In the distant future, your house may even help to monitor your health. Researchers are in the early stages of developing and testing so-called “smart” houses. Equipped with hightech sensors to detect heat and heartbeats, and  state-ofthe-art safety features like ovens and irons that shut off automatically, these cuttingedge houses could bring peace of mind to individuals living with  health concerns, and even make it possible for those with otherwise debilitating illnesses or disabilities to live independently.

The key to prevention

Medical experts point to one major flaw in the smart house and many other new medical gadgets geared to helping people avoid the need for hospitalization and nursing home care: these products are only useful after the fact. In other words, they don’t educate people on how to prevent a problem from occurring.

To successfully manage your health and avoid the risk of hospitalization, doctors agree that you have to play an active role in your own care. Erickson HealthSM, available at all Erickson communities like Highland Springs, has proven exceptionally successful in helping people 62-plus maintain their  independence. In fact, as few as 1.3% of Erickson residents move to assisted  living each year.

These statistics are due primarily to Erickson Health’s “whole person” approach to health care. Along with fulltime, on-site physicians, Erickson Health employs full-time nurses, including practitioners specializing in geriatric medicine, fitness specialists, and nutritionists. If they need more specialized care, Erickson residents have access to home health, home support, oncampus primary and specialty medical care, and emergency medical services.

For those without a personal health team in their home, the Internet is an  invaluable resource. According to a poll by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 93 million adults in the U.S. go to the Internet for health information.

Only by arming him or herself with the knowledge to stay healthy can a person avoid becoming a patient.