Caregivers: Is it Time for a Medical Alarm for a Special Senior in your Life?

Lifeline now offers a needs assessment questionnaire to help determine if it’s time to use an emergency personal response system to ensure the safety and independence of your family’s elder loved ones.

FRAMINGHAM, MA (PRWEB) July 20, 2005 -- Knowing whether it’s safe for an older family member to continue to live alone isn’t any easy decision to make. What will happen if they fall – or feel threatened by some other age-related medical condition and can’t reach the telephone to call for help? Lifeline Systems, Inc., the leading provider of medical alarm services in the United States and Canada, has developed a 9-point needs assessment questionnaire to be used as a guide to evaluate if and when a parent or loved one may need a medical alarm in order to maintain their independence.

The interactive quiz is available at the website www.timeforamedicalalarm.com. Caregivers are directed to answer nine questions with a yes or no response. Questions asked include their loved one’s overall health, existing health problems or concerns, recent hospitalization, time home alone, use of assistive devices, medication, and their ability to handle day-to-day grooming and care. The results are tallied and then give the caregiver information as to whether a medical alarm is an urgent need, elevated need, moderate need, or limited need.

Lifeline Systems has been the leading provider of personal medical alert response services in the United States for over 30 years. Lifeline is the preferred provider of medical alarm services to members of the Visiting Nurses Associations of America, and to thousands of leading doctors and hospitals. In addition, the Lifeline service is available through select chapters of the American Red Cross.

"Lifeline System's new site www.timeforamedicalalarm.com is extremely useful for caregivers and homebound elderly patients who are trying to assess their need for a medical alarm," says Carolyn S. Markey, President and CEO of Visiting Nurse Associations of America.

"Visiting Nurses created home healthcare more than 100 years ago, so no one is more experienced when it comes to delivering compassionate and cost-effective home care. Lifeline’s personal emergency medical response is a service we frequently recommend to people who wish to continue to live independently for as long as they can."

According to the Department of Health & Human Services Administration on Aging (AoA) the older population--persons 65 years or older--numbered 35.9 million in 2003 representing 12.3% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 71.5 million older persons, which will account for 20% of the population.

"Many of us have loved ones who are elderly and it is often difficult to both know and admit that they might need the additional assistance and security of a medical alarm,” commented Yasmin Mheiny, a Lifeline System’s expert specializing in occupational therapy and needs of the elderly. “Lifeline is the first to create a unique, comprehensive tool to help caregivers deal with a sensitive topic that is often met with resistance and one which they may have been avoiding or just not certain how best to address.”

With the simple press of a waterproof button, at any time of the day or night, the user is quickly connected with a highly trained Lifeline Personal Response Associate. The Associate makes voice contact through the Lifeline speakerphone, reviews the individual's personal and medical profile, assesses her situation and then notifies a family member, neighbor, or appropriate support and medical response team as the situation requires.

Lifeline personal response and support services offer:

• Immediate response by caring and highly-trained Personal Response Associates —24 hours a day/365 days a year.

• State-of-the-art equipment made by Lifeline.

• Lightweight, waterproof personal help button that can be worn as a pendant or on the wrist.

• CarePartner Telephone option with larger number buttons and personalized reminders to help manage medications, diet, exercise and appointments.

• No minimum service commitment, all at a cost of little more than a dollar a day.

To take the needs assessment quiz, visit Lifeline medical alarm, visit www.lifelinesystems.com, or call 800-380-3111.

About Lifeline Systems, Inc.
Established in 1974, Lifeline Systems is the leading provider of personal response services and emergency call systems in the United States and Canada. As of March 31, 2005, the Company supported more than 433,000 subscribers from its response centers in Massachusetts, Ontario and Quebec. Lifeline also supplies emergency response equipment and services to owners and developers of independent living, assisted living and continuing care retirement communities across North America. To people who live alone or in senior living communities, the Company provides reassurance and peace of mind with dedicated, well-trained people, advanced technology and a nationwide support structure to achieve service excellence. The Company is committed to affording its subscribers and residents the dignity, privacy and respect to which they are entitled. For more information about Lifeline Systems, visit www.lifelinesystems.com

Emergency Response Center

There are two types of emergency response centers - provider-based and manufacturer-based. Provider-based centers usually are located in the user's local area and are operated by hospitals or social service agencies. Manufacturer-based operations usually have one national center. Sometimes, consumers who purchase systems can choose between provider-based and manufacturer-based centers, but consumers who rent systems from a Personal Emergency Response System manufacturer usually must use its national center.

Purchasing, Renting, or Leasing a A Personal Emergency Response System (PERS)

A PERS can be purchased, rented, or leased. Neither Medicare nor Medicaid, in most states, will pay for the purchase of equipment, nor will most insurance companies. The few insurance companies that do pay require a doctor's recommendation. Some hospitals and social service agencies may subsidize fees for low-income users. Purchase prices for a PERS normally range from $200 to more than $1,500. However, some consumers have reported paying $4,000 to $5,000 for a PERS. You also will have to pay an installation fee and a monthly monitoring charge which may cost from $10 to $30.

Rentals are available through national manufacturers, local distributors, hospitals, and social service agencies. Monthly fees may range from $15 to $50 and usually include the monitoring service.

Lease agreements can be long-term or lease-to-purchase. If you lease, review the contract carefully before signing. Make special note of cancellation clauses, which may require you to pay a cancellation fee or other charges.

Before purchasing, renting, or leasing a system, check the unit for defects. Ask to see the warranty and service contract and get any questions resolved. Ask about the repair policy. Find out how to arrange for a replacement or repair if a malfunction occurs.

If a PERS salesperson solicits you by phone, and you are interested in the device, ask for information about prices, system features, and services. You can then use the information to comparison shop among other PERS providers. If the salesperson is reluctant to provide information except through an in-home visit, you may want to consider doing business with another company. In-home sales visits can be high pressure, and the salesperson may urge you to buy before you are ready to make a decision.

Before doing business with companies selling PERS, you may want to contact your local consumer protection agency, state Attorney General's Office, and Better Business Bureau (BBB). Ask if any complaints have been filed against the companies you are considering. You also may want to get recommendations from friends, neighbors, or relatives who use emergency response systems.

Shopping Checklist

To help you shop for a PERS that meets your needs, consider the following suggestions:

• Check out several systems before making a decision.
• Find out if you can use the system with other response centers. For example, can you use the same system if you move?
• Ask about the pricing, features, and servicing of each system and compare costs.
• Make sure the system is easy to use.
• Test the system to make sure it works from every point in and around your home. Make sure nothing interferes with transmissions.
• Read your purchase, rental, or lease agreement carefully before signing.

Questions to Ask the Response Center

You also may want to ask questions about the response center:

• Is the monitoring center available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
• What is the average response time?
• What kind of training does the center staff receive?
• What procedures does the center use to test systems in your home? How often are tests conducted?

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Personal Emergency Response Systems

Medical Alarm Device

A Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is an electronic device designed to let you summon help in an emergency. If you are a disabled or an older person living alone, you may be thinking about buying a PERS (also called a Medical Emergency Response System).
How a PERS Works

A PERS has three components: a small radio transmitter (a help button carried or worn by the user); a console connected to the user's telephone; and an emergency response center that monitors calls.

When emergency help (medical, fire, or police) is needed, the PERS user presses the transmitter's help button. It sends a radio signal to the console. The console automatically dials one or more pre-selected emergency telephone numbers. Most systems can dial out even if the phone is in use or off the hook. (This is called "seizing the line.") Most PERS are programmed to telephone an emergency response center where the caller is identified. The center will try to determine the nature of the emergency. Center staff also may review your medical history and check to see who should be notified.

If the center cannot contact you or determine whether an emergency exists, it will alert emergency service providers to go to your home. With most systems, the center will monitor the situation until the crisis is resolved.

Transmitters

Transmitters are light-weight, battery-powered devices that are activated by pressing one or two buttons. They can be worn on a chain around the neck or on a wrist band, or they can be carried on a belt or in a pocket. Because the transmitter is battery-powered, the batteries must be checked periodically to ensure they work. Some units have an indicator to help you know when to change batteries.

The Console

The console acts as an automatic dialing machine and sends the emergency alert through the phone lines. It works with any private telephone line and generally does not require rewiring. If you have more than one phone extension, a special jack or wiring may be required to enable the console to seize the line.

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http://www.ftc.gov

Lifefone Personal Response Services

Medical Alert System from Lifefone

Lifefone provides personal medical emergency alarm devices that are monitored 24/7 to allow independence, security and fast response at the press of a panic button.

LifeFone has been an innovator in providing security and peace of mind to thousands of people throughout the US and Canada since 1976. Utilizing the latest information technology and our continued commitment to "personal" response, LifeFone is in the forefront of the healthcare communications industry.

LifeFone gives individuals instant access to caring, compassionate help 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Subscribers can directly contact our specially trained LifeFone staff with the simple push of a button. And LifeFone helps to maintain their Subscribers' independence and overall quality of life by ensuring early intervention in emergency situations.

As a leading provider of Personal Response Services, LifeFone is recommended by healthcare providers throughout North America. These providers include: hospitals, area agencies on aging, home health care providers, social workers and geriatric care managers. LifeFone is an integral part of their overall care program.

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http://www.lifefone.com
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