Using devices such as a pressure sensor pad means a lot to people who regularly take care of their aging loved ones.
The job of a caregiver often entails a lot of sacrifices – their time with their own friends and by themselves, their interests and pursuits, and other responsibilities. They give their own desires up to lcare for those they love.
Caring for aging patients and patients with degenerative illnesses (such as dementia) requires constant monitoring. Because of the time that caregivers have spent so much on taking care of the patients, they end up feeling stressed, burned out and frustrated.
Fortunately, there are devices that are designed to ease the burden of a caretaker’s everyday life. Pressure sensor pads are one of the devices that have proven helpful and beneficial for both the patient and the caregiver.
A pressure sensor pad is put on the mattress of the patient’s bed, chair or toilet seat. In order for a sensor pad to work as a complete alarm system, it is attached to an alarm. If the patient attempts to get up – either from bed, a chair or a toilet seat, the pad will detect a release of pressure. This triggers the alarm to send out an alert to the caregiver, who will come immediately to aid the patient.
Using the right pressure sensor pad means caregivers don’t have to sit next to the patient’s bed all day. They can even sleep outside the patient’s room all night.
There are also pressure sensor pads designed to be used as floor mats. They are useful especially in monitoring patients who tend to wander.
1. Long Range Paging Alarm System by Smart Caregiver
This alarm system not only works well as a bed alarm, but can also be used as a chair or floor alarm. It allows caregivers to monitor the patient’s mobility from afar.
Complete the system with the following:
A monitor box and central interface unit is used with an antenna
A long-range pager
Any of these products: a bed sensor pad, a chair sensor pad or a floor mat sensor (which will be detailed below).
Bed sensor pads:
10″ x 30″ Bed Sensor Pad (for patients that weigh 120 lbs. or more)
20″ x 30″ Bed Sensor Pad (for patients that weight LESS than 120 lbs.)
Choose the bed sensor pad to alert you when the patient tries to get up from the bed. To know whether a patient tries to actually stand up from the bed or just wants to sit up, you can place the sensor pads in the following positions:
If the patient attempts to sit up – place the bed sensor pad across the middle back or shoulder area horizontally.
If the patient tries to get out of the bed – it is est to place the bed sensor pad across the bed horizontally across the hip or buttock area.
7″ x 15″ Chair Sensor Pad:
It works in a very much similar way the bed sensor pad does. It alerts you when or if a patient tries to get up from a chair.
Floor mat sensors:
2′ x 3′ Floor Mat Sensor
2′ x 4′ Floor Mat Sensor
Choose the floor mat sensors to receive alerts when the patient is moving around a specific area, most especially when he or she approaches the doorway. This is useful especially if the patient exhibits a wandering behavior.
Setting this system up does not require professional help. It needs a 9-volt battery to operate. You place the battery inside the monitor box. place the sensor pad on the bed, chair or across the floor. Then, connect the sensor pad to the monitor box. Then, screw the central interface unit to the wall within 150 ft. of the monitor box. As for your pager, it requires two AA batteries (these batteries are not included).
2. Chair Alarm System
The system includes an alarm and one 10″ x 15″ long term chair sensor pad with a three-foot cord. Choose this system to receive alerts if the patient attempts to get up from their chair or wheelchair. It works pretty much the same as a bed sensor pad.
The chair sensor pad is placed under the patient’s seat. Connect the cord for the pad to the alarm, then hang the alarm on a chair, a hook, or any other area that you see convenient.
Be careful if you want to add a cushion to the seat before or after placing the chair sensor pad. Specific types of cushion (like memory foams, air-filled or gel foams) can contribute to false alarms.
3. Tidy Toilet Sensor Pad by Smart Caregiver
Another product from Smart Caregiver, this allows patients more privacy while they are relieving themselves inside the bathroom. To complete the system, choose one of the Smart Caregiver alarm models: TL-2100B, TL-2004E, TL-2100S, TL-2016R3/5, TL-2100V, and TL-3100/V, which are sold separately.
Place the Tidy Toilet Sensor Pad under the bottom side of the toilet seat. Next, connect the pad’s cord to an alarm. When the patient has finished using the toilet and is about to stand up, the pressure is released. This triggers the alarm to send the alert to the caregiver, who will come to assist the patient.
The list above shows a few of the Smart Caregiver products using pressure sensor pads. Kerr Medical has these and many more to meet your specific needs.
