As the country goes into a second ‘lockdown’ as the Coronavirus pandemic escalates, people are being urged to consider using assistive technology as they struggle to help care for their older and vulnerable loved ones.
The warning comes as a survey reveals that over a third of adults in the UK have a parent who lives alone. The research, published by CPR Guardian Personal Alarm watch and monitoring app, also revealed that almost a quarter (23%) of people revealed they would invest in technology if it meant their parents could be kept safe in their own homes.
With the new measures that were announced last night meaning that keeping an eye on the elderly and vulnerable will become significantly more challenging, people are being urged to consider assistive technology solutions to replace actual physical contact.
CPR Guardian as an Assistive Technology
Chelsea Davies, from CPR Guardian, said: “In our experience of working across the UK with vulnerable populations and the emergency services, smartwatches like ours can be real life-savers in terms of keeping in touch with loved ones remotely and keeping them safe.
“In these extraordinary times of Coronavirus, when we know that the emergency services are going to be stretched, we would urge people to consider smart technologies to help give themselves peace of mind and to avoid unnecessary contact which could result in transmitting the virus to vulnerable people. It may also be that assistive technology can form part of your contingency plan in case you become ill.”
Chelsea Davies continued: “The other concern at times like these is that older and more vulnerable people are likely to be feeling particularly anxious or alone, so assistive technology, like the CPR Guardian personal alarm watch, which has a built-in phone, can help people maintain conversational contact with their loved ones at all times.”
What To Do During the Pandemic?
For those who are worried about family members or other members of the community during the Coronavirus outbreak, the advice of charity Carers UK is as follows:
- Create an emergency plan which includes the contact details of the person (or people) you are looking after; who that person would like to be contacted by in an emergency; and any medication that person is taking and any ongoing medical needs;
- Think about alternative ways of getting their shopping and repeat prescriptions delivered;
- Involve other people in the planning, whether that is family, or professionals;
- Check with your local carers’ organisation if a local ‘care card’ scheme operates;
- Look into assistive technology options, like the CPR Guardian, which can alert you to any problems and help give you peace of mind.
The CPR Guardian is an easy-to-use standalone mobile phone watch with an integrated SIM card. It’s a personal alarm that contacts family. They can view the location and well-being of the wearer remotely by using the Guardian mobile APP for Android and iOS. Carers can call the fall detection watch just like a mobile phone.
Designed with dementia sufferers, and other vulnerable people in mind, it is easily programmable out of the box, and communicates directly with a loved one’s mobile phone by using a simple app.
If you are concerned about a loved one, or someone you are caring for in the current Coronavirus climate, and want to talk through how you could use the CPR Guardian for peace of mind at this difficult time, you can call the following free helpline on 0800 652 7780 or use the chat function in our website.
