An introduction to Personal Medical Alarms

As we age, while we remain young at heart, our health might not be quite the same as it was a few years ago. Finding ways to remain independent and in control is essential not just for us but for those who care about us, and there’s an impressive range of assistive support available these days to do just that. If you’re new to researching the world of medical alarms, then this information is for you. This may have been prompted by either a recent health condition, a return from the hospital or a loved one concerned for you. We’ve prepared this article to inform you about the basics of the world of medical alarms and the different ways that they can be to suit your needs. We also call out a few key points to note about the Eevi product range so you know a little more about what we can offer.

As you may already know, the general idea behind a personal medical alarm is to reach help quickly and directly. You may never need to use an alarm, and we hope you never have to, but you may find that the peace of mind having one brings is exactly what you and those around you need to feel safe. The ease of simply knowing that help is available when you need it may just ultimately prove to be a life-saving decision.

To help you become more informed on the topic, this article will cover:

What is a personal medical alarm?

Who is a personal medical alarm for?

What is a personal medical alarm used for?

How are personal medical alarms used in the event of an emergency?

Where to next?

What is a personal medical alarm?

A personal medical alarm is a device that enables emergency support at the push of a button. They have a few names; sometimes called personal alarm system, personal emergency response system (PERS) emergency call system, personal alert, personal security alert, and a personal medical alarm. For this article, we will refer to it as a personal medical alarm.

These devices are designed to be very easy to use. Relying on inbuilt safety features for peace of mind that it will work when needed. The personal medical alarm can be either a fixed 4G Gateway VoLTE made up of a base unit, pendants and call points or a mobile 4G VoLTE pendant that uses a docking station to allow a daily recharge of the mobile pendant.

Who is a personal medical alarm for?

Anyone can use a personal medical alarm. No matter what your age, if you would like to have direct access to emergency assistance, then a professionally monitored personal (fixed or mobile) medical alarm is designed for this purpose. Alternatively, If you are looking to reach loved ones when you need help, the mobile personal medical alarm is perfect for you.

Who responds when a personal medical alarm button is pressed?

A personal medical alarm can be responded to by either close contacts or a 24/7 professional monitoring service. 

A benefit of a professionally monitored personal medical alarm is that the device is linked to you as an individual, and key medical information can be recorded (e.g. recent health problems). This is so that this information can be relayed to the emergency services in the event of a medical emergency. This information can be invaluable to emergency services if you’re not able to communicate.

A 24/7 professional monitoring service complies with alarms being responded to in less than 120 seconds 95% of the time. The response centre can then call directly through to the ambulance service. If you feel more comfortable, the response centre will remain on the line with you until the ambulance has arrived. At eevi, we have partnered with a response centre to offer a response time of 60 or less for both our Eevi’s Gateway 4G VoLTE & Samsung Smartwatch.

If you choose personal monitoring, the medical alarm is monitored by your nominated contacts. The number of nominated contacts varies between providers. With the Eevi Life Pendant, you can nominate up to 5 contacts to be called from your device in a sequence at the push of the button. They will be able to call you back directly through the device, using the two-way microphone and speaker on the mobile personal medical alarm if Telstra 4G VoLTE coverage is available.

Where is a personal medical alarm able to be used?

At eevi, we recognise that one solution does not fit all. With this, we have two options. ‘At Home’ or ‘Out and About’.  The ‘At Home’ Base Station (Gateway 4G VoLTE) provides a powerful microphone to help you be heard from different areas of the house. More importantly, it is a solution that doesn’t need to be charged with a mobile base unit or battery charger. The pendants attached to the gateway can often be used out into the garden or the letterbox but depending on your home, but not much further than that. This ensures that if emergency help is needed, they know where to find you.

For solutions that are ‘Out and About’, such as the Eevi Life Pendant & Samsung Smartwatch, they can be taken away from home. This could be to the shops, visiting friends, your daily walk, coffee catch-ups, golf or on holidays (provided there’s Telstra 4G Connectivity). It’s important to keep in mind that with these solutions, the devices do need to be charged daily. If you’re away from your home, the ‘Out and About’ device can send a signal of your location via GPS, and this can often be delivered via text message or an app to pinpoint your approximate location. 

How to use a personal medical alarm in the event of an emergency?

To use a personal medical alarm and raise an alarm, follow these simple steps:

1. 1. Press the button on the device to raise an alarm. If the device has fall detection, it may also be raised by impact.
   2. Wait for the connection.
   3. The call will then be answered via 2-way communication to triage the emergency and get the necessary help. (when professional monitoring is selected)

Where to next?

Personal medical alarms aim to provide peace of mind and comfort to both users and their loved ones. It’s reassuring to know that at the push of a button, support can be available. Having comfort can ensure a greater sense of independence to get out and do all the things you’d like to do. For us, it’s our business- we serve to be care by your side, using a little technology and a lot of individualised customer service to support. 

Should this information sound like something you or someone you know may be interested in, eevi is here to help. If you would like to learn more about our personal medical alarms, you can see a breakdown of each product’s key features in the table above, visit our shop tab at www.eevi.life or contact us via calling 1300 802 738 and we will help you find the solution most suited for you. For more, we recommend reading ‘The top five things to consider before purchasing a medical alarm’, and we always invite you to reach out.

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