Andy Droney is in a position familiar to millions of Americans: His parents, in their 80s, live at home and want to stay there as they age, valuing their independence and comfort.
But the autonomy that comes with aging in place can worry the adult children who often help as caregivers. They have a fear of falls or accidents — and that their parents will not be able to reach emergency help if that happens.
Droney, who is Senior Director of ADT Health, says these fears are exactly what drew him to ADT’s Health Team.
“I just don’t think there’s anything better than to say you’re helping keep your grandmother, uncle, mom or dad safe,” Droney says. “I just love the mission of helping seniors and people who are vulnerable feel safe and secure.”
Aging in place grows with the population
The popularity of aging in place is on the rise. By 2030, one in five Americans will be age 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And a survey conducted last summer by AARP found that nearly three in four Americans over the age of 50 say they want to remain in their current home for as long as possible.
For many, it’s both a financial and emotional decision: Half of Americans over 50 who own their homes have paid off their mortgages, making aging in place an attractive and economical choice, the survey found.
Access to dedicated monitoring agents 24/7
But with independence comes the need for practical tools to help provide peace of mind. ADT Medical Alert Systems assists seniors and vulnerable individuals to age in place safely, knowing help is just a button press away.
ADT offers devices that work inside the home or on the go with GPS tracking. When the button is pushed, the user is quickly connected to an ADT Health monitoring agent who assesses the situation and provides the necessary response, whether that’s calling friends or family, or alerting first responders.
“The simple design, the fact that it’s easy to use and easy to set up, is a really important aspect of our products,” says David DeRosa, Marketing and Product Manager for ADT Health.
Customers can also communicate easily and directly with an agent right from the base station to describe how they need help.
“The ADT Health agent on the other end of that call for help is highly trained, highly tenured,” Droney says. “They only handle calls from ADT Medical Alert Systems and don’t monitor security calls, which means they’re dedicated to our customers.”
Peace of mind for children and caregivers
The majority of those who purchase an ADT Medical Alert System are not the users themselves, but their children or those helping provide care and support. Droney says that, as a parent himself who is now helping support his parents as they age, he understands this.
“These devices often aren’t purchased ahead of time; it is usually in reaction to something that happened,” Droney says. “The benefits are different for a caregiver. They want the peace of mind that they will know what’s going on in their loved one’s home in the case of an emergency.”
He says the tools can also help ease tensions that arise as those used to independence now need increased help and oversight.
“It reduces caregiver stress and allows them to have a better relationship with their loved one,” Droney says of ADT Health monitoring. “Conversations don’t have to focus solely on health and well-being, because the caregiver knows that help will be there with just the push of a button.”
Find the medical alert system that best fits your needs at adt.com/health.
See ADT Health in action
ADT’s solutions for those aging in place will be featured on the award-winning home improvement show “Designing Spaces,” debuting on Lifetime Oct. 31 at 7:30 a.m. and then available at designingspaces.tv.