Tag: Safety

A Medical Alert Device: The What, Where, Why And How

Posted by – January 25, 2012

A medical alert device is utilized by the individual wearing it, for example an elderly person, to summon emergency help as a result of some kind of medical or other crisis. The device is normally something worn like a necklace or pendant. Someone might take a fall causing a broken hip. With this type of situation, it is impossible to walk and very difficult to move any distance. It may be very difficult to reach a home phone or cell phone.

With the medical alert pendant, the wearer simply pushes a button and talks to a representative that can summon help if needed. This is also a great way to ensure that a senior citizen is ok periodically such as once a day. He or she would simply need to check in daily via the device. If the check in is skipped, a phone call will be made to ascertain what’s wrong.

Why

At older ages, senior citizens become a lot more susceptible to falls and health conditions. A fall for an 18 year old person is usually not too dangerous in the long term, however it might be a life threatening crisis if it leads to a broken hip in a senior citizen. With a broken hip, it might be extremely tough or impossible to summon help from a phone that’s located several rooms away. That’s the reason it is important for many seniors to have a medical alert device.

Another issue is the well being of a retired family member who might not check in everyday at a place like work. When there is an issue, nobody knows for days or perhaps weeks. With a device, the retiree can check in everyday to make certain that someone in the rest of the world knows they are safe. When the check in is not made, then the alert service might call family or emergency help.

How

There tend to be a couple of technologies available. The primary type of medical alert alarms is one that communicates with a base unit that is situated in a centrally located part of the house. The wearer is going to communicate with the base unit regardless of what room they’re situated in. The sensitivity of the microphone is significantly increased so that it’s easier for representatives to listen to someone within a different room.

The other kind of unit requires the wearer to talk to the device. There is a wireless connection to the base unit, which is attached to the alert call center. This can be a more costly solution, but it works better for bigger dwellings.

Where

Whenever a wearer of a medical alert pendant has to speak, she or he is communicating to one of two locations. In cheaper alert device options, the wearer communicates using a base unit that may be located in another area of the house. The microphone sound sensitivity is raised high so the representative can listen to someone that’s in a remote part of the house.

The other option would be to have the alert device be a wireless transmitter and receiver to the base unit, which is located elsewhere in the house. By doing this, it is always possible for a call to be made whether or not the wearer is far away with closed doors such as in the restroom.

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