Personal Alarms for in the Home
A personal alarm is an emergency call system that allows a person to call for help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The purpose of a personal alarm is to help people stay safe at home. They are useful for people living home alone, who have a chronic health condition, and/or are at risk of having a fall and not being able to get up. There are two types of personal alarms available: monitored and non-monitored.
Monitored personal alarms: If the device is pressed, staff at the monitoring centre will check whether the alarm was accidentally activated. If they do not hear a reply, they then act upon previously agreed upon instructions (e.g. telephone a friend, family member, or emergency services, 000). Medical information can be passed onto ambulance staff, if needed.
Non-Monitored personal alarms: These are similar to monitored personal alarms, except they rely upon someone who can assist being close-by or easily contactable. A telephone system dials pre-set numbers and delivers a pre-recorded message. The system continues to call the programmed numbers until the call is answered. In most systems, there is a feature that allows the system to know the call was received by somebody (not an answering machine or voicemail).
There are a number of service providers and those listed below are a small selection. These are listed in no particular order and this booklet is not able to make recommendations regarding which system is best for you. Most providers charge an establishment fee and then ongoing payments, often monthly. Please seek professional medical advice and assistance on the best option for you.
Some providers:
INS Lifeguard. Phone 1800 636 226. theinsgroup.com.au
Safety Link. Phone 1800 813 617. www.safetylink.org.au
Vitalcall. Phone 1300 360 808. www.vitalcall.com.au
Baptist CareCall. Phone 1300 599 532. baptistcare.org.au/our-services/carecall