Elderly home assistance alarms

[Heres Johnny]

My parents are not in the best of health but are living in their home. I'd like to get them a simple panic alarm type thing which they can hang around their neck that alerts me should they press the button (its more for when one of them is out with me or my sisters leaving one alone at home). It only needs to work in the home.

They have wifi so you'd imagine a simple wifi enabled device that sends a message to an app that pops up an alert would be simple to do and cheap to implement and need no subscription.

I've either just pitched to dragons den for investment in a great first in the market idea or one exists. Any suggestions?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Mother in law has (what seems to be) a good 'un. She's pressed it a few times (by mistake) and had immediate response.

I believe it can also recognise a fall.


https://www.personalalarms.org/products/suresafego...

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

I realise it's expensive & has a subscription though.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Alternatively a mobile phone in a holster with you number programmed as 1 on a short dial?

[Heres Johnny]

Trying to avoid a scubscription service if I can

The best I've come up with so far are modified door bells that alert your mobile.

Edited by Heres Johnny on Sunday 16th May 16:13

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Heres Johnny said:

Trying to avoid a scubscription service if I can

The best I've come up with so far are modified door bells that alert your mobile.

Edited by Heres Johnny on Sunday 16th May 16:13

Why not 1 on speed dial on a mobile?

Also, we have a baby monitor/internal CCTV so we can have a look see.

[Heres Johnny]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Why not 1 on speed dial on a mobile?

Also, we have a baby monitor/internal CCTV so we can have a look see.

We could do something like that but he doesn't have a mobile (no need when you never really go anywhere) and it would be a bit clumsy compared to a sos button on a cord around his neck

The modified remote door bell idea would probably do it, I'm also looking to see if I can lash something together with a 433Mhz remote control and receiver and lash something up that will send a text message or a telegram message to me and my sisters so that we all get the message.

It's really just for piece of mind that if we've taken one of them out, if the other needs help they can press the button and we'd head back earlier.

[Sheepshanks]

Lifeline24 worked perfectly on the multiple occasions my father-in-law triggered it. Seemed important to their reposnse centre to make sure someone was responding to the alert - several times they called back to make sure. Think it's about £100/yr.

Half-arse it if you like but I'd suggest it'd be best to get something that just works.

[How u doing]

We've used lifeline 24, it works and they make life easy.

Getting MIL to wear the button is a different story.

[Mr Tidy]

My Mum moved into a retirement flat in 2012 that had a Careline system installed with 2 emergency buttons and one on a cord she could put around her neck.

It worked well - when she bothered to wear it!

Then some years ago she decided she needed a new mobile phone so I bought her a Doro one because it had bigger buttons. But it also had an emergency button on the back that could be programmed to ring whatever number you entered. That would get around the subscription issue.

[Heres Johnny]

To clear something up, this isn’t an emergency system, this is a ‘tv remote has fallen behind the chair’ system that in my dads case would cause him mild panic. If he could easily use a mobile phone then he’d just use one, but I’ll take a look at the dura type thing, I think they might have one from a few years back somewhere.

If they needed an emergency system they’d have one but with the two of them ordinarily being together they don’t at the moment.

[How u doing]

Yes she's one of those phones too.

Trouble is it's never where you want it.

[Sheepshanks]

Mr Tidy said:

Then some years ago she decided she needed a new mobile phone so I bought her a Doro one because it had bigger buttons. But it also had an emergency button on the back that could be programmed to ring whatever number you entered.

Father-in-law had one of those but triggered it accidently a few times while out walking - he was very ham-fisted so perhaps hit the button as he was putting it into his pocket. Of course you're then left wondering if there's a problem.

[bristolracer]

Heres Johnny said:

To clear something up, this isn’t an emergency system, this is a ‘tv remote has fallen behind the chair’ system that in my dads case would cause him mild panic. If he could easily use a mobile phone then he’d just use one, but I’ll take a look at the dura type thing, I think they might have one from a few years back somewhere.

If they needed an emergency system they’d have one but with the two of them ordinarily being together they don’t at the moment.

What about some alexas with the drop in enabled? He can just ask alexa to call you.

[Mr Tidy]

Sheepshanks said:

Mr Tidy said:

Then some years ago she decided she needed a new mobile phone so I bought her a Doro one because it had bigger buttons. But it also had an emergency button on the back that could be programmed to ring whatever number you entered.

Father-in-law had one of those but triggered it accidently a few times while out walking - he was very ham-fisted so perhaps hit the button as he was putting it into his pocket. Of course you're then left wondering if there's a problem.

Well I did say it could be programmed, etc!

But we never did programme it as by the time she had that phone she was never out on her own without someone who had a mobile - but it seemed like a potential option for others that wouldn't involve a monthly charge.

And given their target market I'd be surprised if Doro didn't offer some sort of phone holder.

OK you might wonder what the "problem" is, but I'd rather know there might be one.