The electronic pendant around the neck of 88-year-old Grif Crawford is more than just a panic button. It's a two-way communicator that can remind Crawford to take his medicine, answer his phone, or let him know if there's a fire. And yes, it still can call for help in an emergency.
This new generation of health monitors may cost $150 to $200 a month right now, but what is the value if the technology lets seniors remain in their homes longer and avoid costly nursing homes and assisted-living facilities? People are just beginning to ask that question. "We're at the beginning of the wave," Elinor Ginzler, senior vice president for livable communities for AARP, says in an Associated Press story. "Money is an issue."
As awareness increases and prices fall, though, this technology is headed for the mainstream, Ginzler suggests.
To learn more about new home-health technologies:
- check out this Associated Press story, via the Boston Herald