Home Medical Alert system?

[HillSlugger]

We're setting my mom up with one this coming week. It will be tied into a landline.

[OakLeaf]

I wouldn't recommend a SPOT for that application. Too big, too heavy, no easy way to carry it on one's person. Reportedly, battery life on the new units is less than one day - the long distance moto people have been complaining bitterly about it.

They're more for active people on day trips out of cell phone range. Like us cyclists.... In spite of the short battery life, the new SPOTs are small and light enough to carry on a bici, unlike the old ones. But they're still more the size of a camera than a phone.

Drifty, but there's no age at which "the conversation" is more or less appropriate than any other age. Says the one who nearly broke my neck last month and STILL haven't tightened up my Living Will as I've been meaning to do for over a year.

[jessmarimba]

If you have old cell phones that you haven't recycled, I believe they're still able to dial 911 even if they're deactivated. So perhaps leaving them strategically around the house might be a temporary solution?

[Catrin]

If you have old cell phones that you haven't recycled, I believe they're still able to dial 911 even if they're deactivated. So perhaps leaving them strategically around the house might be a temporary solution?

Perhaps - but if she falls and can't get to one...perhaps the temporary solution is to just make sure she always has a pocket to put her phone in...

[Trek420]

Does your Mom have any difficulty using the phone? Hearing, mobility, vision? If you need to make the phone itself better this is a good company:

http://shop.clarityproducts.com/

[JennK13]

No matter which route you decide to go, as a former public safety dispatcher, I suggest calling your local 911 agency and having them add a "premise history" to your sister's address. Tell them what medical problems your mom has, where a hidden key is if you have one, info on if there are pets in the house especially if they're aggressive, and contact info for you and your sister. Even if you go with one of those systems that is monitored by an alarm company, call the 911 agency - I can't tell you how many times the alarm company DOESN'T have the information available for the responding units even though they're supposed to.

[Catrin]

This is good information, I will pass it along to my sister. I didn't know that you can provide the local emergency service a "premise history". We are pondering several options right now. Mom does have a significant hearing problem, but as long as she remembers to put in her hearing aids then that isn't much of a problem. As long as she remembers She doesn't have any mobility problems yet, and hopefully for her sake that will be a long-time coming.

Oakleaf and Trek420 thanks for the tips - and thankfully she does have a living will (as do I). I appreciate it everyone!