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4 days a woman in her 60's fell, as she looked for something under her bed. Couldn't get up was found by her son, rushed to the hospital, now in a care home, temporary ?
My friend told this recently about her cousin, when I.mentioned letting go.of my land phone. Her cousin's cell phone had died, couldn't crawl to the land phone.
My son, who lives local, service technician, advised me to carry my land phone with me in my home. When on the job, went to a home, no answer. Looking through a window, saw feet on the floor. He telephoned the police who found a body.
Precautions for living alone ? Was also told to hear my hearing aids, for sounds of my home.
There are various ways to stay connected with others in an emergency if you live alone OP.
For example, there are various types of emergency call buttons you wear. You subscribe to a monitoring service that answers a call. There are services that will call you every day automatically. If you don't answer their call, they will send someone to check on you.
Sure, you could carry a cellphone everywhere you go. You could carry a cordless phone around the house too.
My father, who lived alone and was a cheapskate, refused to buy a cellphone or cordless phone, but he was willing to buy very long extension cords for his old fashioned analog phones. If he fell and couldn't reach the phone on a table, he could pull the phone down onto the floor by the cord. It wasn't a smart idea because the cords snaked all over the house and became trip hazards. Sure enough, one day he DID trip on a cord, fell against the edge of a dresser and cracked a rib.
I have a Life Alert that I keep on my desk in my very small three-room house. I got tired of wearing it and setting it off by accident multiple times.
I'm in the market for such a device. Do you like the Life Alert brand device and service and the way the response to a problem is set up to happen? (The alarm sets off by accident too easily?)
Last edited by matisse12; 02-03-2022 at 03:23 PM..
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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My mother-in-law was in senior apartments with a drawstring to pull in emergencies, but it was in the bathroom. When she fell the second time at age 82 in the bedroom, and spent the night on the floor, a neighbor checking on her called 911 and she went by ambulance to the hospital. If she had been wearing a Life Alert or similar device, she could have gotten immediate help. That was back about 2003, I don't know if they had those then. Anyway, the doctor and nurse convinced her that she belonged in assisted living. We found an adult family home where she was very happy and made it to 95.
The newer Apple Watches have a fall detection feature that can detect when an Apple Watch user has taken a hard fall, and automatically call emergency services if the person doesn't dismiss the alert within one minute of falling. I got a new watch since I cycle solo most of the time, but it's good to have at home too. You can also call 911 on your watch if your phone isn't close by.
My cell phone lives down stairs. I keep an extra phone by the bed, upstairs, no service but I can call 911 in an emergency. Haven't needed it so far, thank goodness. Also I share a wall with the landlord, if I could drag myself over there and bang on the wall, they would know something was wrong.
I'm in the market for such a device. Do you like the Life Alert brand device and service and the way the response to a problem is set up to happen? (The alarm sets off by accident too easily?)
Yes, they've responded each time I set it off and were very thorough in getting my info, including pets, door locks, etc. I did find that wearing it, I set it off too easily, but that might be because I'm short and the device was hanging at chest height.
4 days a woman in her 60's fell, as she looked for something under her bed. Couldn't get up was found by her son, rushed to the hospital, now in a care home, temporary ?
My friend told this recently about her cousin, when I.mentioned letting go.of my land phone. Her cousin's cell phone had died, couldn't crawl to the land phone.
My son, who lives local, service technician, advised me to carry my land phone with me in my home. When on the job, went to a home, no answer. Looking through a window, saw feet on the floor. He telephoned the police who found a body.
Precautions for living alone ? Was also told to hear my hearing aids, for sounds of my home.
Well, any phone as a means to call for help is susceptible to logistics, I'll call it.
A landline (hard wired) on top of a night stand is of little use if you can't reach it or reach up to get receiver.
A cordless landline can help, but battery can die..
Cell phone battery can die also, or be unreachable if it falls and can't be reached.
In my thread on "smartphone class", many said they turned it off at night. Sure that saves battery, but addition charging cords and outlet plugs aren't that expensive. One at usual charge spot, and an extra by night stand is worth the cost, as is leaving your smartphone ON at night.
YOU or someone you know MIGHT need help during the night.
Probably the BEST option would be an around the neck "first alert"(I've fallen and can't get up), but they too, need charging.
If you get one, be sure you get one with GPS locator if you are out and about.
Check out all options and select best.
I take my smartphone in the bath with me when I shower alone, but I leave it on the sink. If I fall in shower, I may NOT be able to get to it to call for help.
These are things we need to consider as we age.
Many won't consider it til it happens to them.
Urge your loved ones to get a way to call for help, and consider it yourself.
"I've fallen and I can't get up" has become a but of a joke, but until it happens to you, or a loved one, it seems cliche.
Another note is maybe have your postman to check daily on you and if you don't answer door, ask them to call the police.
Even if you are slow to the door, if the postman is willing it can be a life saver. (Except falling on Saturday after delivery, and waiting till Monday.)
PS: my FIL had a neck model, but he'd put it on charger overnight.
He'd get up to go to the facilities, and guess where his monitor was?
The 4th time he fell at night, then crawled to pull cord of landline down, he was kept in hospital, sent to nursing home for rehabilitation, and never again came home.
So if your monitor needs charging at some point, PLEASE pick it up BEFORE you do anything.
I'm considering one.
Don't think you don't need one, that thought is only good until you NEED it.
Yes, they've responded each time I set it off and were very thorough in getting my info, including pets, door locks, etc. I did find that wearing it, I set it off too easily, but that might be because I'm short and the device was hanging at chest height.
Years ago my mother had the same problem with a pendent. It was set to call me at work. I rushed home. She was doing laundry, leaning against the washer, which pushed the button.
After that she used a safety pin to pin it up on her chest near her shoulder. That kept it out of the way.
A friend has one on an alligator clip, so it gets clipped to a belt loop or the edge of a pocket. I like the watch idea, or some kind of tight bracelet, with a cover over the button to prevent accidental pushes.
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