The panic button for seniors, essential in the outdoors

Every year, as soon as the days start getting longer, the same question comes up in certain families. Is mom really ready to get back out on the trail with her group? The answer, most of the time, comes down to one simple thing to check before heading out. Good preparation turns worry into peace of mind, and it often starts with a well thought out list.

What do we actually forget on an outdoor departure checklist?

Diane has a list for everything. A list for groceries, a list for Christmas gifts, a list, she says, just to keep track of her own mind. Last summer, before her walking group's first outing, she had checked everything off. The water bottle, the poles, the hat, the snacks. What she hadn't written down was what happens if the trail turns sour far from the parking lot.

And yet, an effective preparation list isn't limited to physical gear. It should also cover the unexpected, that moment when cell service turns fickle between two hills. Outdoor safety organizations remind us of this regularly: know your limits, tell someone your route, and have a way to stay reachable even in remote areas. That last point, however, is often the one traditional lists leave out.

An emergency button in the outdoors, is it really necessary?

This year, Diane's walking group changed trails. Longer, hillier, with a stretch where cell phones barely show a single bar. One of the members suggested they talk about it honestly, without making a big deal of it. Diane listened, then added a new item to her famous list.

What's more, portable medical alert devices are no longer just for people with limited independence. So a lightweight, waterproof call for help device becomes simple common sense for anyone venturing beyond cell coverage, a bit like packing a first aid kit without expecting to use it. Next year, Diane plans to add it to her departure list right away, even before the walking poles.

Medical alert systems now follow seniors out into the wild

SmartSAFE offers a lightweight, waterproof alert pendant designed to keep up with an active senior well beyond the living room, with fall detection, direct communication with a monitoring center, and GPS location that works even in remote terrain, no phone plan required and no long term contract, a simple way to add one last item to any outdoor departure list.