Personal alarms for the elderly were first introduced in the UK in the early 1980s.
They are often worn as a necklace or wrist band allowing the user to press a panic button for help.
Choosing and buying a personal alarm
- Personal alarms are available from a large number of organisations, including local authorities, charities such as Age UK and commercial companies.
- Think about what type of equipment and level of service you require, as there’s no point paying for more than you need.
- Take time to compare brands and prices to find the best one to suit your needs.
- Check the range if you plan to wear it in the garden.
- Check battery length, how you know it is running low and who is responsible to change them.
- If you choose a wearable device, is it waterproof?
- Below is a list of companies that can provide this service
1. Sure Safe
https://www.personalalarms.org/
SureSafe Alarms is a Telecare and Assistive Technology company specialising in personal alarms for the elderly. With over 15 products available ranging from fall alarms, key safe alarms and pendant alarms to help elderly people maintain their independence in the home. Sure Safe is dedicated to delivering the highest quality service and products, while distributing at an affordable price for all. Offering safety and security to elderly people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, aiming to improve their health, well-being and quality of life.
For more information on the products and services available go to their website
2. LifeLine 24
Lifeline 24 is a dedicated national personal alarm provider that provides a low cost pendant alarm service for the elderly and disabled. Offering a wide range of products including waterproof versions to help your elderly parent stay safe in the home.
LifeLine 24’s personal alarm pendant is a small, discreet pendant that can be worn around the wrist or neck with a button. It operates using the European Social Alarm frequency so it doesn’t interfere with any other medical equipment in the home. For assistance the user has to activate the pendant by pressing the button, from there an alarm is sent to the monitoring centre, they will then talk to your elderly parent through the monitoring base unit’s loudspeaker. The monitoring centre will then try and arrange for a family member, friend, neighbour or emergency services to respond to your elderly parent. For more information on personal alarms for the elderly check out the website.
Price Range: £12.99 monthly – £119 annually.
3. Telecare 24
Telecare 24 is a leading care line service specialising in personal alarms for the elderly. To help your elderly parent stay safe at home, Telecare 24 offer a range of waterproof, wireless personal alarms connecting through to a control centre that provide immediate support to your elderly parent. It’s easy to use and all your elderly parent has to do in their moment of stress is press the button on the pendant. Taking them straight through to the care team who will contact the emergency services or family and friends. Other products to help support elderly people in the home are sensor alarms detecting a range of things such as smoke, carbon monoxide, temperature extremes, bogus caller alerts, floods, PIR, epilepsy, falls and pull cords. Telecare 24 is dedicated to supporting your loved ones, thinking about their well-being and installing only the most technically advanced and reliable care alarms. For more information and payment plans check out the website.
Price Range: £13.99 monthly – £120 annually.
4. Saga
https://www.saga.co.uk/sos-personal-alarm
Saga aims to reassure you that they will be there for you and your elderly parent regardless of how big or small their issue is. Being on call 24/7, providing personal care alarms for the elderly, offering instant support and help when they need it and ensuring that your elderly parent feels safe in the home. Saga SOS alarms, is a subscription service providing alarms for all elderly people. The personal alarm pendant is a wristband or necklace that can be worn by your elderly parent, which has a panic button and alarm system set up to instantly connect them to Saga’s response team who will then contact a family member. The FAQ page is well worth checking out if you’re still worried. For more information on price packages check out the website. And if you’re still worrying their are additional products to add on to your personal alarm including key safes, smoke detector and intruder movement detector, plus many more.
Price Range: £15.95 to £19.14 monthly
5. Helpline
Helpline has been around for a long time and have an outstanding reputation for their response to care calls and great customer service. The safety of your elderly parent is their priority and they are determined to help keep them safe at all times. If your worried about your elderly parent being home alone and falling ill then may be Helpline’s products can help settle your worries. Helpline offers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week care line offering a range of products and personal alarms for the elderly including single and double pendant and base systems for not just one elderly parent but two! The pendants can help when your elderly parent is feeling ill, has a fall or requires immediate assistance. Statistics suggest that one in two people over the age of 75 will suffer a fall each year. Helpline are trying to give elderly people their independence back in the home and give immediate assistance after a fall.
Price Range: from £99 to £189 one off.
6. Monitor Go
Monitor Go offers a new and enhanced way for your elderly parent to stay safe not only in the home but the community too. Monitor Go offer a personal alarm system through a mobile phone device. Allowing your elderly parent to not only go in to the garden but anywhere they want as long as they are carrying the mobile phone with them they are safe. This is a great product for elderly parents who are still physically active in the home and community. Giving them additional protection and supporting their independence. The mobile phone device costs £199 plus a monthly fee of £30. Providing a network signal and access to a 24 hours a day helpline. For more information on personal alarms for the elderly and pricing check out the website.
Price Range: £199 + £30 monthly.
7. One Touch
https://keysafe.co.uk/one-touch-personal-alarm.html
One Touch is so much more than just a personal alarm for the elderly. It’s a smart lanyard mounted device that allows your loved ones to continue living independently in their own home and beyond. Because the device operates via the GSM and GPS networks, it works throughout 28 European countries, giving your loved ones the freedom to continue living their life without restrictions, whilst providing peace of mind for both you and them.
Locate the wearer via a unique website. Accessible from a PC, tablet or mobile phone
– Calls up to three friends or family members at the same time
– Pressing the button enables a two-way conversation through the device
– Set up safe zones. Contacts are alerted if the wearer wanders.
- Lightweight and tactile
- Water and dust resistant to IP54, meaning that it is protected from dust and rain in everyday use
- Calls multiple people at the same time with one press of the button
- If pressed, the user will activate a two-way, clear and auditable conversation with the responder
- Comes with a quick release, anti-ligature cord to ensure the wearer is not injured by the device in the event of a fall
- Charged via a handy cradle approximately every 3 days if not activated
- Fully recharged in 2 to 4 hours
- Device sends an email to the responders should the device battery be low
- Available in a choice of 4 colours
- Can be used in 28 European countries
- Tracks co-ordinates that can be sent to emergency services
- Satellite map displays buildings and landmarks
- For battery life, the device uploads its location for 20 minutes. Using the back end software or SOS button, this is temporarily to every 60 seconds, so that you can effectively track wandering loved ones.
- AgeUK
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/products/independent-living/personal-alarm
A personal alarm for the elderly gives users the freedom to live independently in their own home. With the touch of a button worn around the wrist or neck, the user can call the 24-hour emergency response centre for help should they have an accident when alone.
At the touch of a button friends or family can be alerted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering peace of mind and reassurance.
- Order online and Self – Connect. Pay a one-off initial cost (£69), and then an ongoing fee (£3.64 per week) charged quarterly, which covers the 24 hour monitoring service, plus on-site maintenance service†.
- Quick and easy to install.
- Simply press the button on your lightweight pendant or wristband to connect to the emergency response centre – no numbers to remember.
- Your call will be answered in seconds – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- The PPP Taking Care operator will automatically know who and where you are, and whether to inform your chosen contacts or the emergency services.
- Works in the home and garden, typically up to 150m.
- Costs are £69 Initial one off charge and then £47.31 per quarter
BUDDI
http://www.buddi.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4Kn3zveV4AIVCp3tCh2zUgcwEAAYAiAAEgLE8PD_BwE
Buddi is an innovative, high-growth, British technology company, which was founded in 2005 by entrepreneur Sara Murray OBE.
They began by developing state-of-the-art, proprietary mobile technologies for locating vulnerable individuals. Today, Buddi provides technologies to support service users across more than 80% of UK local authorities, as well as to Government customers around the world.
As people’s needs change, Buddi uses developments in technology to create new and improved products and services to meet those needs.
Buddi Connec- is a sleek wristband with an advanced fall alert system, which puts the user back in charge. It can be tailored to individual activity and enables the user to create and cancel alerts, or just buzz connections for fun.
They believe that this new technology, when combined with a smartphone, will have a significant impact on enabling healthier, happier and more connected lives.
The company are proud to design and assemble all our products in the UK, using their own team of highly skilled engineers.
Wearing your buddi 24 hours a day keeps you and the people you care about in touch.
Your wristband has alert buttons, a fall sensor, and works with your smart phone through a secure, personalised app where you select the people who you’d like to connect with.
If you press the alert buttons for help, or if the system detects that you may have fallen, a message is immediately sent to the people you care about (the connections you’ve chosen). Your wristband and phone also notify you that an alert has been raised, which you can easily cancel if you decide it was not necessary.
Your buddi adapts to your lifestyle. It has a rechargeable battery that lasts weeks, and it is designed to be worn day and night, so you can even use it in the bath or shower.
You can adjust the sensitivity of the fall sensor, keeping you in control and enabling you to be as active as you want to be.
If you are concerned that your connections may not be available in case of emergency, you can opt to sign up for the buddi 24 hour-a-day service, connecting you to a professional team who can help provide immediate support if required.
If you are not a regular smart phone user, buddi has a smart ‘clip’ that replaces the need for a phone.
If you need assistance, once the alert is sent, the buddi app or clip can be used to find information about your location.
Set Up
How do I set up my buddi?
Once your buddi wristband arrives, place it on charge using the charger provided. The LED will then glow green.
Connect: Download the Buddi Connect app from the App Store or Google Play. If you’ve purchased the buddi yourself or for a family member, your buddi needs to be registered and activated by following the instructions to pair the wristband with the app. Any connections must ensure they download the app also. We recommend you test the device once this is complete by pressing the panic buttons on the wristband once and confirming all connections receive a notification.
A full user guide can be found under the ‘Help’ option within the Connect app
Clip: The Buddi Clip should also be placed on charge using the charger provided. The LED will then glow green. You can then test that it is working by pressing both panic buttons once and waiting to ensure it dials through to our emergency support staff. If you’ve purchased the buddi yourself or for a family member, your buddi needs to be registered and activated on the Online Customer Portal, using the start-up wizard accessed at www.buddi.co.uk/login.
Alternatively, call our Customer Care Team on 0800 978 8800 and they will be happy to help with the setup of the buddi.
I don’t have access to the internet, does that matter?
Connect: If you are using your Buddi Wristband with the Buddi Connect app you will require a smartphone with internet access. If this is not possible for both the wearer and all their connections, then the Buddi Clip may be a more suitable alternative.
Clip: The features and alerts for your Buddi Clip can be set up via the Online Customer Portal and our Customer Care Team are on hand over the phone to help out if your need them. The buddi wearer doesn’t need access to the internet, but it may be useful if another family member does.
Prices are £99 for the wristband and then either £3.99 per week or £1.99 depending on the package chosen.
Suresafe Personal alarm
Lifeline Personal alarm