Personal alarms are ideal for helping to keep your loved ones safe. If they are in danger or need help, they can simply press the button and get the help they need. Sometimes, though, our loved ones have extra needs that can make life more challenging. This is particularly true if they have been diagnosed with dementia.

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a condition that is caused by deteriorating brain functions. It can cause memory loss, affect movement, and lead to language problems. More than 920,000 people in the UK are living with dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia. Dementia patients can undergo changes in personality and lose interest in their usual hobbies. They may also cease to engage with people socially.

Sometimes a person with dementia can become very confused. They may think they need to go to work even though they have been retired for years. If they walk to the shops, they may forget the way home. They can also become distressed at home.

Benefits of Personal Alarms for Dementia Patients

People with dementia often struggle at home. They might get confused or become distressed when they forget something. A personal alarm can help dementia patients remain independent. If they are particularly distressed, they can press the button on their alarm, and a friendly voice at the other end will provide support.

If your loved one needs help, the monitoring teams can alert you and ask you to attend. Monitoring teams can also call the emergency services if the patient is injured.

GPS Alarms

The best personal alarms for dementia patients come fitted with GPS locators. If they leave the house and cannot find their way back or have left without informing anyone where they are going, the alarm can be used to find them.

Most personal alarm services come with a pendant device. This is the device your loved one presses when they are in trouble. Provided they are wearing this when they leave the house, a call to your alarm provider may be all it takes to find them. The GPS locator will be active even if the button has not been pressed.

This could make all the difference when you are trying to find your loved one.

Choosing a Personal Alarm

There are many alarm services to choose from, and as such you want to make sure you are making the right choice. The Compare page provides details on alarms from eight of the best services across the country – including whether they come with a GPS option.

You may also want to look at my article on fall alarms to further inform your choices. Finally, take a look at the Providers page for some details on the companies and links to their webpages. Many of them have blogs of their own giving advice on caring for your loved ones and certain medical conditions.