Mom/Dad/Grandma is unsure about installing StackCare @home…
What can I tell them?
What can I tell them?
Yet you, the adult child, are very keen on finding a system which offers you valuable and reliable support in caring for your elderly loved one. You have no intention of “spying” on your parent, you just want to stop worrying at all times of the day about how they are doing and whether you would be able to get them help if and when they need it.
Based on our research, we have put together a series of positive points which are helpful when explaining StackCare @home to your elderly loved ones. We have put together some helpful answers for a conversation with your mom or dad, with all the arguments we generally encounter.
What is the best way to start the conversation?
Start the conversation by focusing on the positive status quo. We’re so happy that things are going well. We want to make sure to keep it that way. Let’s talk about what we can do to make sure that you can keep on living independently for a long time. Mom (or Dad), we found a great system which makes it possible for us to know if and when you need help. We think it is wonderful how self-reliant and independent you still are, but we would feel reassured to have that extra layer of safety.
It would really give us great peace of mind!
"You don’t need to worry, I am fine. I have been fine all my life and I don’t need you to worry."
Well, as we grow older, we all slow down, there is nothing wrong with that. If we recognize that, we can continue living a healthy and independent life for a long time.
With StackCare it is possible to detect potential health issues early on. StackCare can also help detect problems such as falls and send me alerts and notifications.
"I don’t ever fall! My sense of balance is great, and I am still very fit."
That’s great but statistics show that as people get older the risk of accidental falls increases each year. 1 in 2 older adults suffer from a fall each year. If for some unfortunate reason you were to fall and nobody came to help you, you would risk a significant decrease in mobility, independence and life quality. On top of that, if you were to lay on the floor for a long time, without getting help, the consequences could be all sorts of serious health complications, such as dehydration, pneumonia, and hypothermia. In many cases, all these complications can lead to death within 6 months after a fall.
In other words, if something happened we would get an alert and could come and help you as soon as possible, so the risks of any complications with long term effects would be considerably reduced! Wouldn't that be good?!
"So what is StackCare @home? What does it actually do?"
It's the home version of the professional product used in retirement communities.
There are 3 small motion sensors which we install in your bedroom, your bathroom and your favorite room. They are attached to the wall with removable sticky tape (command strips) and so there is no drilling, no holes in your wall, no complicated installation. We also plug in a small gateway into an outlet; this gateway collects your motion data. The sensors are about the size of your thumb and the gateway covers the palm of your hand. So it’s all very discreet and small.
"I don’t like the sound of that! Will it spy on me? Will it tell you every time I go to the bathroom? I feel like this will invade my privacy!"
No, it won’t spy on you in any way at all. It won’t judge whether you go to bed too late or use the bathroom too much or anything like that.
There is no right or wrong; there is just “motion” or “no motion” It’s just like the doors at the supermarket which open every time they detect motion. Stack has some incredible science to detect any changes in your normal patterns as these may indicate that you are perhaps in need of help.
"But how does Stack know that I might be having a problem? Can it “see” me?"
No, it cannot “see” you in any way. There are no cameras and no microphones. It’s very private, very discreet.
Let me give you an example on how it works. For the first few days, StackCare’s motion sensors will “understand” your habits, only by sensing your motion patterns. It will gather data on routines such as when you typically go to bed, when you get up, how often you typically get up during the night, and so on. So for the first few days, it establishes a baseline on YOUR typical behavior patterns. These behavior patterns are attributed specifically to you, no one else. For data privacy, your motion data gets assigned a very long identity number so it completely hides identifying information.
After a few days, StackCare's data science will know that for example, you generally get up between 7 and 8 am. If then all of a sudden there is a day where you are still not up by 11 am, I would get an alert to check in on you. Maybe you're just enjoying an unusual lay-in but maybe there is a true problem and you need help.
"Well, I could just call you and tell you that I am not well? "
Maybe, but what if you are so unwell that you can’t call me. Without StackCare, I wouldn’t even know about it!
Also, I know you! You wouldn't want to bother me no matter what I say. Having this automatic help gives us both peace of mind.
"But you always call me everyday around 10 am anyway, so you would find out then that I am not picking up the phone."
Sometimes unpredictable events come up. Maybe on a day where you need my help, I am stuck in a meeting and unable to call around the usual time. If I got an alert on my phone, I could respond immediately and certainly interrupt whatever I am doing! Also, I just love the feature that I get a daily update every morning at 10:30 am that you are all OK.
Not forgetting that it's more fun to talk about other things on our calls, like the grandkids or your scrumptious apple cake recipe!
"So what can you see exactly? Can I have access to the information that you get?"
I don’t “see” anything. Just a summary of how many hours you slept and if everything is in the normal range. There is nothing to be afraid of.
Yes, you could also have the app installed on your phone and see your own information. Let me show you the app on Stack's website and the information that's in there.
"What is the temperature feature?"
Stack also measures the temperature levels and alerts us of temperatures which are dangerously high or low.
"Do I have to wear anything? What do I have to do?"
Nothing! You don’t have to do anything at all! The system runs on its own, after a few days you will not even notice it anymore. It’s totally unobtrusive.
And no, you don’t not have to wear anything!
"What if something happens to me while I am outside, maybe in my garden? How will StackCare know and send you a notification?"
The Daytime Activity monitor detects if there is no motion anywhere in the house for an extended period of time. So if I don’t see any motion in your house, the system will send out an alert. Maybe you fell in the garden or down the basement stairs, where there are no sensors, and you need help.
Even if you're just out for the day, I'll be able to check in the app that you got back home OK.
"How much does this cost? Is it expensive?"
That’s the great thing about it! It is very affordable. The sensors and the gateway are free and all we need to pay for is a monthly subscription.
It's a small sum for me to know that you're OK.
"So what do I get out of having you install this in my home? What are the benefits for me?"
Well, first of all this system will allow you to continue to live independently in your own home. It will certainly delay any need to go live in Assisted Living. It’s so much more comfortable to age and live at home and also a lot more affordable.
It will give you reassurance that should you need help, we will be able to get you help! By making all of us aware early on of any potential issues, we can intervene before these issues become bigger problems or even emergencies.
And last but not least, knowing that we could get you help quickly if say you're stuck in the bathroom in the middle of the night, is of unmeasurable value to me!
It would just make me a lot less worried about you! I just want to know that you are doing well! It truly is...