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There’s no doubt that a medical alert device is an excellent idea for someone who lives alone. And though the first person who comes to mind might be an elderly individual who has lost their spouse, or someone who is of advanced age and is committed to stay in their home through their golden years, those are certainly not the only people who might live alone.
College kids might be alone in their apartments near campus. Single moms or dads might be alone in the home while their kids are visiting relatives elsewhere. Even teenagers might be on their own in the family home from time to time. And then there are those who choose to live alone, simply because they enjoy the solitude of their own place. For whatever reason someone is living alone, they all have one thing in common: there isn’t someone else in the home to respond in the event of an emergency.
That’s where medical alert technology comes in. Simply pressing the personal alarm button means that you can connect with a trained response agent immediately, ready to send whoever you might need to provide assistance. If you live alone and any of these reasons for a medical alarm listed below resonate with you, it’s time to look into Alert1 Medical Alert Systems to find the device that’s right for you.
#1: You Have a Chronic Medical Condition
If you are one of the 133 million Americans who suffer from at least one chronic medical condition[1], you might want to invest in an emergency medical alert to help keep you safe. According to the American Hospital Association, about half of all Americans have a chronic condition, and that number is expected to increase to 170 million by 2030. And unfortunately, the CDC says that chronic medical conditions are the leading causes of death and disability.
What are the seven chronic medical conditions? They include heart disease, cancer, stroke, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and Alzheimer’s[2]. Keep in mind that while these might seem like conditions that strike the elderly, those of any age are susceptible to them – for instance, Type 1 diabetes often occurs in those who are very young, and cancer can strike anyone at any age.
Along with chronic medical conditions comes the possibility of a true medical emergency. Those with diabetes, for instance, could suffer from a sudden hypoglycemic episode (where their blood sugar goes too low) or experience diabetic ketoacidosis (when their blood sugar is far too high). Either one of these issues requires immediate medical attention. Either one of these can also lead to significant confusion. If If you’ve ever experienced such an episode, there is a tremendous peace of mind in being able to press a single button on an emergency alert! This assurance can help you feel more at ease with living with a chronic condition.
#2 You Are Taking Medication
The medications you take can have a serious impact on your physical health and mental state. For example, some medications for pain can make it tough to stay focused, keep a clear head, or even move around safely. There’s a reason many of these medications have a warning on the bottle about not operating heavy machinery! The Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University points out that about 66% of all adults in the United States take at least one prescription medication.
That’s not including the younger individuals who need certain medications that can have difficult side effects or be a little risky. For instance, consider a teenager with Type 1 diabetes. What happens if they take an incorrect dose of insulin? A serious emergency could ensue.
With a medical alert wristband right there at your side, you can press the button and get help quickly. You aren’t alone when that emergency strikes! The trained professionals at Alert1’s monitoring center will send the help you need. Medical alert systems with fall detection can also help by automatically alerting our emergency monitoring center to a fall without your needing to press the button yourself.
#3 There Is No One Around to Check on You
When you’re living alone, you don’t have someone there in the home to help you in the event of an emergency. Though the implications of this during a serious medical emergency are obvious, what about the other things that could happen? For instance, if you suffer a serious fall and there is no one expected to drop by anytime soon, it’s possible you could lie on the floor for an extended period of time. This is especially true if you have fractured a bone or hit your head.
Though these situations might seem like something that occurs only in older adults, that’s certainly not the case. You might already know that falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury[3]. But did you know that traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability among children and young people in the United States[4]? This injury must be handled very quickly to ensure the best outcome possible – and that’s not something that can happen if you lie on the floor for hours or even days. Pressing the affordable button alert could literally save your life.
#4 You Want More Security
What if you don’t have any chronic diseases, you have plenty of people who would check on you in any given day, and you aren’t on any medications? When you’re living alone, medical emergencies aren’t the only consideration. Simply being more secure in your home is an enormous benefit of wearing an SOS alert watch or other device.
Consider this scenario: you are home alone in the middle of the night, and suddenly wake from sleep at the sound of someone opening a door. You might think you would immediately reach for your cell phone. But where is it? It might be right next to you, or it might be across the room or even in another part of the house.
It’s a frightening scenario, but it’s certainly not out of the question. According to Bankrate, a burglary which is defined as “unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft” – happens every 26 seconds in the United States, and 27% of that time, someone is home. That leads to over 7% of those individuals suffering some sort of injury[5].
With an Alert1 emergency response solution, just press the button the moment you hear someone trying to get into your home and tell us that you need help. We are standing by 24/7/365, so you are never truly alone.
#5 There are Some Dangerous Areas of Your Home
There is much talk of aging in place solutions that can make a home safer, and those are certainly wonderful for individuals of any age. For example, a walk-in tub can be a fantastic addition to a home with small children, as it makes it so much easier to bathe them. Grab bars can be helpful for anyone, since slips and falls aren’t limited to elderly adults.
But what if you can’t implement home modifications? Perhaps your home has steep stairs. Maybe it has slick hardwood flooring that makes it easy to lose your balance. Or maybe there are no grab bars, even near or inside the shower.
If you live in a home or apartment that makes safety difficult, a medical alarm with fall detection can ensure you get the help you need if you do suffer a fall or other injury while you’re home alone. According to the National Safety Council, over 46 million people suffered an injury at home in 2020 that required medical consultation. There were over 156,000 reported deaths as a direct result of household accidents. Though the highest percentages of those are due to drug overdose, another significant percentage was due to falls in the home[6].
An Alert1 medical alert device with a built-in fall detection sensor can help you by alerting us if you slip and fall, thus saving precious moments that can be used to get emergency services on the way and prevent further injury, or even save your life.
#6 Your Family and Friends are Worried
Sometimes the best medical alert systems aren’t just for you and your own peace of mind. Sometimes, it’s also a gift for those who care about you. If your family and friends are worried about you living alone and want some peace of mind that you can reach out for help in the event of emergency, a medical alert wireless solution is ideal.
The Bottom Line
Living alone can increase the risk of heart disease by 29% and the risk of stroke by 32%[7]. But besides the potential medical issues, there are so many reasons that life-saving alert systems are a great idea, even if you aren’t in your golden years. Get in touch with Alert1 today to explore the options that fit your lifestyle, from an on-the-go unit with GPS for those times when you’re out on an adventure to the at-home medical alerts that keep you safe during your typical day. Peace of mind is essential, so make sure you have it today.