Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My father-in-law is 87 and lives alone. He has fallen numerous times and recently had an episode where he was in his chair and suddenly didn't know where he was. This passed quickly but it scared him.
He can afford a life alert system but so stubborn. I need some ideas of which program will call the family before it calls 911 or is there such a system?
He does not have internet, or cell phone only a home landline phone.
I believe all of the Life Alert-type systems will call 911 before they call relatives because 911 responders have the best training and equipment to help the person in need. Relatives may want to help but realistically be unable or possibly unwilling depending on the situation (for example, if the person is extremely obese or had fallen and bled all over themselves.) BTW, many of the alert systems use only a landline, not the internet, especially if they have a base unit in the house. You can get info on a lot of them by obtaining the links from AARP magazine, if you get that.
My mother has Life Alert. If she presses the button on the bracelet she wears, she gets a response through a monitor set up in her home. It's something along the lines of "Mrs. Smith, this is Life Alert, do you need help?". If she doesn't respond, or does respond affirmatively, then they will send the EMTs. If she pressed it in error, she can let them know that too.
My mother has fallen three times, but it was weakness, not injuries, that kept her from getting up on her own. She lives in an area well-known for retirees, and the fire department is used to getting calls to assist. None of us are close enough to get there quickly in a true emergency,
I have a disabled friend who has Great Call. It has GPS in it so you don't have to be within range of the base station in your home . . . you can be anywhere. She researched just about everything on the market and concluded it was the best of them all. She has the "Splash" model which you can wear on a lanyard, or a wrist band, or a clip.
She's only had one experience when it did its job . . . she had unknowingly dropped it when she was in a restaurant and the Great Call Urgent Response Agent called - via the unit itself - and asked if she was OK because they'd gotten an alarm that she'd fallen. She informed them of what had happened and that she was fine. She was very pleased to find out that it worked just as advertised.
I like the fact that one doesn't have to be conscious for it to work. Lately we've had two seniors in my neighborhood who had strokes and fell out of bed - one laid on the floor for two days before she was found. And she had the type of unit (another company mentioned above) where she would have to press a button - but she was unconscious so couldn't. I personally want the one that works whether I'm conscious or not and that recognizes falls on its own.
I'm ordering one for myself I live alone and need all the help I can get. The price is comparable to other units on the market. Check it out.
Some of the alarms will alert if they sense even a 3 foot decrease in elevation. A fall from a chair does it.
And the people I know who use services including Life Alert, choose who gets called. The wearer is first, then it goes to family member, willing neighbor or friend, emergency personnel. They had choices.
He won't allow us to get him one if he can't call family first
I'm in CA, I know someone who has Life Alert and it's set up that as long as Life Alert talks to the client they do call the family first.
Just recently a family friend fell getting out of bed at 5am and the son was called by Life Alert. Life Alert said can you go over there and he did and spoke with Life Alert when he arrived and got the father up.(he wasn't injured). That was the end of it.
I would check with Life Alert in your area. It seems as long as they speak to the client on the phone, than they contact family who agrees to go over, and than speaks to Life Alert it should be OK.
We just recently set that up for my 86 yo mil. We are utilizing Bay Alarm Systems. I filled out the paperwork. There is a place within that paperwork where you can indicate if you want to designate that family is called prior to contacting 911.
My parents had Life Alert. Dad had 2 incidents and the service called me first both times.
I like the idea of a system that detects falls. That's amazing. Isn't technology great?!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
