Personal Alarm For Elderly

[UpTheLeagueFox]

My widowed mother, aged 76, is getting old quickly, if that makes sense. She collapsed last week at the hairdressers, the emergency services were called, she's back home but we've got concerns about her health. Having a double curvature of the spine is also making her life difficult as she stoops very badly. We're thinking of getting her a personal alarm in case she has trouble at home. Does anyone have experience of these and can point us in the right direction for the best company to choose. Thanks in advance.

[Buce]

8 minutes ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

My widowed mother, aged 76, is getting old quickly, if that makes sense. She collapsed last week at the hairdressers, the emergency services were called, she's back home but we've got concerns about her health. Having a double curvature of the spine is also making her life difficult as she stoops very badly. We're thinking of getting her a personal alarm in case she has trouble at home. Does anyone have experience of these and can point us in the right direction for the best company to choose. Thanks in advance.

 

My father had one in his later years, which he wore around his neck.

 

I'm not sure where he got it from but Age Concern will point you in the right direction.

[lifted*fox]

Fairly sure Which? are a trusted review source so maybe a read of this will help. It was written six days ago. 

 

https://www.which.co.uk/later-life-care/home-care/technology-to-keep-you-safe/personal-alarms-azbn15v6qmgq

 

Actually, there's no reviews on there at all. It does talk a bit about what to consider though so it might be useful. 

Edited 26 November 2018 by lifted*fox

[Finnegan]

16 minutes ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

My widowed mother, aged 76, is getting old quickly, if that makes sense. She collapsed last week at the hairdressers, the emergency services were called, she's back home but we've got concerns about her health. Having a double curvature of the spine is also making her life difficult as she stoops very badly. We're thinking of getting her a personal alarm in case she has trouble at home. Does anyone have experience of these and can point us in the right direction for the best company to choose. Thanks in advance.

 

My mum used to have a Lifeline 

 

https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/lifeline

 

Few hilarious (and not so hilarious) false alarms (she'd get confused and press it for help because she couldn't get on her computer, for example) but it was good peace of mind for the rest of the family. She did fall a few times and they are very fast responding. 

 

My dad had the downstairs converted so she pretty much lived down there as she can't do stairs. Sometimes I'd be in the house somewhere upstairs and she'd fall and I'd hear the alarm going off, so it was even helpful when she WASN'T home alone. 

 

Basically she got a pendant necklace with a red button on it and then there was a big speakerphone in the house on very loud that she'd shout to and they'd talk to her. Bit primitive but functional. 

 

They'd call emergency services or me or my dad or whatever as appropriate. 

 

 

[pleatout]

I'll second the council lifeline thing.  From memory they try 2 relatives and then send someone..  Works very well, I did 8 miles in about 3 minutes early one morning :-)

 

[StanSP]

AgeUK are good with this kind of stuff.

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/products/mobility-and-independence-at-home/personal-alarms/

[UpTheLeagueFox]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

I have a feeling she'll be in assisted living or a care home in no time.

Bloody horrible dealing with all this.

[Parafox]

From my professional experience the city Council's Lifeline service is about the best. Their offices are in the council depot on Blackbird Road. They have good advice and as it's a rented piece of kit, they will repair or replace as required. Usually consists of a speaker intercom system connected to a landline, plus a pendant. If you want to, you can also get a bracelet button for night time as many people manage to roll onto a pendant in their sleep and set the alarm off, then when Lifeline call back and get no answer, because the client is in bed, we get sent as a precaution. Not that it's a problem for us, but they will also call the first named keyholder. It might also be worth considering a key-safe so that access can be gained in an emergency.

[Countryfox]

 

Either a room at yours or a care home ...   don’t wait for the next thing to happen ...   you’ll only beat yourself up afterwards.

 

Unless ! ...   she absolutely wants her independence and point blank refuses ...   in which case help her as best you can (alarm, calling in etc) ...   but if she only puts up mild resistance ..  do it.

[Strokes]

1 hour ago, UpTheLeagueFox said:

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

I have a feeling she'll be in assisted living or a care home in no time.

Bloody horrible dealing with all this.

Yeah I know the feeling Geoff, we are going through similar with my Dad. The decline is rapid and frightening, I'm not sure we will ever get him home again.

[Guest Col city fan]

Do what Buce said and contact Age Concern mate....they are a brill source of info 

[Trav Le Bleu]

21 hours ago, pleatout said:

I'll second the council lifeline thing.  From memory they try 2 relatives and then send someone..  Works very well, I did 8 miles in about 3 minutes early one morning :-)

 

Gerrimin!

[lifted*fox]

my nan was terrified of going into assisted living even though she desperately needed it.

 

she was living in a little annex on the back of my auntie and uncle's place but she spent so much time alone and they weren't always around to help her. 

 

she was lonely and unhappy and a bit unclean, etc. she absolutely needed help and company.

 

she went to assisted living (albeit a very nice one with on-site hairdresser, shop, etc). and she absolutely loved it. 

 

spent loads of time making new friends, playing games, etc. in the last two years of her life and said she really, really wished she'd done it 5 years earlier.

 

big up my nan, she ran the cribbage tings ya know 

[The Blur]

On 26/11/2018 at 18:39, Parafox said:

From my professional experience the city Council's Lifeline service is about the best. Their offices are in the council depot on Blackbird Road. They have good advice and as it's a rented piece of kit, they will repair or replace as required. Usually consists of a speaker intercom system connected to a landline, plus a pendant. If you want to, you can also get a bracelet button for night time as many people manage to roll onto a pendant in their sleep and set the alarm off, then when Lifeline call back and get no answer, because the client is in bed, we get sent as a precaution. Not that it's a problem for us, but they will also call the first named keyholder. It might also be worth considering a key-safe so that access can be gained in an emergency.

 

I work for a local authority in London and we have something similar to Lifeline.  I do agree Lifeline is the best option around but there are also other devices that can be connected to Lifeline as well such as bed mattress sensor.  It works by going off if the mattress is vacated for unusually long duration of time  (in case the user went to the toilet and had a fall on the way back).   Lifeline then will try to contact your mother.   Do ask for a look at their catalogue and see what options suit your mother best.   It is also worthwhile to be prepared to pay for the service on a monthly basis,  it is about 11-12 pounds in the local authority I work for but I cannot comment on Leicester City council.   There is also usually only one speaker intercom supplied so it is not the case where intercom can be installed in every room of a house but you mentioned your mother lives downstairs so she could be able to shout if she is in different room to the intercom.

Edited 27 November 2018 by The Blur