Because some seniors with cognitive deficiencies will often try to get out of bed regardless of the barriers you put up, a bed alarm can be helpful. They are inexpensive and come in various types. Some sound an alarm after the senior has gotten off the bed and some will alert you if the person simply moves to the edge of the bed.
Most can be run with an electrical cord that’s plugged into an outlet. Some, however, have the option of running on battery power which is great in the event of a power outage.
After her mother fractured her vertebrae, my coworker got a bed alarm made by Smart Caregiver. One feature she loved was that it was wireless and cord free.
To use it, she put the sensor pad under her mom’s hips (under the fitted sheet) and it sounded an alarm if her mom tried to get out of the bed. It was battery powered, but she got the system’s optional AC power adapter to save on batteries.
The nice thing about this alarm was that she could carry the monitor around the house as she cleaned or cooked, etc. That also meant that the alarm didn’t go off in her mother’s room and upset her with the noise.
If you get one for your parent, make sure the pad is sealed so it won’t short out the sensor (or shock the person) if they have an issue with incontinence.
3 Bed Alarms We Can Recommend
There are two products that we most often recommend:
1. Smart Caregiver Bed Alarm
To use it, she put the sensor pad under her mom’s hips (under the fitted sheet) and it sounded an alarm if her mom tried to get out of the bed. It was battery powered, but she got the system’s optional AC power adapter to save on batteries.
The nice thing about this alarm was that she could carry the monitor around the house as she cleaned or cooked, etc. That also meant that the alarm didn’t go off in her mother’s room and upset her with the noise.
2. Smart Caregiver Floor Mat
This is a flat mat that can be placed on the floor, by the bed. It plugs into an outlet and when stepped on, it can turn on the light in the room AND notify you (the caregiver) that your elderly loved one has gotten up. Of course, if they fall onto the mat – it will notify you as well.
3. Customizable Bed Alarm
This mat is another option to monitor if someone gets up off the bed. The benefit of this product is that you can pick and choose what additional accessories you want to use with it – which can work well for some caregivers.
