Senior Technology Works for Couple Acting as Caregivers for Each Other

Can simple, inexpensive gadgets help compensate for aging issues?  

You bet they can! 

Two older adults very often find that one has to be the short term caregiver for the other.  Two months later they reverse roles. 

The bedroom is at one end of their now “empty nest,” (big house) and the spouse caregiver on duty is hard of hearing.  A great deal of frustration and loud noise results when the bedridden one needs attention. 

One inexpensive gadget to the rescue is a wireless doorbell available at your local electronics store.  The person in bed has the push button, the one doing the dishes at the other end of the house stores the bell in a fanny pack.  

When the fanny pack rings, the on-duty caregiver brings the water.  It costs less than 50 bucks and is well worth the price. Some also come with pads that fit under your front door mat and they also trigger the bell. Depending on the size of your house, you might find that the bell works better on a table nearer the center of things. 

Of course there a many more elegant gadgets (with additional features) to do the same job, but the additional features may not be required in every case and they raise the cost.  Point is: Consider the problems you need to solve for a specific situation.  Take into account hearing, vision, mobility, memory and cost. Then make a decision. 

What ideas do you want to share?