It’s often a tough choice for families to make when helping an elderly family member. You’d sure feel guilty if you made the wrong decision and you’d never want anyone making the wrong decision for you, if you were the one needing care. So when it comes to facility care or in-home care, the choice must be made with compassion, it must come from the heart - what’s best, and if it were me, what would I want?

We’d all like to believe that in-home care would be the top option, but what if there are rather severe medical issues and you are worried about that? Well, maybe a physician recommended medical monitoring device might provide that extra layer of safety and peace of mind. Let me explain, because today’s innovative medical devices seem to be ready to bridge the gap.

In fact, there was a great article in the Wall Street Journal. The article noted how new medical monitoring and the “Internet of Things' (IoT) was allowing doctors to feel safe about their patients being at home rather than in an expensive Board and Care Facility, Nursing Home or Assisted Living Location. The article went into several new technologies on the horizon and many that have already hit the market.

The article makes a great point. You see, if you have an in-home caregiver that is treating your family member like family, then you have companionship and less chance for depression. You also have someone doing meal planning, and reminding the client when it’s medication time. Someone is there helping out. Meanwhile, if you have health monitoring devices too, those alert the physician if something is amiss just as one of the nurses might do in a nursing home. When you think about it, isn’t that the same thing that’s done in a nursing home or senior assisted living facility?

Sure it is, and think about it for a second; what is the ratio of nurses or helpers in a board and care facility; six-to-one or more? So, if you have a caregiver the ratio is one-to-one and your mom or dad gets to stay in their home - and we all know transitioning from one’s home to a facility completely disrupts one’s quality of life.

Now then, does this mean that nursing homes, assisted living facilities or board and care facilities are going to be a thing of the past? Well, not likely as there is a waiting list at most of these types of care facilities and they are still commanding a very high price. So, of course, they are not going away anytime soon. Still, the article does make a lot of sense, and it sure makes you think. And, I guess I’d like to leave you with that thought of the day. Be Well, Live Well and By All Means Live Longest!