If you’re lucky enough to live close to your aging family members so that you can help care for them as they get older, you likely haven’t had to think about how you could possibly keep an eye on them so that you can be there when and if they need you. But for those who don’t live close to their parents, finding a way to stay informed on their lives and their health can be more of a challenge.
If this is something you’ve been struggling with doing, you’ll be glad to know that technology can help make this task much easier for you. To help you see how this can be possible, here are three ways to use technology to keep an eye on your elderly parents when you live far away.
Plan Regular Visits, In-Person And Virtually
Depending on where your parents live in relation to you, and if they live on their own or in an independent living facility, you may be able to make both in-person and virtual visits to them.
While in-person visits might be preferred to you and your parents, if money is an issue or there are safety protocols in place that make it so you can’t see them in person, using technology to make virtual visits can be a great option. Simply find a way to video chat with your parents through any one of the video calling services that are available to you. They are all relatively easy to use, so your aging parents won’t be intimidated.
Set Up Some Cameras
Especially if your elderly parents live alone and don’t have anyone to check in on them on a regular basis, you might want to have a little more access to their home in the event that they fall or need help with something.
If your parents are willing, you may want to set up some cameras in their home that live stream to your phone so that you can see that they are safe during the day and the night. And with many camera systems, you can even speak to each other through the devices. So if you need to remind your parents of something or they have a question for you, you can communicate easily.
Medical Alert Systems
For those who feel that having a camera isn’t necessary or is a little too invasive, you can still be alerted if something should go wrong with your elderly parents by getting them a medical alert system.
Depending on the medical alert system you choose to go with, you and the proper authorities can be informed if your loved one takes a fall or gets lost. This can help protect your parents from the most dangerous hazards and help you have less stress about their safety as well.
If your parents live far away from you and you’re wanting to keep a closer eye on their health and safety, consider using the technology mentioned above to help you do this.
