How to keep track of elderly parent who lives alone

Callistemon21

The thought of someone keeping track of me or watching me in my home makes me shudder.

Just ensure she keeps her mobile phone near her and you could make a friendly phone call each morning if you're worried about her.
Eg
"Morning Mum, are you up yet?"
"No love, I'm having a lie in, you woke me up!"

‘Every move you make, every step you take, I’ll be watching you’ got that song in my head now.

My Mum lives on her own but so far is healthy and fit but am aware that she won’t always be.There are good ideas on the thread like watches and lanyards with gadgets that would give relatives and parent alike peace of mind. Older people have fallen in the garden and died it has to be remembered.

A lot of people hate the pendant type button Oreo I wish they were more like a lanyard. Quite a few areas of "care" need updating.

Callistemon21 I think you must be on the younger side. I have found that, as I have watched friends and relations grow older with more issues and challenges, you begin to be prepared trade one bit of independence for another. Many people would do anything possible to stay at home. The most important thing is that it must be their choice.

Can I just add that getting older can be fun

Oreo

Callistemon21

The thought of someone keeping track of me or watching me in my home makes me shudder.

Just ensure she keeps her mobile phone near her and you could make a friendly phone call each morning if you're worried about her.
Eg
"Morning Mum, are you up yet?"
"No love, I'm having a lie in, you woke me up!"

‘Every move you make, every step you take, I’ll be watching you’ got that song in my head now.

By The Stalkers

DaisyAnneReturns

A lot of people hate the pendant type button Oreo I wish they were more like a lanyard. Quite a few areas of "care" need updating.

Callistemon21 I think you must be on the younger side. I have found that, as I have watched friends and relations grow older with more issues and challenges, you begin to be prepared trade one bit of independence for another. Many people would do anything possible to stay at home. The most important thing is that it must be their choice.

Can I just add that getting older can be fun

No, I'm on the old side, DaisyAnneReturns
Well, depending on where the line between younger and older is of course.

Can I just add that getting older can be fun
Do I want anyone watching me having fun? 😃

Noooo

I am the same age as the OP's Mum. Have one daughter who lives less than a quarter of a mile away and also works very nearby.
I live alone, independently, go to a lot of groups, but if I did not attend these it would be a couple of weeks before any alarm bells would ring. Have always been concerned about being taken ill, or unconscious (or worse) and nobody finding me for several days.

Do not want cameras in my home, but each morning justr before I eat my brekkie I send that daughter a message just saying - if she does not get this by 9 am (occasionally I do forget), then she will telephone me and if I did not answer would come straight round (she has keys).

As I have got older and more infirm, then we considered the different options in the event of a fall, etc at home. I have a key safe outside my front door, do not like those bracelet or necklet alarm calls. However have Alexa and it can hear me from anywhere in my flat, including the balcony and that can be told either to telephone my daughter or son-on-law and to call an ambulance. Once purchased has no monthly payment, etc involved and no third party to go through.

There are all kind of devices available that can help. I went to look around the showroom of an organisation that sells mobility aids/ home adaptions etc. it was a real eye opener to what's on the market. See if you can find one nearby and pay it a visit.

I would hate cameras watching me. I have only just read this thread. And would the OP like someone watching her every move. Or having some sort of tracker on her. If you are so worried about your mom then you have 2 options she lives with you or you put her into a home.

I had my mom live with the last 18 months of her life . She didn't want to but I pointed out I wasn't well enough to keep being called out by her all hours of the day and night as I had been since my dad died in 2007 along with looking after my mother in law.

I digress here the button round your neck is a good idea if used correctly. My mother in law wanted one so sorted that out for her at the time it cost £12 a month. The problem was she remembered to wear it but didn't like to wear her hearing aids in the house and if she leant against some thing and set it off even though the box was full volume she couldn't hear the person asking if she needed help . Hence I got call out day and night but she refused to wear her hearing aids because of wearing the batteries out. She had private hearing aids and had to buy the batteries herself. But she was rich and could afford them but didn't want to.
My mother in law died in 2015 aged 91.

My mom had cancer and dementia it wasn't easy looking after her on my own but it was what I wanted . I couldn't put my mom in a home because I knew I could look after her better than any home even when she became violent I couldn't do . I am proud of the fact my mom didn't have a sore on her body. I made sure of that. Mom died 2017 aged 90.

When I moved to a bungalow I had it altered to make it safe for me as I was born disabled . Made the gardens safe as well. And have had my mobile phone with me always on 24/7 and have since my husband died in 2004.

My daughter lives 10 mins away but I am very independent and intend to stay that way for long time yet.

Disabled family member has a Samsung watch with a fall detector, and 3 emergency numbers who are contacted if they have a fall. Apple watches I believe have similar attributes.

You need an alarm system with a button that hangs around her neck or install a special application in her phone, which after some time of inactivity dials the numbers you enter - your number, number of friends, ambulance. And a video camera can only be installed with her consent, and I think would constrain her freedom.