Mom keeps taking off her personal fall alert necklace, any alternatives?

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Mom keeps taking off her personal fall alert necklace, any alternatives?

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My 95 year old Mom has alzheimer's / dementia and I gently let her know how important it is to wear the Phillips Lifeline Necklace which has fall detection but she forgets (which I understand due to her dementia). She loves wearing her gold necklace. I even took off the string that is threaded through the Lifeline and put a 18K gold plated snake chain through it, but that didn't work either.

Any ideas as I do need to leave the house for 20 to 30 minutes to buy food or pick up her medication.

For those that don't know me, I am a full time caregiver for my Mom (24/7) and I don't have any help nor at this time do I need any help since my Mom is the sweetest person I know and so easy to take care of. I'm scared that she may fall (which she has done in the past).

I do have a smart phone if that makes any difference.

Thanks,

Jenna

Alzheimer's & Dementia Personal Alert Devices Product

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Does Lifeline make a watchband type device?

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Yes but it doesn't have the fall detection feature.

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Why don't you just get some inexpensive security cameras, that you can access from your smart phone, when you are away? I had a camera on the mantel in my living room where my husband was in the hospital bed,(he was bedridden), and I too was his 24/7 caregiver, so when I did have to go out, I could just check on him through my phone. Because your mom is mobile, you would just need to place the cameras throughout your house. The camera gave me great peace of mind. I have the Blink Security cameras, and mine are the older ones that you only can hear on them , where now the ones they have have where you can hear what's going on, and also talk to the person as well. I think I only paid like $200, for 3 cameras, and the module. Worth every penny.

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I actually have 2 Blink Security Camera's (I bought them for different reasons) and now they are not being used.

Thanks for reminding me that I have them so I could set one up in my Mom's bedroom (where she spends most of her time) and the hallway which she uses to go to the bathroom.

She doesn't remember how to use the telephone and/or answer the telephone (which I forget to mention in my original post).

I will set up my Blink camera's.

Thanks, Jenna

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You say you are only leaving her for under an hour while you run errands - I get that you want to enclose her in bubble wrap but I'm not sure that any devise is going to buy anything more than a (false?) feeling of security and perhaps a lessening of unjustified guilty feelings. Imagine she falls now while you are at the store and you don't find her until you return home in 20 minutes. Now imagine you are at the store and you get an alert or you check the security app on your phone and you see her on the floor, so you drop everything and rush home in a panic to assess the damage. How much have you gained?

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I understand what you are saying but if I saw that she fell on my phone while I was at the store I would call 911. I wouldn't have to panic and rush home though knowing me I would drop everything and come home. Groceries can wait.

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Does the company offer other devices like a bracelet? Could the bracelet be used as an ankle monitor?
Can the necklace be placed in a pocket each morning? She would not notice it so probably she would leave it alone.
You might also want to consider putting security cameras in the house that you can monitor on your phone.

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Philips Lifeline does offer a bracelet but it doesn't have the fall detection feature, only the necklace which does work as it has gone off in the past and the operators speak through the large monitor.

My Mom is so confused that I don't even know if she knows to press the button. She's only familiar with tasks from her past years except the telephone.

I already have 2 security cameras so I will set them up as I can see her on my phone.

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I like Grandma1954's pocket idea, or perhaps pinning it to her waistband if there are no pockets. Somewhere out of sight would hopefully be out of mind as well so she wouldn't remove it.

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How is she removing the necklace? Can she undo it, or is she pulling it over her head?

If she is pulling it over her head can you shorten the chain? Or perhaps as others have suggested pin the chain at her shoulders so she cannot pull it over her head?

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She pulls it over her head. I adjust it to make it shorter but she plays with it and it's too long. I think I will locate the chain so it's shorter.

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My Mom and I just finished playing cards and I asked her why she takes it off. She said it bothers her when she goes to sleep and lays on her side. I think if I can make it shorter it wouldn't bother her.

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I am thinking the best solution would be a regular aide at a regular weekly or bi-weekly time that sits while you shop - for safety & peace of mind.

I work with the elderly. When they have had a fall I ask do you have a falls alarm? So many say yes. Were you wearing it? Quite often yes. Did you press the button. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Answers include they forget they had it, forgot how it worked. Mostly shuffled to a phone to call a relative instead. One lay in a garden all night instead of pressing the button.

My own relative has lain on the floor all night without pressing the button. Oh well, she thought, can't fall any further, just sleep here tonight.

JennaRose, I don't mean to scare you. Just there are situations beyond your control. Providing the alarm IS in your control. Whether Mother pushes the button is not. Falls happen due to a zillion reasons: loss of balance but also due to TIA, stroke, heart attack, blood pressure problems etc. Not everyone who falls call think straight. I gather the necklace is an automated alarm? Better, but not the whole solution.

If she is on the floor she cannot fall further. Yes stroke, head injury, heart attack need immediate treatment but what are your Mother's plans? Does she want CPR? I am sorry to be confronting - but many don't want that.

Maybe try a sitter.

Not good for you to be rushing round the shops in a panic attack ☹️. (((hugs)))

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Hi Beatty,

Yes, the necklace has a fall detection alarm. It worked in the past when my Mom fell down (without her pressing the button) because it touches the floor in within seconds someone calls from our local hospital and speaks through the monitor asking if my Mom is okay. My Mom and/or myself talk to the monitor.

I know I can't protect her 100% but I can try with all the devices that are available to me. As I posted I ordered a camera that has a feature where it pans 360 degrees and follows my Mom which I can view on my smartphone as well as talk to her (it has an intercom feature).

When I go out (and that could be once a week) I'm only gone for 30 to 45 minutes (I'm a homebody and enjoy being at home). I don't know if someone would come and sit with my Mom for such a short time. That's why I ordered this camera so I can monitor my Mom when I am out as well as talk to her.

I got really nervous because I had an important eye doctor app't yesterday which was far away so I ended up bringing my Mom with me. She enjoyed the ride (Vermont is beautiful this time of year with the snow-capped trees and mountains). Mom said to me she would like to get out more often.

Thanks for your input,
Jenna

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My mil hated the feeling of it hanging around her neck. She said it just felt heavy to her. She bought shirts with pockets at the chest level. While she still hung it around her neck, she tucked it in pocket right away and it never bothered her after that. She didn't sleep with it at night but rather put it on the night stand. Then if she went to the bathroom during the night, she took it with her.

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I have a friend that fell in her bathroom and laid there for days. After she came home from the hospital, she checked out alert systems and finally decided they didn't work for her active lifestyle, so she sewed a pouch for her smartphone and carries it around her neck wherever she she goes. I carry my dumb phone in my pocket. My point is that if she doesn't like the placement or looks, perhaps someone can make her a pouch. I like your suggestion of the pockets even better.

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does she like to wear a watch? I know some alert things also have a watch that they can wear. My mom (not with dementia but has fallen) didn't wear any jewelry except wedding band, she didn't care for the watch but she does wear the necklace. Now I do NOT have a smart phone but as "smart" as they are, can you get some kind of camera in house that can be linked to your phone? that way you could view her while you are gone. if not, is there a good friend that could come in for that 1/2 hour, or hire a caregiver thru an office of aging service for an hour and that way you can take your time and give your mother someone new to talk to? wishing you luck.

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Jenna Rose: you can add sensors on the doors, windows, as well as other locations. I had a sensor on the lid of the bathroom waste container that my mom would use every time she used a personal non flushable wipe. I would get an alert and know she would need extra care. The non obtrusive device gave me the ability to “magically appear” whenever she needed me.

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You might try letting her wear their watch instead if the necklace or put the necklace on too short of a chain thst she can't get it over her head.

you could also set up cameras thru out the house where you can watch her 24 7 and get alerts from your cell phone.

I had my son set up Nest which was quiet easy.

Until you figure it out, you can always have groceries and meds delivered.

But, a 24 7 Caregiver needs a break no matter how sweet the person is tgat they're taking care of.

You could plan to have a family member, friend or Caregiver come once a week for 3-4 hrs so you can have some time for yourself and or do errands.

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After doing research on camera's I ordered one this morning which has 360 degree so I can watch my Mom on my phone as well as talk to her when I'm out for a little while.

Everyone that is family has passed away except for my estranged sister who has refused to talk to my Mom for over 15 years now. My sister has problems that she can't resolve. With most of the stores in lockdown I wouldn't know where to go for 3 or 4 hours. I'm happiest at home where I do my knitting, love cooking, at watching my favorite movies. I'm a homebody at heart.

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Could you sew it into a piece of clothing??

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We have just looked into the Amazon Alexa Echo Show device. An Echo 8 has camera built in and Alexa she can talk to. You can monitor and talk to her no matter where you are with the Alexa app. Getting one for my mom who is moving from rehab into Assisted Living next week.

It is an absolutely amazing device and so many are buying them for their loved ones.

Go to Amazon and Google Amazon Alexa Show 8 (the 5 is too small) or 10.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086ZF1T9X/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=385410067577&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17906080205099223721&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1025930&hvtargid=kwd-820944420163&ref=pd_sl_g3rn32nhu_e

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I have the Alexa app on my phone but I need to re-program it. Mom has the Echo Dot and I have the Show.

Thanks!

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Maybe make small pocket in back of tops to put the device into.

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My brother in law mentioned to me a wall mounted fall alert system. Something like this. I need to look in to it further myself. although it may be simpler to use a waterproof bracelet that she doesn’t take off. I bought my mom an Amazon dot and loaded an app called “ask my buddy” if she falls and is conscious she can yell “ask my buddy to call my daughter” I will then get a robo call telling me to check on my mom. My mom does not have a smart phone, but if you do then she can probably just command it to call you directly because you can make phone calls from you device if linked to a smartphone.

https://www.caring.com/best-medical-alert-systems/best-wall-mounted-medical-alert-systems/

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My Mom can ask her Echo Dot to call me (it has my cell phone number programmed) but because of her dementia she doesn't remember she can do that.

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Haven't checked how many people have already said this - ! - but lifelines are usually supplied with wrist straps as well as pendant cords.

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The problem with the wrist straps is they don't have a fall detection feature. At least Philip's lifeline doesn't. The pendant has the fall detection.

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Hi Jenna,
My mom, 96, who lives with us did the same thing every night before going to bed. She is still able to put herself to bed and get dressed in the morning. My mom also pushed the button a few times unnecessarily. The one she wears has an automatic fall response. What I had to do, which works for us is I placed tape over the call button. Also, so she does not remove the lanyard, I had to shorten it. Unconventional, but it's working for us. Good luck

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maybe a wrist band would work

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Do they offer the bracelet one? (although a friend cut hers off). I finally gave up on the Medic Alert one for my 89 year old partner as we couldn't adjust the neck and it hit at almost the table level. it would go off when you didn't want it to and the one time that i pushed it for emergency help it rang and rang and rang until i gave up and grabbed the phone to call 911. Then they later showed in their records that THEY had called the paramedics!! I just give her her personal cell phone in here pocket or within reach if she falls when i go out (usually on her rolling walker). (Be careful about putting it in the pocket; once my partner fell in the garage and it went flying out under the car. Another time she fell and it also flew out of her pocket across the room.)

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My father also kept taking the pendant off because it hit just at the wrong point which was the most effective placement. He would set it off when eating and when he put it on the dresser at night. Didn't have that problem with the wrist band because he was used to wearing a watch. Ultimately, he fell and forgot to push the wrist button (we did periodic drills to remind him). He was there quite awhile before I discovered him. After that he went into memory care.

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The cameras are the best idea. If you think she might forget and try to leave the house, you can get more for the doors. My mother, who is in a facility, takes hers off all the time and cannot remember where she put it. If you do continue with the pendant, you are wise to recognize that she probably won't know to. push the button; if she remembers now, she might not in 3 months. She could fall even with you or an aide standing right there so please don't be too upset if she falls while you are at the store. If you only leave her to go to buy food or pick up medication, you might want to get a little help once a week or so, to get some respite time for yourself. That is not the question you asked us but I wanted to remind you that no matter how sweet or easy to care for your mom is, you still need to break.
Good luck

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My Mom has never left the house. When I go out I'm gone for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes. I don't think anyone will sit with my Mom for such a short amount of time.

The camera I ordered this morning after doing a lot of research not only has the 360 degree monitoring but also an intercom. So if I'm at the store I can see what my Mom is doing.

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It is a difficult situation when a person with dementia won't wear a medical alert pendant. There is a company that makes soles for a person's shoes that has a GPS tracking device in them. Most individuals with dementia do wear their shoes, so this is a good resolution for many. However, this system does not have a fall detection component. I really don't know a good solution for that part of the problem.

I want to let you know that if your mom has a fall pendant, it is crucial to know that she must wear the pendant outside of her clothes. These pendants need to be able to register the velocity and the impact of a fall. When someone is wearing the pendants on the inside of a shirt, the fall may not register.

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It's not that she won't wear it but takes it off because it bothers her when she goes to sleep at night as she feels it when she turns on her side, so she is wearing the pendant during the day but not at night.

Yes, she does wear it outside of the clothes.

Thanks!

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We have the Ring Alert cameras and phone app. You can keep an eye on her on your phone, the motion detector let's you know if she's moving around and it also has an intercom so you can talk to her and remind her to sit down or whatever until you get back. There's even a siren alert that you can set off if she starts going somewhere she shouldn't.

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Can you hire someone to watch her while you go grocery shopping or have appointments?
You could set up a time for once or twice a week for errands and also schedule appointment times as you get them.

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That's just the best avatar!

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She may be beyond the point where she would be able to use it, remember to use it, or understand its importance.

I recommend installing cameras around the house that can be monitored via a phone app. For example, people use them for their pets when they need to leave the house. (We have the Kasa app on our phones for that purpose.)

The only alert device that seems to be somewhat reliable is the ankle bracelet that cannot be removed easily. They use them in nursing homes.

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I agree. When my father was in the SNF they had their device on their ankle - the residents were unable to remove it.

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I ordered a new camera from Amazon that has a 360 degree motion in which I can see my Mom on my smartphone at all angles. I didn't like the camera's I had (I had set one up 2 days ago).

My Mom has the Echo Dot and I have the Show. Problem is we both can't use it at the same time (as far as I know). Mom uses her Echo Dot all day long asking it to play her favorite music. She's really cute when she tells the Dot to make it louder or lower as she says "computer, please make the sound louder". She's so polite!

She's wearing the necklace and in the past when she would fall it sensed it and Lifeline alert would go off with someone speaking to me from the nearby hospital.

Today I have an eye doctor app't which is really important because I'm having problems with my vision. I may need cataract surgery (won't know until I see the doctor) or just stronger glasses. This will take about 2 hours or more.

I'm taking my Mom with me so I won't have to worry about her. It's good for her to get out of the house since it's a beautiful drive and it's about 30 minutes away.

When I leave to buy food or pick up her medication I'm not gone that long. My Mom is not comfortable with people she doesn't know and I don't know if anyone would sit with her for 1 hour or less.

I'm a homebody at heart and when I relax I'm happy knitting as I watch my favorite shows and movies. Even before my Mom moved in with me I was a homebody. I enjoy my own company!

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

Jenna

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You seem like a really nice person. Do you have a neighbor you could spontaneously ask to watch your mom for an hour? I would do that for my neighbors.

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Maybe you could safety pin it to the front of her shirt. Pin from the inside so she would have some difficulty in removing it. While she may forget to push the button if she was needing help, the device would still alert you if there was a fall.

The only other thing I can think of, and it may be time, is to have 1-2 days a week where you run errands and you hire someone to come in to sit with her when you're out. Obviously, there are times you will have to be out of the house, but food delivery can be used for grocery shopping. If her meds are the same all the time, you may be able to get those by mail or drug store delivery.

Regarding meds, talk to drug store about getting them to all come due at same time. For a while, I was going to drug store several times a month. Now I have them all due at same time. I keep a chart of all drugs, how many refills left on each one, and start calling dr for an expired RX before it is due, and call the drug store to order what I need all at one time. I also request 90 day supplies. Has been a real timesaver.

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I pick up her meds at Walmart which is not far away and after I get her meds I also shop for groceries and staples we need in the house. Thus I am killing 2 birds with one stone. I'm very friendly with all the pharmacists there but when I start walking I walk very fast (it's just a habit I picked up from when I worked in New York City). I keep reminding myself that I need to walk slower, lol!

Anyway, I enjoy going to Walmart because it gives me some respite time.

If I pinned the lifeline pendant to her clothes I don't think the pendant would work because it needs to touch the floor if she falls down which sets off the monitor in which someone calls immediately to ask if she needs help. If she is laying on the floor she could hear the monitor and speak to the person who called. The pendant needs to have some room to swing and touch the floor or else it's purpose is defeated.

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How about taking the chain off and replacing it with a pretty, soft ribbon...then make it short enough to not take off. Tie the know tightly.

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I had a bed alarm, so when mom got out of bed it went off so we ( or the nurses at the care home) would know she got off the bed

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Jenna-I am 92 years old and recently widowed. My older son got me the medic alert with a lock box on the door since I live alone. I do sometimes find it a bit heavy even though he exchanged it for a newer lighter model. I asked them to send me a clip for my belt which they did but it may not work as well for fall prevention. I to take it off sometimes when I go to sleep and put it on my pillow. Trouble is when I get up for toilet time I sometimes forget it. I often think what if I fell and it was on my pillow! The gold chain sounds like it might work. Good luck with all you do for your Mommy. You are a blessing. My 3 sons live 1200 miles away, We text one another every morning. Thank G-d for family.

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Mom keeps taking off her personal fall alert necklace, any alternatives?

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