The MobileHelp Blog

No Age Limit on Emergencies by Stephanie Martin – MobileHelp Support Specialist

We are active for much longer these days. With the improvements in modern medicine and increased elder care, people should be able to enjoy their lives to the fullest potential as long as they possibly can. Age is, after all, just a number.

I spoke to one customer, a 93 year old woman, who wanted to hurry her way through the activation process for her new MobileHelp (www.MobileHelpNow.com) medical alert system because she was late for her poker game. She told me that the only reason that she even got this “newfangled thing” was because her 70-year-old son talked her into it. She was, in her own eyes, much too young for such a thing. In addition to playing poker, she drives, plays golf, goes out for walks, and loves to shop. She thinks that because she is so active, she doesn’t need a medical alarm system of any kind because that’s “for old people”.

This lovely and vibrant lady was shocked to hear that we have customers in their 30’s and 40’s who live alone and just enjoy the peace of mind that a medical alert system brings. There is no age limit on emergencies, and who knows what could happen just stepping into the shower or getting out of bed to use the restroom in the middle of the night? The reality is that a telephone is not always within reach.

I often talk to people who don’t want anyone to know that they have a medical alarm system. They ask for advice on how to hide it. I can give them a few tips, such as wearing the pendant on a long and pretty chain so they can keep the device tucked into their blouse, or getting a new leather watch band placed on the wrist button, but why should we be embarrassed by a medical alert system? Most of our employees wear their Mobile Device with pride, clipped onto their belt or pocket. Why should caring so much about ourselves, that we want to stay safe, be anything other than celebrated?

People often say that they have a cell phone “for emergencies only” but then when they need to use it, they need to find it, make sure it’s charged up, turn it on, and figure out which phone number to call. Other than the obvious questions – will 911 know who you are? Will they know how to find you? Will they have any idea what your medical conditions are? – there are the more important questions – How do you know your cell phone will be within reach when you’re having an emergency? If you are able to reach your cell phone and dial 911 and are unable to speak because you have passed out or you are in pain, what will happen? With MobileHelp (www.MobileHelpNow.com), if you press your button and are unable to communicate, we will be able to dispatch help. We will contact you on your MobileHelp device and if you are unable to answer, since we have all of your information on file, we have the ability to assume that there is an emergency and based on GPS and cellular technology, dispatch help to wherever you are, even if you’re on vacation, playing sports, shopping, fishing, exercising, or going for a walk. It doesn’t matter if you’re 39 years old or 93 years old – you won’t need to lay on the floor wondering if 911 will be able to figure out who you are and where to send help.

There is no age limit on the desire for safety and security. We need not be self conscious about wanting to keep ourselves happy and healthy for as long as possible. A mobile medical alert system like MobileHelp (www.MobileHelpNow.com) allows us to stay safe in our own homes and beyond. It provides greater independence for seniors (and everyone else!) and keeps us vital and active. Moments matter. Getting help quickly in an emergency can mean the difference between quick medical attention and complete recovery, or taking too long to get medical attention with tragic results.

MobileHelp utilizes cellular and GPS technology when you are away from the home to provide you assistance nationwide.   If you or a loved one wants to be prepared for an unexpected emergency in the home and away from the home, give Mobile Help a try.  MobileHelp www.MobileHelpNow.com offers a 30 day risk free trial so you have nothing to lose and independence to maintain.

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WHY MOBILITY ENABLES AGING IN PLACE

by Laurie Orlov

Older adults seek “Independent Living” and aging in place. We like it where we are, thank you very much. Let’s face it — nobody wants to move from a home they enjoy, from familiar surroundings and long-time memories.  Studies reinforce what families and older adults already know:

• AARP and Pew survey responders prefer aging in place. Depending on the survey, 75% or more of older adults want to remain in their own homes, for example, as cited in AARP’s “Home and Community Preferences report.”[1] And the Pew Research survey “Growing Old in America” reinforces the same message – in fact 67% of seniors aged 65+ live in homes they own.[2]
• Harvard housing study 2011 – staying home. The majority of baby boomers live in their own home and according to a recent Harvard study are likely to age in place since most people do not relocate in the years leading up to or after retirement.[3]
• Living longer and living alone.  There are 5 million seniors aged 85+ in the United States. Today, women who reach the age of 85 are likely to live another 6-8 years, men another 5-7.[4]  This year, the largest number ever reached the ages of 90 and older. Of today’s 39 million adults aged 65+, 10 million of them live alone and according to the US Census Bureau, the likelihood of living alone increases with age.[5]

But older adults can be at risk as they age

With such an unprecedented population of seniors, especially those living alone, it is no wonder that their health risks grow right along with the growing population. According to the CDC, one out of three adults aged 65+ falls each year, but fewer than half talk to their doctor about it.[6]  Yet falls are the leading cause of death and the most common cause of non-fatal injury. The risks are numerous and the impact to well being can be disastrous:

• Risk of falls in/near the home. Forty-four percent of all falls among seniors occur as a result of environmental hazards in and around the home, including tripping on throw rugs and lighting cords, slipping in tubs and on floors, inadequate lighting, or slipping on icy walkways.[7] 
• Risk of falls outside the home. Fifty-six percent of falls of older adults occur outside the home, according to a report, The Global Epidemiology of Falls from the World Health Organization.[8]  Furthermore, following an initial fall, older adults become fearful of falling again – and may curtail needed walking and exercise as a result.
• Outcomes from falls. For seniors suffering from the thinning bones of osteoporosis, a fall that results in breaking a hip, in particular, recovery is arduous – and too often is incomplete.  Adults age 70+ are three times as likely to die from ground-level falls, that is, falling from a standing position, as younger adults, according to a study from the University of Rochester.[9]

Keeping older adults out and about – mobility matters

Along with greater life expectancy come greater expectations. The growing population of 70+ and beyond want to be out and about – keeping up the activities they always have enjoyed, but not causing worry to their families, caregivers and friends about their safety.  In fact, studies show that:

• Seniors are still driving.  Eighty percent of the 65+ demographic still drives – which helps keep them up and out of the house – and they are less prone to fatal accidents than younger cohorts.[10] In fact, there is no legal age specified as to when seniors should stop driving – and the fact that they leave the area of their home, enables social interaction and contact with the outside world that the homebound elderly don’t enjoy.
• Caregivers need reassurance. But family caregivers worry about older family members – and wish that they could be reassured that they are safe both at home and when they are out and about.  In fact, a recent study by the
  National Alliance for Caregiving found that caregivers are interested in technology that could help care recipients remain safe – including medication support technologies and passive monitoring systems.[11]
• PERS and monitoring work, but only near home. But passive home activity monitoring and traditional PERS technologies, while useful for the homebound, actually effectively tether older adults to the area where sensors are placed or for Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) enabling an alert up to a maximum of several hundred feet through open air – that is, no cement walls in between — from technology base stations placed in their homes.
  Beyond these distance limitations, typically identified by manufacturers, pressing the button on a pendant or watch will produce a signal that cannot reach the base station. Going out for even a short walk will place those most at risk of falling outside of the sensing range of activity monitors.

MobileHelp services help seniors stay safe, reassures families

Tracking capabilities of technology have been greatly enhanced by the introduction of GPS and cellular technologies – as witnessed by our growing dependency on using them to navigate, communicate with family and friends, and even find services and restaurants.  MobileHelp, launched in 2009, is a wireless and cellular PERS company, unique in that it offers:

• Tracking via GPS and cellular. The product uses the AT&T cellular voice and data network to enable those carrying the device, according to the company, to make contact with the response center from  ‘97% of locations in the United States.” Using its GPS satellite tracking technology, the response center can pinpoint the location of the device on a map, speak to the device owner or a companion, and initiate an appropriate response.
• Alerting of responders and families. Based on an agreed to set of responders, that can include family members or caregivers, the response center identifies the location of the device and dispatches the nearest available emergency
  responders to the mapped location of the individual who pressed the button on the device.
• Visual mapping of whereabouts via device tracking. Even in the circumstances where there is no emergency, the device can be tracked to its specific location – acting as reassurance to family and caregiver that the whereabouts of an individual are known. 
• Two-way voice inside and out to connect user with responder. When individuals sign up for the MobileHelp service, their medication and drug allergy information is stored so that response center staff can notify emergency medical personnel when the individual is not able to do so directly.
• Certification of good business practices, safety and reliability.  The mPERS (Mobile Personal Emergency Response) market is relatively new and consumer confidence in the products can depend on an understanding of the rigor of certifications against widely accepted standards. MobileHelp has a global IS09001 certification for its manufacturing process, carrier certifications from AT&T, FCC Part 15 certification of non-interferene, and PTRCB certification of network reliability and radiation emissions – in addition to UL 1635 and 1637, the standards for Medical Alert Systems.

Scenario One:  Close to home – Alone in the driveway with a small child

Date of Incident: 11/14/2011 

State:  Florida

System:  Solo[12]

Flag – Button

Mobile button was pressed.

Concern

Customer fell when trying to exit parked vehicle in driveway. The customer was able to press the mobile button and call for assistance. She informed the operator that she also had a small child with her.

Outcome

Operator contacted fire department to assist customer, and a friend was also notified and able to help her before the fire department arrived.

 Map

Scenario Two:   Away from home – in church parking lot

Date of Incident: 9/14/2011 

State:  Michigan

System:  Duo[13]

Flag – Button

Mobile button was pressed.

Concern

Customer fell in the parking lot of his church, between two cars, and used his mobile device to call for help. He had lost his glasses and his left eyebrow was bleeding. He was able to describe his surroundings, and had help from a person
who passed by and stayed with him until paramedics arrived.

Outcome

Operator contacted the paramedics, and later notified caregivers of the incident.

Map

Scenario Three:  Inside the home – Dual alarm multiple signals received

Date of Incident: 12/19/2011

State:  Maryland

System Duo[14]

Flag – Button

Customer pressed the emergency pendant. Alarm came from both mobile device and Base.

Concern

Customer fell in the kitchen and was not able to get up. She pushed her emergency pendant and was able to speak to the operator to request assistance.

Outcome

The operator contacted the fire department and the customer’s emergency contact who had the keys to her home. The fire department was able to enter the home and assist the customer.

Map

Conclusion

Older adults want to remain independent, age in their own homes, and they also want and need to feel safe and secure when they are away from the home. Traditional pendants restrict them to a specific distance from the home, while MobileHelp enables them to travel where they want to go, secure in the knowledge that an expert service organization is available to them at the press of a button, offering a visual map to responders of where they are, enabling a two-way conversation, and alerting of the right individuals at just the right time.

Footnotes

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Redefining safety for seniors

Food, shelter and water have been the foundation for life since the time of man.  In modern life, these truths still hold true.  With the advent of science and technology, the basics for life now include health and safety.

Medical Alarm Systems

For the last 30 years many seniors have relied upon a small wireless button and a two-way voice box using a telephone line to summon help inside their homes.  This technology is called a Medical Alert System or a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS).  A very solid option for people who do not leave their home, the obvious limitation is the range of the help button.

Outside of their home, people have relied upon the kindness of strangers if they were alone, a partner if they were with someone else; or in the last decade a cellular phone.   Though cellular phones are a very convenient technology, where they lose value and usefulness as a tool is in an emergency situation.  Cell phones are not ideal in an emergency situation due to three limitations.

1. Phones are multi step processes, meaning you may have to turn the phone on, maybe flip it open, get it into call mode and dial 911.

2. 911 dispatchers do not know where you are located.  Some 911 facilities are equipped to locate an individual using triangulation, where your cell phone signal is measured between 3 cell towers and they have an idea of where you are in a general area within a ¼ to 1 mile radius.  In dense population areas there may be a lot of people or streets in that radius making it difficult if not impossible to find you.  Also, they don’t know who they are looking for.

3. You have to be able to communicate who you are and what your problem is in-order to get the appropriate help.  Many medical emergencies such as a heart attack or stroke, restricts your ability to speak.  Not being able to communicate severely handicaps your ability to get the proper medical attention in a timely manner or even at all.   As you know, the time between some of these medical emergencies and the time you receive help determines your likelihood of your recovery and quality of life after the emergency.

Mobile Medical Alarm System

Through innovation and technology, MobileHelp, located at www.mobilehelpnow.com,  has taken the latest technologies and combined them, addressed the limitations of medical alert systems and cell phones, and created a system that has redefined safety for seniors.  By taking a traditional medical alert system, integrating it with a two-way voice GSM/GPS mobile device, MobileHelp has developed a comprehensive system that is ideal in both the home and outside.  The MobileHelp system goes way beyond the hardware components that seniors see in their home today.

MobileHelp’s medical-alert-system utilizes cellular and GPS technology so you are not only protected in the home but you are also protected away from home, whether you are visiting a friend, in your car, at the mall, across town or across the country.  www.MobileHelpNow.com.

If you or a loved one wants to be prepared for an unexpected emergency in the home and away from the home, give Mobile Help a try. MobileHelp has no contracts to sign and offers a 30 day risk free trial so you have nothing to lose and independence to maintain.

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Are you relying on a cell phone for emergencies? According to CNN, by calling 911 with a cell phone you may be putting yourself and loved ones at risk. Cell phones are not ideal in an emergency situation.

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-08/tech/emergency.numbers_1_cell-phone-wireless-carriers-psap?_s=PM:TECH

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The Problem

What is the problem with medical alert commercials?  In my opinion, nobody wants to be, nobody  wants to admit to being that person on the floor, that person who doesn’t have  the ability to stand up.  Unfortunately,  medical alarm commercials for the past few decades continue with the same theme, a person on the floor who has fallen and is unable to get up.  This has created a negative stigma which has  seniors saying, “I don’t need that.”

The results of this advertising approach… a low percentage (approximately 8%) of seniors use a medical alarm system.  Of the 8% who have a medical alarm system, I wonder how many of them purchased a medical alert system only after having a medical emergency.  Even worse, how many people never had the chance to purchase a medical alarm system after their medical emergency?

The Solution

Commercials and marketing campaigns that promote “preparedness.”  If you were ever part of the scouts, you  learned to always be “prepared.”  Why  should that change during the senior years?  It should be prevalent now more than ever.

Why do cruise ships have life boats?  Why do drivers and passengers wear seat belts?  Why do we have insurance?  To be prepared for the unexpected.

I believe commercials that promote preparedness will stop the stigma of being that person on the floor screaming for help and create a new  perception of being prepared for the unexpected – a perception of personal accountability.

Medical Alert System

One reason 92% of seniors may not have a medical alert system is that they are active and traditional medical alarms only protect you when you are in your home.  Unless you are homebound, why would you spend money on something that only works sometimes?

Fortunately, there is a new medical-alert-system in the market that not only protects you in the home but also protects you away from home, whether you are visiting a friend, in your car, at the mall, across town or across the country.  That solution is called MobileHelp, www.MobileHelpNow.com.

MobileHelp utilizes cellular and GPS technology when you are away from the home to provide you assistance nationwide on the AT&T network.

If you or a loved one wants to be prepared for an unexpected emergency in the home and away from the home, give Mobile Help a try. MobileHelp www.MobileHelpNow.com offers a 30 day risk free trial so you have nothing to lose.

The Reality

Our quality of life and our ability to remain independent is based upon our preparedness for the unexpected.  If we are fortunate enough to have a second chance after a medical emergency, how quickly we get help can mean the difference between continuing to live an independent life or becoming dependent upon others.

Final Thought

Most of our adult life we have been teaching our children to be prepared for life’s events.

Teaching our children shouldn’t stop because we are seniors.  Our words and more importantly our actions will teach our adult children and grandchildren that being an independent senior is not about the image of the woman on the floor but about the woman confidently headed out the door with her mobile medical alert system.

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