On 2014-03-05 3:17 PM, Joy wrote:
On 3/5/2014 8:37 AM, jmcquown wrote:
On 3/4/2014 9:03 PM, Joy wrote:
On 3/4/2014 5:10 PM, Mike Mayers wrote:
I wonder how Tweed was able to summon help after she fell. I always
carry an emergency dialer that will let me call 911 if i'm in
trouble. Anybody that lives alone should have that kind of help.


Yes, I have a "Lifeline" button I wear around my neck. I also keep my
cell phone in my pocket.

Joy

Somewhere I wrote down the name of the unit Mike said he has. It's not
a pay-by-the month monitored setup. Seems to me it worked with your
landline and you program in up to five numbers to call when you push the
button. Mike? Tell me what it was again?

Cell phones just don't work well where I live. (*Nothing* wireless
works well here.) I did have a cell phone when I was travelling a lot.
Once I got here, I found I couldn't get a signal unless I walked
outside, often to the end of the driveway. That's not very helpful if
you've hurt yourself.

The security system in the house does have an emergency button which is
connected to the gate. But you have to be able to get to the panel to
hit the button.

Jill

Lifeline connects to the local hospital through my land line. There is
a unit in my bedroom. The button will work anywhere on my property,
even outside. After about a minute, someone from the hospital responds
through the bedroom unit, asking if I need help. If I can get into the
bedroom to explain the situation, I do. (I'm also supposed to test it
once a month, and I just say I'm testing and they reset from their end,
and I push the reset button on the unit.) If I don't respond, they call
my contact people and send somebody out. Part of the paperwork included
names and phone numbers of family members and anyone who has a key. My
next door neighbor has a key, because her grandson feeds my cats when
I'm away. I haven't needed it yet, but it gives a great feeling of
security, especially since I can also wear the button in the shower.

Joy

These systems are a great idea. My late mother refused to consider one;
said she couldn't use a cell phone and rarely if ever carried her
portable phone with her. The inevitable happened - she had a fall,
probably in the early morning, and no one knew what happened until I
showed up for a visit hours later. No bones broken, but she was so badly
affected she spent quite a while in hospital being checked out and then
trying to recover her strength, balance and nerve (since she was so
scared of another fall). In some ways, she never fully recovered. When
the hospital was ready to discharge her, we persuaded her to move from
her apartment, hopefully temporarily, so that someone would be available
in the night if - actually, when - she fell again, but in spite of the
additional help, she never recovered her previous level of independance.

--
Cheryl