Deathswitch or Slightlymorbid?

REWahoo

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We've had recent discussions of the sudden disappearance of long-time posters and I thought this was a timely article:

Deaths of gamers leave their online lives in limbo

"I work in the world's largest medical center, and what you see here every day is people showing up in ambulances who didn't expect that just five minutes earlier," he said. "If you suddenly die or go into a coma, there can be a lot of things that are only in your head in terms of where things are stored, where your passwords are."

He set up a site called Deathswitch, where people can set up e-mails that will be sent out automatically if they don't check in at intervals they specify, like once a week. For $20 per year, members can create up to 30 e-mails with attachments like video files..."

"If Deathswitch sounds morbid, there's an alternative site: Slightly Morbid. It also sends e-mail when a member dies, but doesn't rely on them logging in periodically while they're alive. Instead, members have to give trusted friends or family the information needed to log in to the site and start the notification process if something should happen.

The site was created by Mike and Pamela Potter in Colorado Springs, Colo. They also run a business that makes software for online games. Pamela said they realized the need for a service like this when one of their online friends, who had volunteered a lot of time helping their customers on a Web message board, suddenly disappeared.

He wasn't dead: Three months later, he came back from his summer vacation, which he'd spent without Internet access. By then, the Potters had already had Slightlymorbid up and running for two weeks."
 
He set up a site called Deathswitch, where people can set up e-mails that will be sent out automatically if they don't check in at intervals they specify, like once a week. For $20 per year, members can create up to 30 e-mails with attachments like video files..."
Sounds like a great tool for aging family. "Dad, if you don't log onto this website by 5 PM daily then it's going to e-mail me to check on you..."

My "If I wake up dead" letter gives my spouse/kid their instructions for logging in here to make just one last post.
 
This is something I have pondered. My death would affect no one but the cat (and the local medical school).

I have no friends or relatives who would be able to contact the sites I frequent.

I think my neighbors would check if they didn't see me, but they aren't computer literate folks.

The local fire department does have a program where one signs up to call in every day, and if one doesn't they try to call and then will send over someone to check.

Should I create a list of sites and passwords? And who should I give it to?
 
This thread reminds me of my grandmother. After Grandpa died, she arranged a system with a widower friend who lived two houses away. Every morning by 10 AM, she'd open the drapes in a room which could be seen from in his house. That let him know she was okay.

Well, one evening she had a fall in the bathroom and hit her head on the sink, knocking her out. When she came to, she realized she was paralyzed (temporarily, though she never fully recovered from it), lying on the bathroom linoleum for hours. Well, 10 AM came and went, and a half hour later when he called her with no answer (she was awake and alert and heard the call but was unable to move), he called 911 (this was no more than a year or two after 911 was fully implemented in their area, in the early 1980s) and found her alert and unable to move.

What's scary is that if she didn't know her neighbor and arranged this system, she could have died down there as it was several weeks before she regained enough motor skills to get around.
 
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What's scary is that if she didn't know her neighbor and arranged this system, she could have died down there as it was several weeks before she regained enough motor skills to get around.

Seems like a perfect reason to install a telephone in the bathroom about 8" off the floor. As long as you can crawl, you can get to the phone.

I had convinced an elderly friend of mine a few years back to place a phone on the lower shelf of a coffee table. He had fallen once, and knocked himself out. Some time later regained consciousness, but took a while to get up off the floor.

He was happy with the phone solution, has not had a need for it, but feels comfortable knowing he can get to it if needed.
 
This is something I have pondered. My death would affect no one but the cat (and the local medical school).

I have no friends or relatives who would be able to contact the sites I frequent.

I think my neighbors would check if they didn't see me, but they aren't computer literate folks.

The local fire department does have a program where one signs up to call in every day, and if one doesn't they try to call and then will send over someone to check.

Should I create a list of sites and passwords? And who should I give it to?

Maybe put it where you keep your will? Tough call I guess you would need to make sure its secure.

This thread reminds me of my grandmother. After Grandpa died, she arranged a system with a widower friend who lived two houses away. Every morning by 10 AM, she'd open the drapes in a room which could be seen from in his house. That let him know she was okay.

Well, one evening she had a fall in the bathroom and hit her head on the sink, knocking her out. When she came to, she realized she was paralyzed (temporarily, though she never fully recovered from it), lying on the bathroom linoleum for hours. Well, 10 AM came and went, and a half hour later when he called her with no answer (she was awake and alert and heard the call but was unable to move), he called 911 (this was no more than a year or two after 911 was fully implemented in their area, in the early 1980s) and found her alert and unable to move.

What's scary is that if she didn't know her neighbor and arranged this system, she could have died down there as it was several weeks before she regained enough motor skills to get around.

Wow. That must have been really frightening. Good thing she set something up like that. They have those life alerts that you can wear. I dont know if they are any good but just remember seeing the advertisement.
 
Deathswitch or Slightlymorbid?

Decisions....decisions....:blink:

I definitely think it's a good idea for some folks, especially for a person that lives alone.

As far as internet friends go, this forum is the only place I visit and communicate on a regular basis. If I decide not to come back here, I will post and say goodbye. If a month goes by without a post from me, well, chances are I'm pushin' up daises.

I'm not speaking for everyone; but for bbbamI...well, she's just typed words on a screen....with an occasional pic of bacon.....;)
 
Interesting topic...:rolleyes:
There was a period of almost a year when I was living on my own after my husband suddenly passed away. I was in a compete state of shock. I had several good friends who "took turns" checking on me to make sure I had gotten up, eaten, and would get me out of the house for lunch or errands or whatever.
I knew that was not a long term solution, so I had the house set up with a security system, complete with panic buttons for medical and fire and police. If I were ever concerned I would be unable to get to the buttons for any reason, the security service actually offered a daily call (from them) service for a telephone checkup on lone house occupants. No charge if you had the full setup like I did. I didn't sign up for that.
Now that I have a housemate, it doesn't seem as important. But that security system is still there for me in case I have any problems while dh2b is at work.
I would never rely on any kind of Internet site for monitoring. :nonono:
 
I am present on several forums. Would I be missed?

"Knowin' no one nowhere's gonna miss us when we're gone..."
 
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The majority of my "online" friends have my telephone number. I guess they might call and hear the horrific news of my demise. I never worried about it. Once Im gone what do I care...:angel:
 
The majority of my "online" friends have my telephone number. I guess they might call and hear the horrific news of my demise. I never worried about it. Once Im gone what do I care...:angel:

My only concern is the cat.
 
Help! I've fallen and can't login!
 
He set up a site called Deathswitch, where people can set up e-mails that will be sent out automatically if they don't check in at intervals they specify,


OK, that explains the weird email I got from Cute Fuzzy Bunny!
 
We used to call MIL every couple of days. She was relatively independent and still drove, so we rarely were concerned if she didn't answer. On a hunch, after she didn't answer for two straight days (couple of time each day) we went over. Car was in the drive and we could not get her to the door. We called the police who broke in and we found her on the floor where she had fallen (still don't know exactly when but at least 48 hours before).

She had possibly passed out from low blood sugar or perhaps a small stroke. She lived another 10 years or so, but we monitored more closely. We begged her to get one of the I've-fallen-and-I-can't-get-up buttons, but she wouldn't spend the money. We offered to pay but she wouldn't let us "waste" our money on it. (So, thanks, mother, we'll waste our gas checking on you instead!)

But back to OP, I wonder if you could have your attorney keep such info with your will. If you can't trust her/him, who can you trust?
 
I think thats a pretty good idea. I agree that people should be doing the check ups, but I've seen people who spend almost every waking moment on the PC, either in chat forums or MMORPGs.
 
I have a low tech version of letters from the grave (or coma) I keep a 3 ring binder in my locker at my workplace. The locker is in an area where a fire is very unlikely. My wife knows about it and a younger co-worker knows to get it to our daughters should something happen to DW and I at the same time.

It contains everything I want DW and/or kids to know about should the hankster be comatose or dead. Locations of accounts, investments, wills, life insurance etc. along with handwritten notes of encouragement and how to invest and safeguard the assets. Anytime I need to update or add something, I write out by hand what is needed.

Somehow, hand written notes with a bit of humor (like telling the daughters not to blow the money on European vacations and expensive cars) seem more personal and more like a labor of love to my survivors. I plan to scan the notes and put them on a thumb drive in a separate location, like a safe deposit box, for redundancy.
 
along with handwritten notes of encouragement
Can't help picturing a sheet of paper with:

You go girl!
 
[LEFT said:
hankster[/left];795816

It contains everything I want DW and/or kids to know about should the
hankster
be comatose or dead. Locations of accounts, investments, wills, life insurance etc. along with handwritten notes of encouragement and how to invest and safeguard the assets. Anytime I need to update or add something, I write out by hand what is needed.

Somehow, hand written notes with a bit of humor (like telling the daughters not to blow the money on European vacations and expensive cars) seem more personal and more like a labor of love to my survivors. I plan to scan the notes and put them on a thumb drive in a separate location, like a safe deposit box, for redundancy.



I do the same thing . I write a letter to my daughter every other year with all the information she would need and I include a little motherly advice . I tell her to have a nice vacation maybe buy a larger house but save the rest for their retirement and my grandson's college . I also say I hope you will not need this advice for many years .
 
The scary thing is that I can actually understand the need for such services now. Ten years ago, I was flying down the side of mountains on skis and bicycles because I knew I was invincible. :)
 
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