Which senior medical alert system is best?
subru
16 years ago
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sushipup1
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agotinab_gmail_com
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Medical Alert/Alarm
Comments (13)Hi Natacha, I am interested that your heading does not allow for us to go to your page to learn about you, as is usual here. As for helping improve the quality of life of my parents, they left this dimension of living in 1942 and 1986, so it gets a bit difficult for folks here to influence that much now, directly. Some say that our prayers can influence their lifestyle in the situation which they inhabit currently, others doubt that possibility. The major medical alert system for emergencies in use here is based in a local residential and medical complex mainly for long-term care folks and seniors. I do not remember its name. I referred in an earlier post on this thread how it works. The person for whom there is some concern wears a necklace or wristband with a push-button which can be pushed in case of trouble, to have their telephone ring the phone at a care centre which is staffed 24 hours, 365 days. The staff have a list of several numbers to call when such a phone call comes in. It is possible to choose a service where the person at the care centre can speak to the person of concern, I understand, which allows for more flexibility. The wearer sends a message once per month at a pre-selected time, to test the system. One of the major problems is that the button may be pushed inadvertently, which gets the caregiver(s) upset ... and she or he hastens to the home of the person of concern, to be greeted on arrival with surprise: everything is O.K. - whatès all the fuss about (my new keyboard does not do question marks ... or apostrophes or quotation marks, either). Each of the folks who are on call needs to have a key (or know where to find a hidden one near the subjectès home ... or expect some broken windows or doors!). It cost about $30.00 to set up, plus about $30.00 monthly for service, about four or five years ago. The base unit at the phone and the push-button are on loan, to be returned at theend of the contract period. ole joyful...See MoreNeed Recommendations for Medical Alert System
Comments (9)Do you have a Consumer Reports subscription? I checked my online version and in July 2015 they did a comparison (and an update in Sept 2015). They did not do the typical ratings but the article offered a lot of good information about choosing one. ...........................CONSUMER REPORTS: This is from the article : "What to look for in a medical alert System" It works for a user's specific disability. For example, a stroke survivor may need a device he or she can activate with one hand. It offers a choice of a wristband and/or neck pendant. Cords worn around the neck can pose a strangulation risk; wristbands may irritate those with skin ailments. It includes help buttons that can be wall-mounted near the floor in multiple rooms in case the user falls and isn’t wearing the pendant. It offers multiple choices for whom to contact if you need help, from emergency services to a friend or relative who lives nearby. It has a battery backup in case of a power failure. The base station can be contacted from anywhere on your property—even in your yard or at your mailbox. The company has its own monitoring center, in the U.S., and employs its own trained emergency operators (rather than contracting that function out). The monitoring center has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a nonprofit safety and consulting company. Choose the right medical alert system All systems (listed in alphabetical order, below) offer daily 24-hour monitoring services. All come with a waterproof neck pendant and wristband with a battery backup. Some offer a GPS mobile feature, which works when you are traveling away from home. Some also offer a mobile 911 phone, which places a call to local 911 services if you're out of your normal service range. It carries an additional fee. Some offer an automatic fall detection system, but they say it cannot detect 100 percent of falls, and the companies charge an extra fee for this service. Tip: As you shop, ask for quotes in writing because prices and services may change. .................................. Since the comparison is over 18 months I won't include the chart - it included 6 companies and they might not all be in your area. But the information above may help you select one. Several reviews mentioned that many have long term contracts that may be difficult to cancel. The user needs good wireless in their home. I wonder if your local Emergency Response service might be able to suggest one. Maire...See MoreMedical alert device
Comments (15)Beyond the alert thing since he is having these episodes it is time to start looking at alternative housing. No one likes to do it but when you are not in the immediate need it will allow you to see what is available and at what price range and types of care to make the best decision for the both of you. One thing that I was not aware of when I was looking at assisted living for my husband was there are weight and aid restrictions with assisted living. In this state and it is probably national if someone needs two people to assist siting and standing they are not eligible for assisted living. I think over 200 or 250 was the cutoff. Then there is the insurance thing. If it is an emergency placement for extended medical care some nursing homes will not accept all forms of health insurance for that period. This will vary from year to year so learn how to check the website of his insurance for the current information. If you have a POA, which you need, you have the legal right to sign on as if you are him. Your local office on aging can help with all kinds of information including what is needed if your father does not have enough resources to provide for his own care. Go to the initial postings from several years ago and start reading the comments if you have time. They can provide some excellent suggestions both on things to do and things to watch for in his day to day activities which will provide incites on how he is feeling beyond what he tells you....See MoreMedical Alert Systems
Comments (16)An oldster in my extended family who lived alone was given such a device by her kids, who otherwise worried about her situation. I don't know what service was used. One night, when returning to her bedroom from a bathroom visit, she tripped hit her head on a bedpost and was knocked out for some period of time. She awoke somewhat disoriented but found her head was in a pool of blood. She waited until sunrise before trying to get up. All the while, the alert device was hanging from her neck but she "didn't want to bother anyone". That was the last straw for her kids, she's in an elder care residential facility now. It's not a nursing home it's not a memory unit it's just a residential facility that offers additional services. I share the story only to suggest that a medicalert device may not be adequate to resolve the problems of someone living alone who may require more third-party vigilance....See MoreCastymiss
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