Questions about Medical Alert Systems

denali2007

11 years ago

My 88 year old mom lives in her own home and not to far from my sisters. Two years ago my dad passed away and she lives alone. Well, 2 weeks ago she fell early one morning in the garage and slashed open her head on some old paint cans she was putting out in the garbage. She had an unbelievable cut that went almost all the way across her forehead . She was able to get into the house and call her neighbor who is a nurse, who in turn called 911 and my sisters. The neighbor said she could see her skull. She suffered no ill effects, had a cat scan and all was good. She looked horrifying.

Any way she mentioned the other day about getting a medical alert system and we must strike while she is willing. Does anyone have one for their moms that they can reccomend?

Thanks.

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Comments (11)

les917
11 years ago
My FIL has one, though I don't know the brand - it is not Life Alert. But what I wanted to say was be sure that you look into one that works OUTSIDE the house. Knowing that your mom goes to the garage means she may again fall outside somewhere, and many of the systems only work in the home.

My FIL fell at the end of his driveway closest to the street, couldn't get up, and was there for about 45 minutes before the neighbor heard him and helped him. That was before he had the system (and had fallen several times) but the system they got for him was a 'cheap' version, and still wouldn't help if he fell again outside.
panko9
11 years ago
We set my MIL up on Life Alert. I have doubts about whether she wears the tag regularly, but I can say that it appears to work. We got a call from the Life Alert dispatcher one day saying that they'd received a signal but no one was answering her phone when they called. They had called the emergency dispatch in her town and were giving us notification of that. Meanwhile I tried a couple of times to reach her and finally did. Evidently she had accidentally hit the button and then fallen asleep! I called the L.A. dispatcher back and he notified the emergency responders that all was well. They went ahead with a welfare check, replied to L.A., who then called me back with a follow up. I believe her system monitors into the garage, but not much further. My biggest complaint with L.A. is that once we requested information they hounded us night and day to make the sale.
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Lifealet is the most common in our area. My DM's cousin has another "basic" company that just has a button to push, there's no voice contact. She fell a year ago and since they didn't know her condition/status they dispatched every Emergency Response Vehicle you can imagine, including a high-ladder truck & a fire-cannon truck. Help! They broke her security screen and door in because she couldn't tell them where the lock-box was hiding the key. She was fine, but oh the frustrated panic. Much to the whole family's disgust, she still has the same company. I'm trying to talk her into using CTAP, California Telephone Access Program, which is totally free and provides a button, necklace or wrist, that has up to 6 pre-programed numbers and acts as a speaker phone. So she can choose which pre-programed number to tell it to dial and talk to the person at the other end. #1 is usually 911, so they have to be thinking half straight to dial anyone else. Any where that doesn't offer CTAP, i would recommend LifeAllert. check with AARP. They may have the services in your area rated on a list. l.marie
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I prefer using the terms allergy, side effect, and adverse reaction because the term "sensitvity" is often confused. http://www.worldallergy.org/professional/allergic_diseases_center/ige/ “The immune response in allergy begins with sensitization. When, for example, house dust mite or pollen allergens are inhaled, antigen presenting cells in the epithelium lining of the airways of the lungs and nose, internalise, process and then express these allergens on their cell surface. The allergens are then presented to other cells involved in the immune response, particularly T-lymphocytes. Through a series of specific cell interactions B-lymphocytes are transformed into antibody secretory cells - plasma cells. In the allergic response, the plasma cell produces IgE-antibodies, which, like antibodies of other immunoglobulin isotypes, are capable of binding a specific allergen via its Fab portion. Different allergens stimulate the production of corresponding allergen-specific IgE antibodies. Once formed and released into the circulation, IgE binds, through its Fc portion, to high affinity receptors on mast cells, leaving its allergen specific receptor site available for future interaction with allergen. Other cells known to express high-affinity receptors for IgE include basophils, Langerhans cells and activated monocytes. Production of allergen specific IgE-antibodies completes the immune response known as sensitization."
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The US system is messed up, electronic record-wise. Part of the problem being that the world of medicine lagged behind most other sectors in adopting IT and more modern technologies. Larger providers led the way but many others were slow and interconnections weren't a priority. A good example is that hospitals were probably the last customers of the mostly long-gone world of pager users. Electronic medical records and systems needed a final kick in the pants, part of which was given by Medicare charging a penalty starting in 2015 for providers not using electronic records. My primary care physician retired for that reason at that time, citing his refusal to make such a change. Going the other way, I had occasion a few years ago to go to an Urgent Care facility of a large practice that includes docs and hospitals nearly 500 miles away from home. I signed a number of forms at check in without looking at them. Sometime between then and when I was seen by a doc 15 minutes later, they had downloaded some portion of my health file from the medical school group practice I use where I live. The urgent care doc had that information on the screen in the exam room and asked questions me a number of questions, including whether the list of prescriptions (that I hadn't supplied) was current.
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graywings123
11 years ago
I have been reading about these systems. There is one that works using the cell phone system.
maddielee
11 years ago
My friend just set up her elderly mother with a system. After MUCH research, they went with Life Station.

I think they found the coverage better and they didn't have to sign a long term contract.

ML
woodsy_1
11 years ago
I just bought my mom a Jitterbug phone and added the 5 Star Urgent Response add on. She wouldn't use any other cell phone I tried, but she'll use this one. I added a lanyard, and she wears it around her neck. Success!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: 5 Star Urgent Response
camlan
11 years ago
We got my dad the Life Alert system. The little remote that you carry was easier than carrying around a cordless phone. (He wouldn't have anything to do with a cell phone.)

The system worked fine. Getting Dad to use it when he fell sick . . . that was another issue. He was too sick to get out of bed, but didn't use the Life Alert, because he knew I was coming the next day to visit.

After some very plain talk from me (about not wanting to come home to a dead father) he did use it when he fell and broke his hip.
golddust
11 years ago
Mom (MIL) had the life alert system and used it several times when she fell and couldn't get up. Her Jitterbug was helpful for tracking her down when she was out and about but useless at home, where most falls take place. She hated the fact that all of her kids were called each time she pushed the button. The downside of her system was that it required a landline. If she fell anywhere but home, the button was useless.

Mom had a waterproof necklace she wore 24/7. Much better than having to carry a cell phone around (jitterbug) and remembering to charge it each
night. She hated the daily text messages and refused to charge it after a week. She has memory issues though so the Jitterbug might work better for others.
texanjana
11 years ago
My dad has the Life Alert system.
lynninnewmexico
11 years ago
This thread has some great useful info! I've been talking with my sisters and brothers about getting some sort of system for our parents.
Panko: good to know that about the L.A. salespeople. I figured that might be the case with most of them. It's such a pain to keep getting follow-up calls over and over.

Question to anyone: My parents have a Winter home in Florida and a Summer home in Michigan. Any idea if a system can be used in both places or would they have to pay separately for service in each area?
rosebud57_gw
11 years ago
I recently got my mother who turned 90 in April, Philips Lifeline System. My mother lives in Ohio and winters with us in NC and I bring the units with her when she comes.

Their system has a sensor that detects a fall and calls for help. She wears the pendant around her neck 24/7 - My mother feels secure with it, as do I her having it. Not only does if make her feel secure for health issues, but fire or home invasions too! Help is a button away.
patty_cakes
11 years ago
I have 911 in my cell as the first listed number. For someone needing life alert or something similar, couldn't Mom's cell be placed in a little purse or pocket and worn around her neck, maybe velcroed to stay in place? All she would have to do is press the first listing on her cell. Wouldn't that avoid one phone call and have 911 on the way immediately? Unconsciousness wouldn't work in either case.

Questions about Medical Alert Systems

Comments (11)

les917

panko9

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