Home Monitoring Systems Bridge the Gap for Long-Distance Caregivers

Online, February 7, 2011 (Newswire.com) - If you live an hour or more away from an elderly loved one who needs care, you can consider yourself a long-distance caregiver. Caregiving can take many forms, ranging from the daily phone call to arranging for nursing care in a facility closer to where you live. No matter what form it takes, caregiving is often long lasting, escalating and stressful. That's why Halo Monitoring, maker of myHalo, the most advanced medical alarm with automatic fall detection, recommends families consider fall monitoring to help bridge the distance gap and provide protection when a family member can't be there.

"Traditional medical alarms are limited in their ability to cater to long-distance caregivers and their loved ones. If a senior falls, they alone must signal for help. However, studies have shown us that in 4 out of 5 cases, seniors are unable to push a panic button after a fall has occurred., "says Chris Otto, CEO of Halo Monitoring. "myHalo notifies long-distance caregivers by text message or email of events that require their attention. Additionally, concerned family members can use the Internet to confirm their loved ones are OK. When you can't be there physically, this is the next best thing. Many people don't realize that these advanced features are available today with innovative medical alarms like myHalo, at the same price as traditional medical alarms."

The Number of Long-Distance Caregivers is Growing
• Roughly 5-7 million Americans provide long-distance care for an elderly relative. Source: National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP.
• Long distance caregivers live an average of 480 miles from the people they are caring for. Source: Long Distance Caregiver Project-Alzheimer's Association.

myHalo provides peace of mind to both seniors and their families knowing help will be there.
The advanced myHalo system is the first wearable medical alarm that sends an automatic alert- no need to push a button- in the event of a fall. In addition, while most medical alarms only react to an emergency, myHalo is the first system of its kind to monitor the user's health and physical activity 24/7. Through the use of a private, secure website, the system provides the ability for designated persons and family to "check-on" an elderly loved one for peace of mind without invading their personal privacy.

Halo Monitoring and the Family Caregiving Alliance compiled these Tips for Long-Distance Caregiving:
• If you haven't visited recently, do so as soon as possible and take note of possible problem areas such as in-home safety, medications, finances.
• Set up a support system, such as asking a friend, relative, or neighbor to check on your elderly loved one on a regular basis. Make sure legal and financial affairs are in place and that you know where to find critical documents.
• Recognize and acknowledge your own limits.
• Plan ahead to have family leave or personal days available in case you need to make an unexpected visit to your relative.

Mike Stuckert of Wheatfield, Indiana, utilizes in-home caregivers, along with myHalo, to enable to his 75 year-old mother Isabell to live independently. She's been slowed by Parkinsons disease but still wants to live in her own place. Trying to respect her wishes, Mike arranged for Isabell to spend her days at a local senior center, and have in-home caregivers to help her in the mornings and evening but she wears a myHalo unit overnight.

"Not long after the caregiver had left the apartment, Mom fell while getting out of bed to go to the bathroom," says Stuckert. "The Halo call center alerted me and I went over to check on her. She was fine, but she couldn't get to the phone to call and couldn't get back into bed. I feel better knowing when caregivers aren't with Mom, myHalo is."