Seniors who live at home, and especially those who live alone, should have an emergency response system in case of a medical emergency, a fall, or other trauma. Even seniors in good health are at risk of falling or otherwise injuring themselves at home, where accidents are most common. An emergency alert system can mean the difference between life and death in many circumstances.
Emergency alert systems have evolved over the years and are much more comprehensive today. Generally, the systems have a pendant and a console that communicate together wirelessly. Users frequently wear the pendant around their neck, but may also wear it around their wrist or hips. The user can push the button on the pendant in case of an emergency, or if they are close enough, they can press the emergency button on the console itself.
Once the button is pressed, a call is sent over the phone lines or the Internet to a service representative at the alert system provider, who then contacts emergency medical responders or the user’s emergency contacts, depending on the specific situation.
Unlike a cell phone, which may be out of reach and difficult to dial in an emergency, an emergency alert system is worn on the body and is easy to operate. Here are some of the important features to look for when shopping for an emergency alert system:
Monitoring Services
- 24/7 Monitoring Facility
- Fire and Smoke Monitoring
- Medical Monitoring
- CO2 Monitoring
Equipment
- Look for equipment that has an operating range of at least 600-1,000 feet between pendant and console
- Emergency response base station that communicates with equipment
- Pendant or wristband
- Water resistant
- Battery backup
- Wall-mounted emergency button
- Two-way communications
- Regular check-ins from emergency service provider
The greatest threat to independent living for older adults is falling – more than 600,000 (40% of all nursing home admissions) are falls-related.
Philips Lifeline, the #1 medical alarm system in the United States for more than 30 years, is an easy-to-use personal response service that
ensures older adults living at home get quick assistance whenever it’s needed.
Always Best Care Senior Services has partnered with Philips Lifeline to provide personal response systems to seniors.
Philips Lifeline connects more than 3.5 million subscribers and their caregivers. Philips Lifeline receives 9 million calls per year, and intervenes an average of nearly once every minute!
Important facts about the Philips Lifeline service:
- More caregivers trust Philips Lifeline more than any other company to look after their loved ones
- Lifeline sends immediate notification to the physician and loved ones when an incident occurs
- No longer-term commitments
Always Best Care is proud to offer the Philips Lifeline service. When it comes to experience, capabilities and that special caring touch, no other service can top Always Best Care!
