Here at Liberty In Home Care we pride ourselves on an excellent service but there will always be times when we are not there, unless your home care is live-in home care. The following article describes a way for your loved one to raise an alarm if left alone.
Medical alert systems can be invaluable in times of a medical emergency – especially for seniors living alone. Among people aged sixty five and older, falls are the leading cause of death related injuries in the United States. One in three elderly people will experience a fall at some point in their lives. Because falls involving the elderly tend to be so debilitating, chances that they could get to a phone to summon help while alone – are slim to none. This says nothing of other medical and non-medical emergencies that may arise, such as chest pains, seizures, or even a house fire.
Medical alert systems work by connecting the elderly loved one with a dispatch center, which in turn, contacts medical or emergency personnel and family members in the event of an emergency. The elderly person wears a necklace which has a button attached to one end. A control panel is installed at a central location in the home. When an emergency arises and if they are able, the elderly person simply depresses the button on their necklace. The button sends a signal through the control panel to the dispatch center. Workers at the dispatch center then alert emergency responders that there may be an emergency at that location and contact a pre-designated list of friends and family members as well. This way, if the elder were to lose consciousness or become disoriented – rendering them unable to summon help on their own, help would already be on the way.
These systems are designed to transmit signals for help from up to 600ft from the main control panel itself. So the elderly person doesn’t have to be close to the console for the button they are wearing to work. They are free to move around their home as they wish without worrying that the signal will not get through. Further, once a signal is put through to the dispatch center via the button and the control panel, dispatchers first make an effort to contact the elder to see if they can glean any further information about the situation. This makes responding to emergency calls much more efficient and effective.
Prices for these systems are about $200 installed. There is a monthly charge for the monitoring service itself, which varies between $20 and $30. Although these systems can be costly, the peace of mind they are able to provide family members with elderly loved ones living alone is priceless.
