Medical Alarm Journal
Why do seniors need a Medical Alarm?
Every minute in the U.S., someone experiences a stroke.
4 out of 5 families will be affected by it.
National Stroke Association
Personal Emergency Response Systems
(Portions of this document are reproduced from the FTC's publications)
In a nutshell, a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is an electronic device worn by an individual, designed to let the wearer summon help in an emergency. These devices are designed for disabled or an elderly persons living alone. It's highly recommended that someone who is at an increased risk of personal injury who lives alone, should have a Personal Emergency Response System installed (also called a Medical Emergency Response System).
How a Personal Emergency Response System Works
A Personal Emergency Response System consists of three components: a small radio transmitter carried or worn on the person; a console which is connected to the user's telephone; and an emergency response center that monitors calls.
When emergency help such as medical assistance, the fire department, or the police are needed, the Personal Emergency Response System user presses the transmitter's help button. It sends a radio signal to the console. The console automatically dials one or more pre-selected emergency telephone numbers. Most systems can dial out even if the phone is in use or off the hook. (This is called "seizing the line.") Most Personal Emergency Response Systems are programmed to telephone an emergency response center where the caller is identified. The small transmitter usually is equipped with a speaker as well so the call center staff can communicate with the user. The center will try to determine the nature of the emergency so they can determine the appropriate response. Center staff also may review the users medical history and check to see who should be notified.
If the call center cannot communicate with the user or determine whether an emergency exists, they will alert emergency service providers to respond to the user's location. With most systems, the center will monitor the situation until the crisis is resolved.
Transmitters
Personal Emergency Response System transmitters are light-weight, battery-powered devices that are activated by pressing one or two buttons. They can be worn on a chain around the neck or on a wrist band, or they can be carried on a belt or in a pocket. Because the transmitter is battery-powered, the batteries must be checked periodically to ensure they work. Some units have an indicator to help you know when to change batteries.
The Console
The Personal Emergency Response System console acts as an automatic dialing machine. It works with any private telephone line and generally does not require rewiring. If you have more than one phone extension, a special jack or wiring may be required to enable the console to seize the line.
Emergency Response Center
There are two types of emergency response centers - provider-based and manufacturer-based. Provider-based centers usually are located in the user's local area and are operated by hospitals or social service agencies. Manufacturer-based operations usually have one national center. Sometimes, consumers who purchase systems can choose between provider-based and manufacturer-based centers, but consumers who rent systems from a Personal Emergency Response System manufacturer usually must use its national center.
Purchasing, Renting, or Leasing a Personal Emergency Response System
A Personal Emergency Response System can be purchased, rented, or leased. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid, in most states, will pay for the purchase of equipment, nor will most insurance companies. The few insurance companies that do pay require a doctor's recommendation. Some hospitals and social service agencies may subsidize fees for low-income users. Purchase prices for a Personal Emergency Response System normally range from $200 to more than $1,500. You also will have to pay an installation fee and a monthly monitoring charge which may cost from $10 to $30.
Rentals are available through national manufacturers, local distributors, hospitals, and social service agencies. Monthly fees may range from $15 to $50 and usually include the monitoring service.
Lease agreements can be long-term or lease-to-purchase. If you lease, review the contract carefully before signing. Make special note of cancellation clauses, which may require you to pay a cancellation fee or other charges.
Before purchasing, renting, or leasing a system, check the unit for defects. Ask to see the warranty and service contract and get any questions resolved. Ask about the repair policy. Find out how to arrange for a replacement or repair if a malfunction occurs.
If a Personal Emergency Response System salesperson solicits you by phone, and you are interested in the device, ask for information about prices, system features, and services. You can then use the information to comparison shop among other providers. If the salesperson is reluctant to provide information except through an in-home visit, you may want to consider doing business with another company. In-home sales visits can be high pressure, and the salesperson may urge you to buy before you are ready to make a decision.
Before doing business with companies selling Personal Emergency Response Systems, you may want to contact your local consumer protection agency, state Attorney General's Office, and Better Business Bureau (BBB). Ask if any complaints have been filed against the companies you are considering. You also may want to get recommendations from friends, neighbors, or relatives who use emergency response systems.
Shopping Checklist
To help you shop for a Personal Emergency Response System that meets your needs, consider the following suggestions:
* Check out several systems before making a decision.
* Find out if you can use the system with other response centers. For example, can you use the same system if you move?
* Ask about the pricing, features, and servicing of each system and compare costs.
* Make sure the system is easy to use.
* Test the system to make sure it works from every point in and around your home. Make sure nothing interferes with transmissions.
* Read your purchase, rental, or lease agreement carefully before signing.
Questions to Ask the Response Center
You also may want to ask questions about the response center:
* Is the monitoring center available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
* What is the average response time?
* What kind of training does the center staff receive?
* What procedures does the center use to test systems in your home? How often are tests conducted?
(Portions of this document are reproduced from the FTC's publications)
In a nutshell, a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is an electronic device worn by an individual, designed to let the wearer summon help in an emergency. These devices are designed for disabled or an elderly persons living alone. It's highly recommended that someone who is at an increased risk of personal injury who lives alone, should have a Personal Emergency Response System installed (also called a Medical Emergency Response System).
How a Personal Emergency Response System Works
A Personal Emergency Response System consists of three components: a small radio transmitter carried or worn on the person; a console which is connected to the user's telephone; and an emergency response center that monitors calls.
When emergency help such as medical assistance, the fire department, or the police are needed, the Personal Emergency Response System user presses the transmitter's help button. It sends a radio signal to the console. The console automatically dials one or more pre-selected emergency telephone numbers. Most systems can dial out even if the phone is in use or off the hook. (This is called "seizing the line.") Most Personal Emergency Response Systems are programmed to telephone an emergency response center where the caller is identified. The small transmitter usually is equipped with a speaker as well so the call center staff can communicate with the user. The center will try to determine the nature of the emergency so they can determine the appropriate response. Center staff also may review the users medical history and check to see who should be notified.
If the call center cannot communicate with the user or determine whether an emergency exists, they will alert emergency service providers to respond to the user's location. With most systems, the center will monitor the situation until the crisis is resolved.
Transmitters
Personal Emergency Response System transmitters are light-weight, battery-powered devices that are activated by pressing one or two buttons. They can be worn on a chain around the neck or on a wrist band, or they can be carried on a belt or in a pocket. Because the transmitter is battery-powered, the batteries must be checked periodically to ensure they work. Some units have an indicator to help you know when to change batteries.
The Console
The Personal Emergency Response System console acts as an automatic dialing machine. It works with any private telephone line and generally does not require rewiring. If you have more than one phone extension, a special jack or wiring may be required to enable the console to seize the line.
Emergency Response Center
There are two types of emergency response centers - provider-based and manufacturer-based. Provider-based centers usually are located in the user's local area and are operated by hospitals or social service agencies. Manufacturer-based operations usually have one national center. Sometimes, consumers who purchase systems can choose between provider-based and manufacturer-based centers, but consumers who rent systems from a Personal Emergency Response System manufacturer usually must use its national center.
Purchasing, Renting, or Leasing a Personal Emergency Response System
A Personal Emergency Response System can be purchased, rented, or leased. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid, in most states, will pay for the purchase of equipment, nor will most insurance companies. The few insurance companies that do pay require a doctor's recommendation. Some hospitals and social service agencies may subsidize fees for low-income users. Purchase prices for a Personal Emergency Response System normally range from $200 to more than $1,500. You also will have to pay an installation fee and a monthly monitoring charge which may cost from $10 to $30.
Rentals are available through national manufacturers, local distributors, hospitals, and social service agencies. Monthly fees may range from $15 to $50 and usually include the monitoring service.
Lease agreements can be long-term or lease-to-purchase. If you lease, review the contract carefully before signing. Make special note of cancellation clauses, which may require you to pay a cancellation fee or other charges.
Before purchasing, renting, or leasing a system, check the unit for defects. Ask to see the warranty and service contract and get any questions resolved. Ask about the repair policy. Find out how to arrange for a replacement or repair if a malfunction occurs.
If a Personal Emergency Response System salesperson solicits you by phone, and you are interested in the device, ask for information about prices, system features, and services. You can then use the information to comparison shop among other providers. If the salesperson is reluctant to provide information except through an in-home visit, you may want to consider doing business with another company. In-home sales visits can be high pressure, and the salesperson may urge you to buy before you are ready to make a decision.
Before doing business with companies selling Personal Emergency Response Systems, you may want to contact your local consumer protection agency, state Attorney General's Office, and Better Business Bureau (BBB). Ask if any complaints have been filed against the companies you are considering. You also may want to get recommendations from friends, neighbors, or relatives who use emergency response systems.
Shopping Checklist
To help you shop for a Personal Emergency Response System that meets your needs, consider the following suggestions:
* Check out several systems before making a decision.
* Find out if you can use the system with other response centers. For example, can you use the same system if you move?
* Ask about the pricing, features, and servicing of each system and compare costs.
* Make sure the system is easy to use.
* Test the system to make sure it works from every point in and around your home. Make sure nothing interferes with transmissions.
* Read your purchase, rental, or lease agreement carefully before signing.
Questions to Ask the Response Center
You also may want to ask questions about the response center:
* Is the monitoring center available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
* What is the average response time?
* What kind of training does the center staff receive?
* What procedures does the center use to test systems in your home? How often are tests conducted?
"My Mother's Savior"
By, Linda M.
My mother fell and couldn’t get up. Life Alert first called me, I wasn’t available. Then my sister-in-law was called who called me back. I was in the house by this time. By the time I got to my mother’s, paramedics had arrived. Life Alert had called everyone on her list, two of which were at church. My mother was checked by paramedics and was okay. This was just one of the many times she’s had to use her Life Alert! Life Alert has been a “life saver.”
Falls Have Become the Leading Cause of Injury Deaths for Senior Citizens
CDC says that men more likely to experience fatality than women
In 2003, more than 13,700 older adults died from falls, making them the leading cause of injury deaths among people 65 and older. From 1993 to 2003 fatal falls increased by more than 55 percent - with more men (46.2 percent) dying from falls than women (31.1 percent). The report also indicates that in 2003 almost 1.8 million seniors were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries from falls and more than 460,000 were hospitalized. In 2000, the direct medical costs for falls among older adults were approximately $19 billion.
"Fall death rates have increased faster than fall injury rates. In large part, this is because people are living longer, and many of our seniors now are older and frailer. They need our help to prevent potentially fatal fall injuries," said Dr. Judy Stevens, an epidemiologist in CDC's Injury Center and author of the report.
Other highlights in the report are:
? From 1993 to 2003, fatal fall rates increased for both sexes and all races, but they remained consistently higher for men.
? In contrast to fatal falls, rates for nonfatal fall-related injuries were, on average, 48% higher for women than for men.
? The decline in women's hip fracture injury rates from 2001 to 2004 may be a result of prevention efforts such as osteoporosis screening combined with widespread education about treatments to rebuild bone mass.
? As they age, men become more susceptible to hip fractures if they fall. Osteoporosis screening and treatment may also benefit them.
"Injuries from falls and the fear of falling, lead older adults to limit their activities, which can interfere with independent living. But we know that falls are not inevitable. CDC and its partners have simple strategies that can help seniors and caregivers," said Dr. Ileana Arias, director of CDC's Injury Center. "Working with the CDC Foundation and MetLife Foundation, we have updated and revised information that we believe can play a critical role in reversing the trend in fall deaths and injuries among our nation's older adults."
Two brochures help older adults and their families and caregivers understand fall risks and ways to prevent falls. What YOU Can Do to Prevent Falls explains steps that older adults can take to reduce their risk of falling.
These steps include:
? Exercising regularly; exercise programs like Tai Chi that increase strength and improve balance are especially good.
? Asking their doctor or pharmacist to review their medicines-both prescription and over-the-counter-to reduce side effects and interactions.
? Having their eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year.
? Making their homes safer by eliminating fall hazards and improving lighting.
"The Gift of Freedom"
Nowadays, most seniors are living an independent and full life. Old age has not slackened them up. They are living alone either because they are childless or if they do have children then their kids have grown up and have established themselves at some distant place. In advanced age, people tend to be around familiar surrounding. Most people are afraid of change and feel comfortable in the familiar.
Here medical alarm systems will be really helpful for them.
Even if the young people manage to live with their parents it is still not possible to keep a constant surveillance on them. People have to go out to work and they don't want to miss out on their social life. Life Alert will monitor their relative in their absence.
Their mature relatives will also refuse to tolerate too much interference in their life as they too have a set pattern and their own friends and activity groups. Constant looking after will irritate them and also breed a senses of insecurity in them. If you are constantly at their back then they will take it as a sign of their incapability to look after them.
So, let them be free with medical alarm for seniors and let them enjoy the most of their last stage of their life in freedom and security. Present them with the Life Alert systems. It will do the looking after for you, keeping you tension free in regards to your loved one and keeping those old people happy by giving them their much cherished freedom and security.
The medical alarm systems are medical alarm system specially made for seniors. It is an electronic device which could be attached to their bracelet or to their necklace and in the case of an emergency all they would have to do is press the button and the help will be at hand.
Life Alert systems are highly durable, shock proof, and water proof. They act like a person's very own body guard who is constantly with him. So no matter how big or small the emergency really is, with medical alarm for senior as a constant companion, help will never be far from you.
So, even if you are a work at home employee, then too indulging in senior medical alarm systems will be the rightful choice for you, for when you go out for that special date or if your adamant father is out driving alone to his favorite club then you won't be there to help him if some crisis comes up, but medical alarm for seniors will be there to look after him.
Respect his feelings when he says that he is quite capable to look after him, but remember that nobody is invincible. So, presenting him the senior medical alarm systems will be an ultimate gift of protection, love and freedom for him.
What is a PERS System?
PERS is an acronym standing for:
Personal Emergency Response System.
These systems allow the user to summon assistance in the event of a fall or other medical emergency. Particularly useful for elderly people, these systems are becoming more popular as the baby boomers are reaching retirement age.
Seniors who need only a modicum of assistance or medical care still wish to retain their independence -- to be able to stay in their own home, for example. For many in this situation, a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) can provide constant availability of emergency assistance, yet provide the desired independence.
A PERS system consists of three elements:
• A portable transmitter (often worn on a wristband or pendant)
• A console
• The monitoring service
The portable transmitter often consists of nothing more than a button worn on a wristband or pendant, that allows the user to activate a distress call to the monitoring service by pressing the button.
The console is connected to a phone line, and places a call to the monitoring service when the console is activated. The console can usually be activated from either a portable transmitter (the wristband or pendant button) or from the console itself. The console is sometimes equipped with voice capabilities, which gives additional flexibility.
The third element to the system is the monitoring service -- also called a central station -- which provides 24/7 monitoring. The monitoring service is an important element, and one that you should consider carefully. Many central station monitoring services are small operations that provide little more than phone-answering and call-placing services. Some central stations have highly trained staffs that can make a big difference in sending the proper assistance to the PERS customer.
A Personal Emergency Response Sysytem is something that many more seniors will be considering in the years ahead.
"The Gift of Freedom"
Nowadays, most seniors are living an independent and full life. Old age has not slackened them up. They are living alone either because they are childless or if they do have children then their kids have grown up and have established themselves at some distant place. In advanced age, people tend to be around familiar surrounding. Most people are afraid of change and feel comfortable in the familiar.
Here medical alarm systems will be really helpful for them.
Even if the young people manage to live with their parents it is still not possible to keep a constant surveillance on them. People have to go out to work and they don't want to miss out on their social life. Life Alert will monitor their relative in their absence.
Their mature relatives will also refuse to tolerate too much interference in their life as they too have a set pattern and their own friends and activity groups. Constant looking after will irritate them and also breed a senses of insecurity in them. If you are constantly at their back then they will take it as a sign of their incapability to look after them.
So, let them be free with medical alarm for seniors and let them enjoy the most of their last stage of their life in freedom and security. Present them with the Life Alert systems. It will do the looking after for you, keeping you tension free in regards to your loved one and keeping those old people happy by giving them their much cherished freedom and security.
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The medical alarm systems are medical alarm system specially made for seniors. It is an electronic device which could be attached to their bracelet or to their necklace and in the case of an emergency all they would have to do is press the button and the help will be at hand.
Life Alert systems are highly durable, shock proof, and water proof. They act like a person's very own body guard who is constantly with him. So no matter how big or small the emergency really is, with medical alarm for senior as a constant companion, help will never be far from you.
So, even if you are a work at home employee, then too indulging in senior medical alarm systems will be the rightful choice for you, for when you go out for that special date or if your adamant father is out driving alone to his favorite club then you won't be there to help him if some crisis comes up, but medical alarm for seniors will be there to look after him.
Respect his feelings when he says that he is quite capable to look after him, but remember that nobody is invincible. So, presenting him the senior medical alarm systems will be an ultimate gift of protection, love and freedom for him.
What is a PERS System?
PERS is an acronym standing for:
Personal Emergency Response System.
These systems allow the user to summon assistance in the event of a fall or other medical emergency. Particularly useful for elderly people, these systems are becoming more popular as the baby boomers are reaching retirement age.
Seniors who need only a modicum of assistance or medical care still wish to retain their independence -- to be able to stay in their own home, for example. For many in this situation, a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) can provide constant availability of emergency assistance, yet provide the desired independence.
A PERS system consists of three elements:
• A portable transmitter (often worn on a wristband or pendant)
• A console
• The monitoring service
The portable transmitter often consists of nothing more than a button worn on a wristband or pendant, that allows the user to activate a distress call to the monitoring service by pressing the button.
The console is connected to a phone line, and places a call to the monitoring service when the console is activated. The console can usually be activated from either a portable transmitter (the wristband or pendant button) or from the console itself. The console is sometimes equipped with voice capabilities, which gives additional flexibility.
The third element to the system is the monitoring service -- also called a central station -- which provides 24/7 monitoring. The monitoring service is an important element, and one that you should consider carefully. Many central station monitoring services are small operations that provide little more than phone-answering and call-placing services. Some central stations have highly trained staffs that can make a big difference in sending the proper assistance to the PERS customer.
A Personal Emergency Response Sysytem is something that many more seniors will be considering in the years ahead.
