If you’re a senior citizen and you still enjoy living in your own home, you probably have a sound home security system to protect you from burglaries and fire. However, as we get older, we can be confronted with health and mobility-related factors that severely impact our ability to react in the event of a safety or medical emergency. Personal Emergency Response Systems, or PERS, have been on the market for a couple of years now, but the general public is still not informed about how they can potentially save lives. PERS are designed to provide a direct line of communication to anybody who regularly spends their days, nights, or both, alone at home. Thanks to a unique software system, one press of the button is all it takes to alert family members, friends, and emergency services in the event of a life-threatening event.
Many senior citizens, people who suffer from chronic illness, and patients recovering from surgery, are uncomfortable staying at home alone, even with the protection of a good home security system. No matter what age we are, or how our health is, nearly everybody wants to enjoy his or her independence for as long as possible. With the PERS, the knowledge that one push of the button will set a response cycle in action reduces stress and brings peace of mind to PERS users and their families. The genius of the PERS lies in its dual alert elements. One portable help button is worn as a pendant, and the other is a console communicator that is directly to the user’s home telephone line. Both elements are programmed to contact a response center immediately when the button is pushed. Depending on the type of emergency, the personnel at the response center then alert the user’s family members or the appropriate local medical or emergency services. PERS come in varying levels of protection, convenience, and usability, including built-in phone handsets, two-way voice communication, remote voice control, and other options to work with the user’s telephone. Additionally, for worst-case scenarios, the personal pendant can send an emergency signal from anywhere in the residence if the user is unable to speak or move. It’s useful to know that a few medical insurance companies provide for certain types of PERS, and more are expected to do so within the next few years. If you’re interested in using a PERS, remember to check your insurance policy to see if it covers the costs.
Photo via vidterry
