers

As the largest population segment in the U.S. becomes older, Baby Boomers are finding themselves thrown in to a caregiver role for their aging parents. Many of these elderly parents are moving in to their childrens houses, which are often not equipped to handle the special needs the elderly have. One of those needs is to be able to easily communicate with their caregiver whenever a situation arises.

An elderly person needs to be able to summon help at any time whether he or she is in the bedroom, bathroom, or outside. There are medical alert devices that require monthly membership dues, but for an elderly parent living in the same house as the caregiver, this may be overkill. The solution many people go with is a wireless intercom system. Wireless intercoms can easily be placed throughout the house in key areas to ensure caregivers can be reached when needed.

These battery powered intercoms are portable and have a battery life of up to 12 months. They have a range up to 1000 feet and you can use as many of them as you want. Plus they provide digital security so other people cant listen in to your conversations.

One of the key areas that needs readily available communication is the shower or bathtub. Most elderly people still want the independence of taking a bath by themselves if they are capable. But, bathing is one of the most dangerous activities an elderly person does. According to the National Safety Council, one person in the United States dies everyday from using a bathtub or shower.

While hot water is relaxing, for elderly it can relax the muscles to the point they lose the ability to get out of the tub on their own. This is why some sort of waterproof communication device is needed to summon a caregiver\'s help. Whatever device is chosen, it must be battery powered since with anything else there is a risk of electrocution. Cordless phones or portable radios could be used for this application, but they arent waterproof and they wont survive a drop in the tub.

Many caregivers install a waterproof outdoor intercom on the wall of the bathtub where it can easily be reached. With a single press of a button on this outdoor intercom the person in the tub can carry on a conversation with the caregiver. This same outdoor intercom could be placed outside the home in a location where the parent likes to sit during the day. If the parent is wheelchair bound, this outdoor wireless intercom could even attach to the wheelchair so its always within reach.

Once a caregiver installs a wireless intercom system everyone involved feels more secure knowing that a means of contacting assistance is always available.

David Onslow is the marketing director at IntercomsOnline.com, which offers a\r wireless intercom system that works perfectly as a communication system between elderly and caregivers. It has a range of up to 1000 feet, is portable, \r has crystal clear sound, provides digital security, and has a waterproof\r wireless outdoor intercom unit.

Visit their website at\r http://www.intercomsonline.com

Caregivers - It’s Not Your Fault!
Caregivers are artists at feeling guilty. Check it out for yourself. How many times a day do you sink into self-blaming thoughts such as, Im so terrib...

Coping with the Emotional Challenges of Caregiving a Parent
Do you know someone acting as a caregiver to an aging or disabled parent, maybe a friend, loved-one, or a co-worker? Are you serving as the role of c...

The Caregiver - 7 Tips To Being A Caregiver’s Best Friend
Being a caregiver is time-consuming and can be emotionally draining. Do you know someone who is a caregiver to someone in their home?Chances are whene...

Guidance for New Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Caring for a parent, spouse, sibling or other loved one with Alzheimers disease can be a rewarding experience that builds your inner strength and char...

Minding Our Elders: There’s a Hole In My Soul
A study from New York University, found that caregivers are twice as likely as non-caregivers to report physical and mental health complications. One ...

Insite Tools for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Having spent my career as a Medical Social Worker and Elder Abuse Investigator it seems natural for me to share some insight for those family members ...

Ten Steps to Getting Started as a Caregiver
Being a new caregiver can make you feel alone, overwhelmed and have you feeling that you are not prepared to handle such a big responsibility. Other e...

Caregivers and the Challenge - Asking for Help
Caregivers, like many of us, have grown up in this culture that says asking for help is a weakness. Some of us have grown up in chaotic environments w...

Old Money - Mom and Dad’s That Is! Steps for Caring for Their Finances
What happened to Mom and Dads money? You may find that you have a hard enough time managing your own financial day-to-day requirements, and now youre...

What Is Elder Law?
People are living longer than earlier days. There are challenges that need to be met in different facets of a growing population - these could range...

Caregivers Take the Blinders Off
When you're a sandwich generation caregiver, often that's left over after everyone is cared for are crumbs. Caregivers need to take extra special car...

Being a Happier, Healthier Caregiver
When Helen's mother had a stroke in 1994, Helen became her caregiver. Working full-time as a teacher and living an hour's drive from her mother, each ...

Are You Drowning in Caregiving?
An area of concern that I get asked about the most is finding someone to give the caregiver a break.Most adult children fall into caregiving as a res...

Welcome to the Sandwich Generation
First we couldn't have any. Then we could have it all. Then we realized we didn't want it all. So how come we're still doing it all - and feeling ...

Caregiving’s Costly Burden
Hey - If I had known that official government policy toward caring for elderly parents was that their children would have to do it all, well I would h...