Technology Warnings from In-home Caregivers near Escondido

If there’s one piece of new technology that is making its way quickly into senior life, it is probably GPS. The accurate location system carries a myriad of potential safety and convenience features for seniors, from helping them find their way to an unfamiliar location to allowing caregivers to find them quickly if they become lost. But given many elderly folks’ lack of technological experience, in-home caregivers near Escondido warn that even GPS can place seniors in danger. Several recent local incidents illustrate just what could happen.

The Box Isn’t Always Right

A GPS navigator on the dashboard of your car projects reliability. It provides a digital map, a large, confident directional arrow, and even a lifelike voice instructing you on your next turn. But most drivers understand that there’s always the possibility the GPS device could be wrong. If something doesn’t feel right, we tend to question the directions and trust our own judgment. Seniors don’t always do that. In fact, in the San Diego area there seems to be a recurring issue with elderly drivers following their GPS navigators right off the roads.

Driving Is a Complex Activity

In some of these cases, seniors have driven their cars into grave danger—onto railroad tracks, for example. Being misled by GPS is just one example of what can happen when a senior continues driving beyond their ability. It’s easy to forget just how many complex decisions we are making while driving, from monitoring speed limits to reacting to unexpected actions by other drivers. Even if a senior is able to driver under normal conditions, it’s important to take those unexpected situations into account as well. How would your loved one respond if his GPS navigator directed him into a narrow alley or onto a railroad track?

Trust In-home Caregivers in San Diego County Instead of GPS

When you allow in-home caregivers in San Diego County to drive your loved one to a new doctor’s office instead of having them follow GPS directions, you can rest easier. After all, a qualified caregiver is a much better travel companion than an artificial voice coming from the dashboard!