topic Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS in Community Chat

MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

circles — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:33:00 GMT

Anyone use one or have a family member that uses them..?? I went online and there are so many to choose from....it would be difficult to pick the right one...My friend and I each live alone in our own places...we got to talking about having something like this in the event something happened to us...

I fell going up my basement steps...the other day...and I laid there for a short while before I was able to get up...This is what made her and I think what would happen if it would have been more serious....like falling backwards to the concrete floor...

Neither of us have family members or friends that are in contact with us daily...to know if we are okay...

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated....have to go to work..will check back later..thanks

P.S. Just wanted to say that it would be doubtful anyone from work would check on her or me....unless we didn't show up for a few days....

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

glory2god — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 17:37:53 GMT

Here is one that has no monthly fee with automatic fall detection- http://www.assistivetechnologyservices.com/falldetectionfallalertmandownalert.html

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

MaggieMack — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 17:47:44 GMT

@circles, I don't have one (yet), but hope you find one that works for you and that you report back. I only have iamfine, which is a service I text to every morning. If I don't report, they contact the two people I've identified.

I fell recently, too, with a bottle of wine in my hand. I wasn't paying attention, which was a good lesson. I broke the bottle, but nothing else. There were a couple of minutes, though, that I wondered what I would do if I could not get up.

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

Yardlie — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 17:54:25 GMT

@circles, we have Life Station for my mother. My sister pays the monthly fee. I think it is around $23/month. I think she gets a discount through the hospital she works for. We also purchased the padlock for the outside door. The people at Life Station know your code and can give it to First Responders. When they open the padlock, the house key is in it. That way, they don't have to break down the door if something happens when she is alone. It works great.

I hope you find something that works for you!

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

Mominohio — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:17:11 GMT

OP, I'm sorry I don't have any personal experience to offer about brands, costs, effectiveness etc. but I did want to say something about this technology.

I think that if these work as advertised, they are such a wonderful tool for so many people, and I can see me gladly having one someday.

I know some people fight every assistance tool available to make their lives safer, but I don't now or hope to ever be in a place where I'm too vain to know when something like this is necessary.

If you do choose a brand/company, let us know your findings, as I'd be very interested to hear your experiences.

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

Marp — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:27:30 GMT

If you just want to be able to contact 911 in the event of an emergency anywhere you are this might suit your needs: http://www.assistivetechnologyservices.com/skyangel911.html

There are other models that do more but have monthly fees and work on the T-mobile cellular network. http://www.assistivetechnologyservices.com/skyangelfamily.html

I haven't done price comparisons but I believe these units are available from other retailers. I know at one time Amazon offered one model.

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

Noel7 — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:28:28 GMT

@circles

DH did the sweetest thing a couple of weeks ago. He realized he couldn't hear me well if I was in the back bedroom and he was in the front of the house.

He went online to Amazon and found an inexpensive two piece set. I have the alert button in the back bedroom (but I can keep it with me anywhere I go in the house) and the alarm sits on top of the entertainment center in the living room. The alarm is light weight, maybe 4 inches across and 1 1/2" in depth.

I can press the button in the back, even with two doors closed between us, and it sets off the alarm in the front. You can choose the type of sound you want (32 choices) and how loud you want it.

The name seems to be just Secure Wireless.

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

bri20 — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:32:59 GMT

I was looking into medical alert systems for my dad. He's going to be 86 in a few weeks. He's fallen twice in two years. Thankfully, he wasn't knocked unconscious and was able to get up and call me.

The only thing that stopped him from getting one was how the first responders would get into his condo. In the lobby, there is a locked door that residents "buzz" guests through. Plus, if he's not able to open his condo door, he was afraid of them breaking through.

The padlock is an interesting idea. I hadn't heard of that. Thank you.

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

Noel7 — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:34:29 GMT

@circles

I think it's a good thing if you have an alarm system with your neighbor.

Years ago, I knew a young woman in Berkley who lived alone with her small child. Her neighbor was also a single woman.

They hooked up an alarm system between apartments so they could signal each other for any urgent reason. They were mostly worried about a break-in while they were home.

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

CelticCrafter — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:58:33 GMT

I had looked into it a while ago for my brother and they did tell me they would put a lock box (the kind the realtors use) on the door for an entry key and also that you need to have a land line connected.

Re: MEDICAL ALERT SYSTEMS

ROMARY — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 19:38:04 GMT

I've been curious: Does one talk into the necklace/pendant when talking to the alert folks; or is there a base loudspeaker device on a counter where we can call out for help and talk to the alert people? I'd prefer wearing the pandant and being able to talk directly to the alert people or family members so they would know what's happened, etc. It really doesn't matter what age we are.........especially when we have several levels of stairs, including a basement/laundry area, etc.