Medical Alarms

Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation has developed Home Heartbeat™, a home awareness system that enables consumers to monitor and receive updates on a broad range of household devices and systems.

Home Heartbeat™ provides consumers with anytime knowledge of the inner workings of their homes while they go about their daily lives. The wireless, plug-and-use system enables consumers to add simple remote monitoring to ordinary household systems and devices. Home Heartbeat™, which installs in minutes, features a Home Key™ that allows homeowners an all-in-one glimpse at the status and condition of their homes.

The system routinely monitors for problems such as water leaks and flooding. It also provides updates on home appliances, the status of doors and windows, routine maintenance schedules, and oversees comings and goings of family members.

“This is an exciting opportunity that puts Eaton on the cutting edge of the emerging category of home awareness,” said Matt Lorenz, marketing manager, Residential Division, Eaton’s electrical business. “Homeowners are looking for a way to keep in touch with their homes so they can avert emergencies and problems before they get out of control. Home Heartbeat™ provides a high-tech solution in an easy-to-install, easy-to-use system. If you can plug in a lamp, use a remote control, and apply stickers, you can use this system.”

The system sends emails or text message alerts to cell phones when a problem is detected. Because the system is wireless, it is also easy to upgrade by adding new sensors and components.

Out-of-the-box, Home Heartbeat™ can quite literally be up and monitoring the status of the home in minutes. It has three main components: a Base Station, a Home Key™, and a network of detection sensors. Installation of the system breaks down into three easy steps: activate the Base Station, train the Home Key™, and use the sensors to monitor the home.

The Base Station is the heart of the system. It communicates with the Home Key™ and sensors wirelessly and maintains constant awareness of the state of the home. The Base Station interprets the alert and status messages from the sensors and relays the information to the Home Key™. These two components continually interact, transmitting important information, and alerts to the homeowner.

The Home Heartbeat™ Home Key™, with its LCD display, communicates wirelessly with the Base Station. Homeowners can use this Home Key™ to monitor the home, to alert them of a problem (by vibration, beep or red flashing LCD display), and to add additional sensors to the system.

The Home Key™ captures a snapshot of the current state of the home as soon as it is out of range of the Base Station. Homeowners can also set up a “Call Me Awareness” feature which allows them to receive an email or a text message when there is a problem in the home. So whether the homeowner is home or away, at work, or on vacation, they can be alerted to potential problems.

The sensors — which include water sensors, open/closed sensors, power sensors, reminder and attention sensors — are the backbone of the Home Heartbeat™ system. They can alert the homeowner to a wide range of problems, including pipe leaks and flooding, open doors and windows, and appliances that are left on or are without power. Water sensors have an added feature that can activate a water shut-off valve. Reminder and attention sensors can be set to trigger easy-to-forget tasks, like bringing home a gallon of milk or taking out the garbage.

Home Heartbeat™ is ZigBee™ ready. ZigBee™, a wireless networking standard (IEE 802.15.4), connects small embedded sensors and transmitters that don’t need much bandwidth, but that do need long battery life, built-in network security, and scalability. And because Home Heartbeat™ is wireless, it is also easy to upgrade by adding new sensors/components.

“A home awareness system should provide painless peace-of-mind about the most valuable thing most people own – their home,” said Lorenz. “With simplicity, a lack of expensive third-party monitoring, and its ability to embrace future technological advances, Home Heartbeat™ delivers on this goal.”

In New Zealand Medical Alarm clients from St John are being warned not rely on their lifelink alarms and are being urged to call the New Zealand emergency service instead.

Additional telephone lines are being installed to cope with the additional capacity which Lifelink has been experiencing, resulting in overloaded systems.

e-pill, LLC the leading provider of medication reminder products in the US (www.epill.com), has recently added a medical alarm with no monthly fees to its HIProtector fall prevention product line.

“The HIProtector medical alarm is an economical device that addresses important issues facing families trying to allow an aging baby boomer to continue to live independently at home”, said Stefan Solvell, President of e-pill, “use your cell phone to monitor mom and dad”.

Regardless of the unwanted event at home - accident, stroke, heart attack, or other medical emergency … e-pill Help-At-Hand calls your caregiver (daughter or son or other selected individual) and informs them of the emergency. Use your cellular phone (”cell phone”) or regular phone to monitor the patient.

Works with all brands of phones and cell-phones: Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Verizon wireless, Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile, Samsung, LG.

e-pill PERS Model 911 comes complete with two Personal Help Buttons (pendants) - HIS and HERS (first Bed-Room, second Around the Neck for Day Time use) - Works All Around the House. It is priced at $199.00 with no monthly fees ever.

This unit is an ideal gift for the holidays and is available on-line (http://www.hiprotector.com/pers.html) or by calling toll-free 1-800-930-9255.

The award winning e-pill product line includes pill organizers & automatic pill dispensers, electronic medicine reminders, pill boxes, pill timers, multi-alarms, vibrating watches with many daily alarms, and medication adherence recorders.

Lifeline now offers a needs assessment questionnaire to help determine if it’s time to use an emergency personal response system to ensure the safety and independence of your family’s elder loved ones.

FRAMINGHAM, MA (PRWEB) July 20, 2005 — Knowing whether it’s safe for an older family member to continue to live alone isn’t any easy decision to make. What will happen if they fall – or feel threatened by some other age-related medical condition and can’t reach the telephone to call for help? Lifeline Systems, Inc., the leading provider of medical alarm services in the United States and Canada, has developed a 9-point needs assessment questionnaire to be used as a guide to evaluate if and when a parent or loved one may need a medical alarm in order to maintain their independence.

The interactive quiz is available at the website www.timeforamedicalalarm.com. Caregivers are directed to answer nine questions with a yes or no response. Questions asked include their loved one’s overall health, existing health problems or concerns, recent hospitalization, time home alone, use of assistive devices, medication, and their ability to handle day-to-day grooming and care. The results are tallied and then give the caregiver information as to whether a medical alarm is an urgent need, elevated need, moderate need, or limited need.

Lifeline Systems has been the leading provider of personal medical alert response services in the United States for over 30 years. Lifeline is the preferred provider of medical alarm services to members of the Visiting Nurses Associations of America, and to thousands of leading doctors and hospitals. In addition, the Lifeline service is available through select chapters of the American Red Cross.

“Lifeline System’s new site www.timeforamedicalalarm.com is extremely useful for caregivers and homebound elderly patients who are trying to assess their need for a medical alarm,” says Carolyn S. Markey, President and CEO of Visiting Nurse Associations of America.

“Visiting Nurses created home healthcare more than 100 years ago, so no one is more experienced when it comes to delivering compassionate and cost-effective home care. Lifeline’s personal emergency medical response is a service we frequently recommend to people who wish to continue to live independently for as long as they can.”

According to the Department of Health & Human Services Administration on Aging (AoA) the older population–persons 65 years or older–numbered 35.9 million in 2003 representing 12.3% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 71.5 million older persons, which will account for 20% of the population.

“Many of us have loved ones who are elderly and it is often difficult to both know and admit that they might need the additional assistance and security of a medical alarm,” commented Yasmin Mheiny, a Lifeline System’s expert specializing in occupational therapy and needs of the elderly. “Lifeline is the first to create a unique, comprehensive tool to help caregivers deal with a sensitive topic that is often met with resistance and one which they may have been avoiding or just not certain how best to address.”

With the simple press of a waterproof button, at any time of the day or night, the user is quickly connected with a highly trained Lifeline Personal Response Associate. The Associate makes voice contact through the Lifeline speakerphone, reviews the individual’s personal and medical profile, assesses her situation and then notifies a family member, neighbor, or appropriate support and medical response team as the situation requires.

Lifeline personal response and support services offer:

• Immediate response by caring and highly-trained Personal Response Associates —24 hours a day/365 days a year.

• State-of-the-art equipment made by Lifeline.

• Lightweight, waterproof personal help button that can be worn as a pendant or on the wrist.

• CarePartner Telephone option with larger number buttons and personalized reminders to help manage medications, diet, exercise and appointments.

• No minimum service commitment, all at a cost of little more than a dollar a day.

Active, independant seniors need to be able to call family & friends if they need assistance. The SafeGuardian One Touch Safety GPS Cell Phone provides complete protection without the problems of a standard cell phone. Now, if you pre-pay your first three months of service, the SafeGuardian One Touch Safety GPS Cell Phone is yours for free.

Clayton Communications, Inc. announced today that, due to tremendous demand for its new SafeGuardian™ One Touch Medical Alarm Cell Phone, it now offers a free phone by simply pre-paying the first three months of service.

The idea for the SafeGuardian™ One Touch Medical Alarm Cell Phone is simple. If you need help, simply press one button and be connected to a live Personal Assistant standing by just for your call anytime or anywhere.

Tell the Personal Assistant what you need and they will stay on the phone with you until your problem is solved. If you don’t know where you are, your Personal Assistant may be able to pinpoint your location to within just a few feet.

SafeGuardian™ One Touch Medical Alarm Cell Phone is a small, lightweight battery powered cell phone with a built-in GPS locator. The most impressive feature is that it is designed to go wherever you do. Clip it to your belt, drop in into a purse or move it between vehicles, it provides one button protection and convenience even when you are miles from home.

The device is activated with just one push of the single oversized red “call” button on the front. Within seconds, a live “personal assistant & emergency dispatcher” answers the call 24 hours a day. The personal assistant can immediately dispatch local police, fire, paramedics or roadside assistance and much more.

The cell phone is “GPS–enabled” allowing the assistance center professionals to perform a “locate” in the event emergency assistance is dispatched to help the caller, if the caller is lost or in need of directions. When a clear view of the sky is available, the built-in GPS locator is accurate to within 30 feet.

“If you need help and call “911” from your regular cell phone, the 911 operator does not know who you are, where you are or have access to any information about you. Additionally, 911 service is reserved for true emergencies only.” said Thomas C. Franks, President of Clayton Communications, Inc., “The SafeGuardian Personal Assistant who answers your call addresses you by name, has all your important information that you have provided at their fingertips (names, phone numbers, medical information, etc) and are waiting to provide whatever assistance you may need.”

Designed for much more than just emergencies, the SafeGuardian™ One Touch Medical Alarm Cell Phone also provides a wide variety of safety and convenience features. Callers can request to be connected to anyone worldwide, store important information (names, telephone numbers, medical information, etc) for quick contact, receive turn-by-turn driving directions and even request location and directions to any local business or facility including hospitals, doctors, dentists, restaurants, gas stations, hotels, etc.

The device is small (5” x 2” x 1”), lightweight (6 ounces), and uses commonly available lithium batteries (no charging required) that can last for months. It retails elsewhere for $299 and the monthly service plan is as low as $29.95. The company offers free activation and free emergency calls. Non-emergency and optional concierge calls are just $.99/minute.

“Independent, active seniors also are finding the phone is a great companion when they are alone. They like the ease of use and the feeling of safety and security they feel knowing they can get assistance anytime and anywhere with the push of one button” continues Mr. Franks, “It truly makes a great gift for any aging parent who would never buy or use a regular cell phone.”

The SafeGuardian™ One Touch Medical Alarm Cell Phone works anywhere in the United States that has analog cellular service available. Clayton Communications, Inc. offers a free 30 day money back guarantee to all subscribers. For more information or to order, visit www.safetyandsecuritycenter.com or call 800-378-2957.

Keep a non-slip rubber mat in your bath and shower to prevent slipping.

Install supports for getting in and out of the bath and shower and up and down from the toilet. Install rails where you are likely to need them.

Keep your electrical appliances away from the sink to avoid electrocution.

Keep a light switch or lamp handy to your bedside in the case of a late night emergency.

Keep the path from your bed to the bathroom clear of anything that may cause you to trip in the night. Install nightlights for added security for late night wandering.

Make sure you are able to reach things on your shelves. Keep things low enough to reach or keep a ladder handy.

If you’re using a ladder or step-stool to reach things on higher shelves, make sure it is steady. Replace and wobbly step-stools or have them repaired. Don’t use anything to climb up with that doesn’t provide you with stability or may result in a fall.

Keep your stairways clear of things that may cause you to trip. You don’t need any extra hassle if you need to navigate your stairs in the dark.

Make sure your steps and stairs are in good repair. If there are any that are broken or uneven then get them fixed or replaced.

Make sure your steps and stairs are well lit. Replace any blown light bulbs or fit extra lighting as needed.

Make sure there are lighting switches at the top and bottom of your stairs.

Ensure that your handrails are sturdy and wont cause further injury if you suddenly require their use on a stairway.

Keep an eye on the carpet on any stairways for fraying or loosening. Attach non-slip treads where needed.

Make sure your flooring has clear paths. Don’t leave things where you may trip over them. Organise your furniture so that there is clear access to your phone and doors.

Ensure that any rugs aren’t going to slip. Secure them to the floor to reduce the risk of tripping over corners or slipping and resulting in a fall.

Keep newspapers, magazines, footwear, books and boxes in their proper place off the floor. Remove anything that could cause an unnecessary fall.

Tape all extension cords, telephone cords and lamp and appliance cords out of the way. Tape them or hook them where you can and if necessary, have an electrician wire a new outlet.