Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, AUGUST 25, 2023 Sav Sa Sa n or Savvy Seniori r avvy Senior by Jim Miller Best Medical Alert Systems You Don’t Have to Wear Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any monitored medical alert devices that you know of that don’t require pushing a wearable help button? My 82-year-old father, who lives alone, has fallen twice during the past year but doesn’t like wearing an SOS pendant button. Searching Daughter Dear Searching, Yes, there are actually several monitored medical alert systems and other technologies on the market today that have voice-activated capabilities that let seniors call for help using voice commands, without pushing a wearable help button. These new technologies are very helpful for elderly seniors that live alone who forget, or prefer not to wear a help button, as well as for those who have physical challenges that makes using a help button diffi cult. By simply speaking the “wake words” these devices will connect your dad to a trained dispatcher at a 24/7 monitoring center who will fi nd out what the problem is, and get him the help he needs, whether it’s calling emergency services, or contacting a family member, friend or neighbor to come and help him. All of these technologies also offer family/caregiver smartphone apps that will help you keep tabs on your dad from afar and notify you know if a problem occurs. Hands-Free Medical Alerts Some of the best voice-focused medical alert systems available today are GetSafe, Aloe Care Health and HandsFree Health. Rated by U.S. News & World Report as their No. 1 medical alert system for 2023, GetSafe (GetSafe.com) comes with a cellular base console, voice-activated and push wall buttons, an optional personal help button and fall detection sensors. To call for help your dad would simply say “Call 911” twice and he would be connected to GetSafe’s 24/7 monitoring service. Prices for GetSafe start at $79 plus a $30 monthly monitoring fee. Another highly rated system is Aloe Care Health (AloeCare.com), which comes with a voice-activated Smart Hub and optional wearable help button with fall detection capabilities. This system would connect your dad to the Aloe Care 24/7 monitoring center by simply saying “Emergency” repeatedly until connected. It can also make voice command nonemergency calls to preassigned contacts. Prices start at $150 plus a monthly fee of $30. The WellBe by HandsFree Health (HandsFreeHealth. com) is a nice third option to consider. This comes with the WellBe Medical Alert Speaker that would let your dad call for help by saying “OK WellBe Call Emergency.” WellBe also off ers hands-free calling and messaging to contacts, will answer health questions, and provide reminders for medications and doctor appointments. It also off ers a medical alert watch and pendant (sold separately) with fall detection capabilities. WellBe starts at $100 plus $20/month. Smart Home Solution Instead of a traditional medical alert system, another terrific hands-free way to call for help is to get your dad an Amazon Echo device (prices range from $50 to $250) and sign him up for Alexa Together (Amazon.com/AlexaTogether). This is remote caregiving service that will turn his Echo into a medical alert system. To get help your dad would say “Alexa, call for help” to be connected to their 24/7 Urgent Response center. Alexa Together, which costs $20/month, also works with compatible third-party fall detection devices like Vayyar and AltumView. If a fall is detected, Alexa can ask your dad if he needs help, then connect him to the Urgent Response line and alert his emergency contacts. Amazon Echo devices also provide a bevy of other features your dad may fi nd useful. For example, Echo’s will let your dad make handsfree calls, receive reminders, set timers and alarms, control smart home devices, check the weather, play his favorite music and much more. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. A Summer of Free Weekly Concerts Saugonians got to enjoy some live musical entertainment every Wednesday at the historical Saugus iron Works Decades of Rock performed on July 26. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) By Laura Eisener T he concerts continued at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site this summer with great success. Every Wednesday evening a good crowd of Saugus residents met on the upper lawn at the Iron Works to hear a concert performed by a diff erent band. Some audience members came every week, while others attended once or twice to hear a favorite band. Most evenings there were over 150 people. All the concerts were free to attend. They have been sponsored by the Saugus Public Library and the National Park Service with partial funding from the Saugus Cultural Council, which is an arm of the state agency Mass Cultural Council. It’s been a great way to enjoy the summer weather – a site unique in its location and history and the companionship of our neighbors from all over town. Many families set up blankets on the lawn and brought snacks so everyone could enjoy it in their own way. Under the purple beech, small children with a bit of energy ran around, and some weeks there were improvised dances when the older children were especially moved by the music. Adults set up folding chairs and met their friends, enjoying the very obliging weather for most Wednesdays this summer. On August 9, the Ditto Band surprised me by playing “Happy Birthday” after a friend secretly tipped them off. This past Wednesday, August 23, the band Headlands from Rockport performed. Over 150 people gathered most weeks, and most are feeling a bit melancholy to see the summer come to a close. The concerts lasted from 6 to 8, and as the summer winds down the sun has been noticeably lower in the sky as people pack up to return home. This coming Wednesday, August 30, will be the fi nal concert of the season, appropriately performed by the popular band Memorylaners. Jump Street performed on Aug. 16. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) Ditto Band performed on Aug. 9. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener) Sweet Soul Sounds performed on Aug. 2. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Laura Eisener)
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