At Home With Life Alert

Top 3. Aug 18, 2005 6:28 PM

» Dubh_Sidhe - Life Alert Article

Dear Virgina,

Thank you very much for a very nice article about Life Alert! It represents very well what we do – and our main focus to help seniors spend more years at their home.

I was doing a search for link popularity for our company and found it today. Very well written!

We would like to use parts of it in our literature. I hope this is not a problem.

Sincerely,

Olga Vlasova

Life Alert, Inc.

818-700-7000 x 122

-- posted by Dubh_Sidhe

Top 4. Aug 19, 2005 7:29 PM

» Fairdinkum - Re: Life Alert Article

In response to Life Alert Article posted by Dubh_Sidhe:

Another resonating article. My neighbour's wife is profoundly deaf so couldn't respond to her husband's recent fall nor wants a hearing aid. smile

I picked up a few brochures to give them when I can. There's a system here like your 'Life Alert' that can activate ambulance etc and another where there is only a one-off payment of $AUD245. This has the pendant which when pressed sends a phone call out to up to 3 nominated people. There's also a 'Forget-Me-Not pill box to be worn aound the neck on an anti-choke cord..with a built in timer and plenty of storage. There is a 'Keysafe' to gain access to the home for people responding to the alert.

All these things are deserving of free plugs.

Jeff formerly known as IMADAG2

-- posted by Fairdinkum

Top 5. Aug 21, 2005 3:32 PM

» Dubh_Sidhe - Re: Re: Life Alert Article

In response to Re: Life Alert Article posted by Fairdinkum:

Jeff, how nice of you to take various brochures to your neighbor. How did your neighbor manage to receive help related to his fall? It is very difficult for those with hearing loss to deal with problems and emergencies, especially if using the telephone is needed. I understand this because I have a severe bilateral hearing loss. I am unable to the telephone, and even normal conversation is extremely frustration for me and others. Although my little dog is not a "hearing-ear-dog" he does bark when someone is at the door, and he lets me know the telephone is ringing.

You mentioned the Keysafe, and to me this is extremely important. To my knowledge, Life Alert does not have a Keysafe. Since I also have a deadbolt, the key problem for entry did enter my mind.

Forget-Me-Not Pill boxes are wonderful. I use my own "invention" for my mother, not to remember to give her the pills, but using it is a convenience for me at breakfast. Instead of having to count out her medications every morning, which is time consuming, I simply use previously filled caps and put one at her breakfast setting. Caps? I saved the snuggly fitting pill bottle caps that stack quite well and each cap covers the other. I fill 7 caps at a time. It works very well for me. Dubh

-- posted by Dubh_Sidhe

Top 6. Aug 22, 2005 12:44 AM

» Fairdinkum - Re: Re: Re: Life Alert Article

In response to Re: Re: Life Alert Article posted by Dubh_Sidhe:

Hi Virginia

I'm welfare "attuned" I guess...a work habit hard to shake. smile Ray dragged/crawled to a phone..in a lot of pain. He's one of 4 of us in my street who look out for each other. But, it's hard as knocking on his door can disturb him if he's resting. While I want to do a "life test", I don't want him falling to get to the door. He complains of noisy cars or dogs barking keeping him awake and separately, his wife reckons they have it good..nice & peaceful. smile Maybe going deaf isn't all bad. smile

I live alone. My sister lives 40 minutes away and has a spare key to my house and she'll call if she hasn't heard from me BUT has no car. smile I've got myself a top rated B&D security screen door so don't need an internal deadbolt.

The problems caused by deadlocks and barred windows upset the fire brigade who deal with tragedies when people can't leave the house. Tis a pity to have an alert without backup processes.

About phones. Can you access the handset that has a flashing light and extra volume attachment? There are also TTY phones but these need a TTY phone at the other end.

Not really digressing. The life alert is part of a package.

Cheers

Jeff

-- posted by Fairdinkum

Top 7. Aug 22, 2005 3:35 PM

» Dubh_Sidhe - Re: Re: Re: Re: Life Alert Article

In response to Re: Re: Re: Life Alert Article posted by Fairdinkum:

Hi Jeff. No, lights and volumn control in the handset are of no help to me. Though volumn is a problem, words are worse than sound. I can hear most sound especially louder ones. I hear my smoke alarm when I burn up a pot! My greater problem is one of phonics. I cannot hear or relate to the sounds of speech. I have trouble with sh, ch, and most beginning and ending consonants, especially from people who tend to swallow them instead of pronouncing them clearly. If a speaker has some voice volumn and speaks clearly and slowly, I can usually talk with them, IF I pay attention to the content. If I loose flow in the content--I have to bow out! You know, I lost two professions because of my hearing loss--teaching and nursing, but I am so thankful to have my sight! Re: Life Alert. I will probably subscribe to it later. I don't need it right now.

-- posted by Dubh_Sidhe

Top 8. Aug 23, 2005 1:11 AM

» Fairdinkum - Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Life Alert Article

In response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Life Alert Article posted by Dubh_Sidhe:

I'm ambivalent about things that sound restrictive at the moment..like life alert variations-on-a-theme. I'm solo living in a house that's a pain to maintain but..I'm retired so each job gets done..or not..on my rules and I don't nag. smile But I try to keep up with these gadgets and whether the aid is integrated to the whole person's needs if that makes sense. But do I want to have aid overload myself, someone mowing my lawns etc...not yet by far. I've even told the doctor if he wants to increase my medication, we need to work out which one gets discontinued. 5 per day is 4.5 too many now. smile

"I hear my smoke alarm when I burn up a pot!"

Over here, new laws are being introduced to make them compulsory in all older homes. So, no burnt toast, no smoking inside..let alone burning pots probably = noncompliance. For me at least, use of pots, gravy etc = fancy meal. smile

I studied up on deafness a lifetime ago. Various types..differing problems depending where the loss is. This to measure impairment & disability for disability pensions.

One friend's comment was that he could no longer hear the birds outside his window...a lost joy. The neighbour above..lost annoyance. But I understand where speech is jumbled..where hearing aids are ineffective or even painful etc.

I bowed out of work before disability or illness drove me out...early retirement 5 years ago. Unpaid advocacy now. It's hard to leave the caring industry so I can only guess at the adjustments you made.

Jeff

-- posted by Fairdinkum

Top 9. Aug 23, 2005 11:59 AM

» _Boanerges_ - Re: Life Alert Article

In response to Life Alert Article posted by Dubh_Sidhe:

Informative article, Virginia....
Life Alert seems to be a very practical way at helping seniors remain independent, offering piece of mind knowing that someone is close when the need arises!!

I think its just great that Life Alert Inc came across your article and will use it as part of their literature smile

-- posted by _Boanerges_