Using technology for the elderly to call for help

[Boudicca]

I have an elderly friend who I adopted during Covid when I was volunteering for the Red Cross. She is 87, an ex-midwife, Scottish, of sound mind but cannot use the internet. She is proud and generally not good at asking for help. She has a smartphone and uses Whatsapp to keep in touch with her sons in France and Thailand but doesn't really have friends locally.

Recently she has fallen a couple of times; the last time was quite bad and she was in hospital for 24 hours. She has stairs in her house and struggles to get up and down them. It's ony a matter of time before she falls, can't get up and can't call for help. A while back she did have one of those careline alarms but set it off accidentally and so sent it back. I think she is ready to get one again but it's £20-35 per month and I think there ought to be some technolgy that could help.

I've thought about a smart watch. but the one I bought for myself keeps losing the connection with the phone and the menus are confusing.

I've also thought about Alexa, but I've only ever asked mine to play radio 4, so I don't know if you can ask it to make calls.

Has anyone managed to put some kind of technology system in place which can be used to call for help?

 

[kalmatthew]

Honestly I can think of loads of systems that might help on this situation but I'd never implement any of them. Go with the careline because ultimately life critical systems cost a lot becuase they have to work. If cost is an issue then their should be some deal with social services. Ultimately if you have to implement something yourself alexa is probably the easiest or just a doro phone in the pocket with an emergency button on the othside.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Would carrying a mobile phone be enough?

Mum-tat carries her mobile phone with her pretty much at all times. At the moment, we think that's as good as having some sort of separate alarm thing

 

[sim667]

Go with the Careline. Get her a key safe too.

 

[xenon]

Yep. Care alarm. With a pendant. It costs. But you don’t want to rely on smart speakers and all that. Make sure it’s compatible when they switch the analog line off. Some are. Ultimately this is why you pay for this stuff. Using Alexa what not is all well and good, but if the Wi-Fi is off. If the mobile phone isn’t charged et cetera et cetera.

 

[xenon]

Oh yes plus the key safe. So social services can get in. I get why she might be reluctant for this. But don’t put your faith in regular smart speakers smart phones if it’s an emergency and you need help and can’t move. A button to press and the proper people turn up and let themselvesin is worth paying for if needed..

 

[Boudicca]

Thank you urbs.

It's her that has said the careline is expensive not me - I'm hoping she will go back to it. I've phoned the local service and they are sending her some paperwork.

She does already have a key safe.

Carrying a phone around with you is easier for men that women, as men have pockets. I was thinking about getting her one of those travel wallets you wear around your waist. How does Mum-tat manage Puddy_Tat ?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Carrying a phone around with you is easier for men that women, as men have pockets. I was thinking about getting her one of those travel wallets you wear around your waist. How does Mum-tat manage @Puddy_Tat ?

mum-tat only has a non-smart phone, so it's not that big, and phone is in some sort of knitted phone cosy and worn round her neck. that might be more difficult / uncomfortable with a heavier smart phone.

 

[skyscraper101]

Is a stair lift an option if she has trouble with the stairs?

You can ask Alexa to make calls btw. If she has an Internet connection for that then I’d consider it if she’s of sound enough mind to know how to use it. I think it’s as easy as saying ‘Alexa call XXXX’ when it’s all rigged up.

There also the option of having a wifi camera system. Maybe in strategic places to make sure you get a balance of privacy and safety. Again I’m not sure if she even has wifi but it’s definitely an option - we used to have a Neatatmo wifi indoor camera at my grandads place and it was useful for seeing him potter around. Even caught a burgler once!

An Echo show might solve both these issues.

 

[felixthecat]

Mum had a wrist worn falls alarm

Lifeline Fall Detector Alarm Monthly Plan VAT EX

Shop for the Lifeline Fall Detector. The detector automatically alerts our 24/7 Response Team when you have a fall, getting you help faster. Find out more now.

www.lifeconnect24.co.uk

Yes it's not cheap but by god it's peace of mind. Mum has set it off accidentally by knocking it . They call if it's running on the emergency battery - as it did when mum accidentally unplugged it

It doesn't work off the phone line but off a sim which connects to whatever mobile service has the best signal. Works off mains power but has I said previously it has an inbuilt back up battery.

 

[xenon]

Alexa is useful for making calls. But unless she already has a smart phone, you will have to set up the echo devices using the app on one, then allow it access to the contacts to call named individuals. Otherwise you have to speak the entire number.

Also not reliable enough. E.g. if you have a fall in the bathroom, out of mic range, unable to speak clearly to make a voice call.

 

[felixthecat]

Carrying a phone around with you is easier for men that women, as men have pockets. I was thinking about getting her one of those travel wallets you wear around your waist. How does Mum-tat manage Puddy_Tat ?

Mum has a bumbag to put all her various bits and pieces in. She also has a basket on her walker which supports a little tray so she can carry a cup of tea etc

 

[felixthecat]

I wouldn't want to rely on Alexa tbh

 

[SpookyFrank]

There are falls alarms for this very purpose, they've been around for a lot longer than smartphones.

The modern ones can be set to alert various emergency contacts. There'll either be a big friendly button someone can push if they need help or an gizmo that senses falls and alerts people automatically.

 

[felixthecat]

There are falls alarms for this very purpose, they've been around for a lot longer than smartphones.

The modern ones can be set to alert various emergency contacts. There'll either be a big friendly button someone can push if they need help or an gizmo that senses falls and alerts people automatically.

That's what my mum's is like. It is monitored by a central helpline which has the contact detail of myself, my sister and a couple of friends who live close to her and if they are unable to contact any of us they will call the emergency services directly.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

just a thought - are there any adaptations to her home that might help?

local social services may be able to advise, although there can be resistance to getting social services involved.

alternatively, age uk (and there may be local independent things) can offer advice - their information line is open to friends / family / carers as well

moving to somewhere smaller / without stairs could in theory be a good idea a while ago, but she may be resistant to that now. (i think mum-tat probably should have done maybe 10 years ago, but she won't contemplate moving now)

 

[spudulike]

Our house mobile has an assistance button on the back of the phone keeps texting/calling a list of contacts until someone answers

Doro

 

[felixthecat]

The hospital should have made sure she had any necessary equipment before she left after a fall. Mum had an OT assessment and subsequently has a perching stool for both kitchen and bathroom, toilet frames, walkers ( which she doesn't use as we bought her a wheelie one which she deigns to use) a commode and a thing to help her get in and out of bed. Local GP should have a care coordinator and an OT service

 

[felixthecat]

Btw way mum is 89 and has was fully independent living alone in a 2 storey house prior to her fall a couple of months ago, so all of this is pretty up to date info.

 

[lazythursday]

Careline isn't the only option, there are about five companies operating in this space with a range of tariffs according to what is needed (eg a pendant that allows you to call for help is cheaper than one that also has falls detection built in). I think my dad had the age UK one. Some advice in this which article:

How to buy the best personal alarm - Which?

Find the best personal alarm for you or a loved one. Our guide covers everything from the best service providers to how much to spend, plus the top features to look out for

www.which.co.uk

 

[A380]

Check with her local authority. Ours had some funding for non-means tested assistive technology. In laws got given a central station monitoring device, with emergency pendants, fall watches and smoke detectors all connected, we assumed they’d have to pay because of their savings but they didn’t.

 

[Boudicca]

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

She has an OH woman coming round on Monday. She absolutely does need a stairlift skyscraper101 , I've asked her to ask about it, let's hope she does. I said a new one would cost around £2k and she said 'oh no, I couldn't afford that'. (Her sister died last year childless and intestate so yes, she bloody can, as long as her son, who is handling the sale of her sisters house, isn't ripping her off. I don't think he is, but it's difficult to tell).

I hear what you are all saying about the careline thingy, but she's an obstinate soul and it's a very fine line I have to tread. She had a real go at me a couple of months ago for 'treating her like a child'. But since her fall, she is more receptive to the idea. Lifeline is the company I spoke to yesterday felixthecat , it's £4.70 a week or £7.98 if you want them to come round and pick you up off the floor rather than just call friends/family/emergency services. Again hopefully OH will get her to sign up again.

She does have a smartphone and if you can ask Alexa to call someone, then I think it would be better than nothing. I will practice on mine first. Echo Show looks interesting.

 

[Silas Loom]

£2k may be right for a reconditioned stairlift if she has a straight flight of stairs, but they get a lot more expensive if there are any turns.

 

[Boudicca]

£2k may be right for a reconditioned stairlift if she has a straight flight of stairs, but they get a lot more expensive if there are any turns.

It's a straight flight. I've seen ads for £495 reconditioned and installed but possibly a bit dodgy. I suspect a lot of these don't get used much as they probably don't get installed until the owners are are on their last legs (bad joke, sorry).

 

[Thora]

I'd at least get Alexa as a back up - you can shout at it to make a call for you, and also you can call it. I use it with my children quite a lot, for example they can tell it to 'call grandma', or if I have gone out and no one is answering the phone I can use the drop-in function to hear what is going on in various rooms and talk to them through it.

 

[Boudicca]

I'd at least get Alexa as a back up - you can shout at it to make a call for you, and also you can call it. I use it with my children quite a lot, for example they can tell it to 'call grandma', or if I have gone out and no one is answering the phone I can use the drop-in function to hear what is going on in various rooms and talk to them through it.

Drop in function?

Hopefully that is only from within the house and not thousands of miles away? (Unplugs the Alexa).

 

[quimcunx]

Agree with Careline or the fall sensor. It's what it's for. Alexa etc aren't much good if you're not in earshot, not speaking clearly etc. My dad's doro had the wrong location one time.

 

[oryx]

When they were alive my M & D had a care alarm. The people who responded were very used to false alarms and I got the impression they were relieved rather than annoyed whenever they got one.

They are only as good as the user, as well as the responders. No good regularly forgetting to wear it. (If I had a medium handy I'd be looking at you, Ma Oryx!).

 

[nogojones]

Honestly I can think of loads of systems that might help on this situation but I'd never implement any of them. Go with the careline because ultimately life critical systems cost a lot becuase they have to work. If cost is an issue then their should be some deal with social services. Ultimately if you have to implement something yourself alexa is probably the easiest or just a doro phone in the pocket with an emergency button on the othside.

Them doro phones seem good. I got one for an elderly relative, but he never got his head round that button, so I'd often get calls when he was just checking for messages or whatever

 

[jontz01]

100% for careline and keysafe combo. My nan's had one for the past 10 years. She falls occasionally and can't get back up (she's 100 now, bless her). When the button is pressed it cycles through a list of people to call, if there's no response a paramedic team show up and let themselves in. She hates it (super stubborn and independant) but completely agrees that it's important and wears it 24/7