(News ider er Gm On National Senior Citizens Day, Three Ways To Celebrate The Older Generation (NAPSA)—Whether it’s your parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle or neighbor, you likely received guidance from or looked to older people in your le as you've tried to become more independent and deal with change and everyday challenges. August 21 is National Senior Citizens Day, and it’s an ideal time to honor seniors for the wisdom and care they have provided us, and also to celebrate the members of the older generation by finding ways to enhance their lives as they age. There’s No Place Like Home Nearly 90 percent of seniors want to age in place—stay in their own homes asthey get older. But one out of three seniors suffers a fall each year, according to the CDC. Making an older person’s homeas safe as possible is integral to helping him or her maintain this independence. Walking through seniors’ daily routine with them, from the time they get out of bed to when they go back to sleep, can reveal patterns in how they navigate their home and any potential hazards. By identying the areas of concern and making necessary adjustments, you can decrease the risk of an accident and seniors can reside more confidently in their own home. Stay Connected Technology now allows grand- parents to FaceTimetheir chil- dren and grandchildren across the globe or even in the next town, and seniors to reconnect with classmates of decades past via Facebook. Older generations can create, build and maintain quality social relationships with the convenience and ease of social media. Seniors have a multitude of online outlets to share updates, photos and videos with loved ones. To help them stay in touch, ensure that the seniors in your le have reliable Internet connectivity, and help them set up social media accounts they don’t have one already. In-person interaction is ideal, but keeping in touch through computers, tablets and smartphones is a great way to supplement seeing and speaking with each other. Everyone’s Wearing Technology Wearable technology like the Apple Watch is popular among C | m””6lhCONG On National Senior Citizens Day and all year long, show older people you care by helping them live safely in their homes. younger audiences, but wearable fitness trackers and medicalalert devices can provide great benefits to seniors as well. In the event of a fall or accident whereit’s impossible to get to a phoneto call for help, a medical alert device immediately connects the injured to emergency services. Because that person’s medical history and health needs are on file, first responders can more easily treat them. With help a push of a button away, medical alert devices give seniors peace of mind even beyond health concerns. In fact, a recent survey by Bay Alarm Medical found that 80 percent of medical alert device wearers worry less when their adult children travel because they feel the device provides an adequate support system. If you decide to help protect the senior in your le with a wearable medical alert system, it’s also wise to look for a caring, people-first, ethical provider. Bay Alarm Medical, for example, implemented a Code of Ethics it follows for uncompromisingly ethical and transparent business practices. The company vows to prioritize customers over sales, make pricing publicly accessible and never pressure customers into a product or ser- vice they do not need, among other safeguards. National Senior Citizens Day is a day to commemorate the great ways in which seniors have helped us and we should show them how thankful we are every day. Simple steps such as a home safety walkthrough, staying connected and providing the tools to enhance their physical and emotional wellbeing can go a long way in reducing the stress of aging for seniors and their loved ones.
