Assisted Living Centers Can Help Keep Your Loved One Safe

When your elderly parent has dementia, it can be hard to make the decision that you are going to have to put them in an assisted living facility. Sadly, there will be a time when you just can't care for your family member on your own, and they will need more than you can give them, especially when it comes to keeping them safe. The facility has tools that they can use to make sure that your loved one is safe.

Bed Alerts  

The bed alert system works by having a sensor pad under the sheet, picking up the weight of someone laying in the bed. When the person leaves their bed, the sensor pad triggers an alarm in the room or one in a central location. There are several reasons that one of these bed alerts may be necessary. One is to make sure that a patient with dementia doesn't get up and wander in the middle of the night. Another is to make sure that they are put back into bed if they happen to fall out of bed. 

Another bed alert option is to have a your loved one wear a clip on tag that is attached to a sensor on the bed. If your loved one gets out of bed, that tag triggers the sensor, letting people know that the patient is out of bed. 

RFID Tags

RFID stands for radio frequency identification. The way these tags work is that the tags have a chip inside that sends out radio waves to receivers. The tags can do several things. One is that they can be used as locators, in case your loved one gets lost. But more importantly, the facility can use the tags as a security tool. 

One way that this happens is that your loved one will wear one of these tags on their clothing. The tag then broadcasts its information to receivers over outer access doors. If your loved one reaches the door, the receiver will pick up the broadcast from their tag. The tag will then lock the door so that they can't leave the facility, or leave a dementia wing in the facility. If, by some chance, they were able to get out of the approved and safe areas, the RFID chip would cause an alarm to sound, alerting staff so they can get your loved one back and make sure they are safe and sound.

When your elderly loved one is diagnosed with a dementia disorder, life can become much more difficult for everyone. An assisted living center, like Harbor View Home, can help.