OT: Help With Older Mother

Look at the pendant with 1 button that activates a dialer. If mom falls real good she may not be able to activate a cell phone...my mom has trouble with a cell phone on her best days. I feel for you and it's not going to get better. Take each day in turn, look at the good things and don't have any expectations.

I know I'm in the wrong country here in UK but we had just what you are describing for my Grandmother and it was literally a life saver. Ours came from our social services so they are available. Obviously I can't help you locate one in US but try any bodies who work with the elderly. Hospitals, charities, social services, invalid suppliers,etc As Randy says, go for a one button device. If an elderly person falls they get confused and may not be capable of clear thought. This is a difficult time for you all but there is much equipment that is available to help your Mother. Try to get into the subject and you will discover a world of invalid aids for the elderly. Good luck.

John One other thought. Try a wheel chair supplier as well.

A shower is tough on a cell phone. I don't know if your mom is disabled or elderly so the following may not apply. Try your local Social Services office, inquire about Home and Community Based Services, HCBS. She may qualify for free Lifeline and may even get a personal assistant.

The following may be more than you wanted to know but...

I have not been following the MICASA bill in congress but it allowed for those disabled to choose where the funds go nation wide rather than each state have its own rules. You can go into a nursing home and get a $30 per month stipend for yourself, or, you stay at home and the $20,000 - $50,000 per year the gov gave to the nursing home for your care can now be used by YOU for your home care, personal assistants, Night Support, bus passes, Lifeline, Meals On Wheels, adaptive equipment, etc.

Unless your mom is rich, she qualifies for something, use it.

C

Since she is at home, you can give her a cordless phone that is small. Or, even a cell phone. A cell phone will work anywhere she is, as long as there is cell service in you area. Cell phones are very easy to program speed dialling. It is possible to program the phone to have a very simple speed dial.

For example with most Motorola and other makes of phones, if you hold down a speed dial key for about 3 seconds, it will dial the pre-programmed number that you put in. The first 9 digits of the keypad are programmable. Number

1 is reserved for messages on many models, so you have from 2 to 9. Some makes and models of phones reserve the number 1 for the 911 service. The user just has to press and hold the number 1 key for about 3 seconds, and the phone is connected.

Cell phones generally have greater flexibility than the lower cost cordless phones. The cordless phones will generally be a bit more complicated to use for speed dialling, depending on the model. You should shop around. Stay with the known brand names. With a cell phone there will be a monthly fee, and a minute charge when used, depending on the carrier service in your area.

If you're on a tight budget you could get an old cellphone, they work to dial 911 even without service.

Check out a Personal Assistance Voice Dialer from X-10 Products. We have two of them. No fees. You can call friends or family. They also have other dialers. Look at

for more information. Al

You can make such a system yourself fairly inexpensively with Ademco components readily available on Ebay. Get a Vista 15 alarm panel, a 5881 RF receiver, and the pocket or panic transmitter. You connect the system via your home phone line, and the alarm service can dispatch help.

The range would be limited, but it should work for some distance outside the house too.

It's easy to program the panel to send a pager message, so you can notify yourself via your cell phone as well.

We tried one of the personel alarm systems with my mother. Getting her to wear it was a major problem. We would go in and find it hanging on the lamp, under a cushion or in a kleenix box. We really wanted to put her in an assisted living facility, but she insisted on her independence.

She finally had a stroke and is now in a nursing home in Camden, Maine. We found her at home sitting in a chair, half undressed, the thermostat pushed up all the way and really dehydrated. She really wants to go home now, but it will never happen. Pretty tough on everyone in the family, but she is being taken good care of now thanks to her financial advisor who persuaded her to take out long term care insurance 10 years ago. It cost big bucks at her age, but it is sure worth it now. My wife and I signed up for a (cheaper) plan this morning. Getting it early makes it a lot easier to pay for.

Earle Rich Mont Vernon, NH

Kevin

My Mom wears a monitored emergency signal drevice around her neck. It costs about equivalent US$7.50 per week I think & works well. The outfit monitoring her distress call have a series of family contacts to call but if they can not get a anawer when they call mom back the ambulance service is notified. Seems simple & it works here in New Zealand, can't believe somthing very similar is not available eleswhere. Alternative ideas: Two way miniaturised VHF radio, Mom has one around neck or attached belt, friendly neighbour has the other, imperfect but better than nothing. Garage door opener device modified to sound an external home alarm to alert the neighbours who check or call emergency services if necessary. Not high tech but involves the community which is sound practice. Other options get progressively more expensive & risk prone, hope this helps. Pete

Thank You Al, I purchased one of the products you described. Mom is in good health, we are concerned about her falling again. We don't feel the need for a monitoring company at this point. Your idea was a great inexpensive answer. Thank you, Kevin

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