I just read the article about medical alert buttons on this site. There are so many companies out there...has anyone actually used one of these devices? Do they work well?
My mom lives independently and her doctor suggested one of these systems.
Also, I was told that they only work with telephones that still have copper wire land lines, not with fiber-optic cable (like Verizon FIOS) I am not a techie....would appreciate some input.
thanks
My mother is infamous for just having to have things in her home and loves all sorts of wacky medical devices, etc. I buy them for her, take time to install them, only to find that they have been removed or discarded. She has a small cell phone that has the automatic 911 button on it. I suggested that she start carrying it as a safety device and bought her a little pouch for her to wear. As you both mentioned, it is always on the table or in a drawer.
I know for a fact that she would use the medic alert button for about a week then in the drawer it would to go!
I am so frustrated using my time researching things for her, buying them, having them shipped, and installing them then having her rip them out...what a waste of her money and my time!! I really think that she just has a lot of time on her hands and likes to keep me hopping :o)
Barring any situation where there is diminished capacity, I think that at some point we have to say that this is their freedom of choice and we cannot be there to catch every fall or save them from themselves.
On the down side, if there is a problem with the phone, or if the power goes out, the system will not work properly. The phone itself was a regular phone plugged into the outlet, but the box was plugged into an electrical outlet. She has a portable phone she keeps next to her on the table, but it is a portable phone. The one time the Call Center called me to inform there was a problem with her phone (the power had gone out in her apartment building). Another time, two policement came to her door and said that someone had dialed 911. She said she did not. Her phone was out and neither she nor I knew it til the next day when I tried to phone out and there was no dial tone. It was a Sunday and the phone company said the phone would be fixed in 24 hours. I prayed she would not fall. I started looking for one of those Senior-friendly cell phones, but did not find any at the time.
Three of the four falls were from trying to reach into the freezer, the cubboard, the closet, so now has been told that she is not permitted to do any reaching, or trying to pick things off the floor, and that she needs to keep two hands on her walker at all times. She does not have dementia, so there is nothing wrong with her ability to remember that.
I hope this helps you in your decision. The bottom line is, it will be worth it.