September is World Alzheimer’s Month and with 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 65 living with dementia, it is a reminder to do all we can to make life easier for those with this very distressing condition.
Between 2017 and 2025 every state in the US is expected to see at least a 14 percent rise in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s. Many of us have family members, friends or colleagues who live with Alzheimer’s, and, here at CPR Call Blocker, we know from the work we do how important it is to ensure those with the disease are not exposed to any unnecessary distress or uncertainty. One common source of such unwarranted distress can, of course, be unwelcome phone calls from cold callers.
Figures released in 2011 showed that almost two thirds of caregivers for Alzheimer’s patients said cold callers had approached the people they were looking after. Some media reports claim that seniors and dementia sufferers have, in fact, been targeted by such callers deliberately, and by con artists, who prey upon their confusion, trust, and reluctance to report problems to the police.
These crimes are estimated to cost the elderly almost $3 billion a year in the United States; according to a study done by the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, that figure is on the rise.
The problem of nuisance callers has grown year on year. So much so that in 2016 our own research, conducted by YouGov, revealed that nine out of ten people in the UK receive nuisance calls each month and 17 percent of adults have been victims of a phone scam.
Our call blockers help to protect individuals and put the power back in their hands. We continue to improve our technology so people – particularly older and vulnerable people – are able to deal with any cold calling issues themselves, at the touch of a button.
Another common issue related to dementia sees the sufferer wander off, become disoriented, and struggle to identify themselves. This can, of course, have terrible consequences. The WATCHU Guardian is another of our self-care products which can give peace of mind under these circumstances. A GPS tracking smart watch, the WATCHU Guardian can locate the wearer at all times and notify loved ones when the wearer leaves a designated safe zone.
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