Medical Alert options

[Kings over Queens]

Helping wife find options for her (our) parents, who are in Florida (we are in NJ) in the event they fall.

Father in law is 80 and suffered brain damage in a car accident and does not have the best balance.

Mother in law is 75 and in good health, but if I were to give her a label, "frail" come to mind. She's not thee yet, but taking care of him is slowly killing her.

We've had the Assisted Living discussion and my MIL isn't ready. She's agreed to some help, and one of the topics is getting assistance in the event of a fall. She can't get him up if he falls, and our doomsday scenario is he falls on her.

Anyone have experience they can share?

 

[Tadpole]

Amazon has a few lifts but I've never tried one. I don't know if they operate easily with one person. (They don't look easy for a frail individual to manage and aren't useful in tight quarters.) I faced the same problem with my husband who had Parkinson's. I couldn't lift him and had to call 911 for assistance. He finally was falling so often that I had to put him in an assisted living facility that offered add-on purchase of extra assistance. It was running me between $10,000-$11,000 a month. Falling was the home breaker. One member of the 911 team said they would have to request his removal if he continued at home and kept falling.

 

[MBAustin]

Assistance after falls is a 911 matter, even if you are in a senior living facility (of course there the assistance hopefully helps prevent falls).

If you are looking for medical alert devices, here is a recent thread on the subject: Medical Alert Recommendations.

We've had Bay Alarm for many years (DH is disabled) and have been happy with them, although we've (fortunately) never actually had to use it.

 

[pacergal]

My Dad got Life Alert. He had a pendent around his neck and an intercom thing attached to his phone, so when he pressed the button around his neck, he could converse with the company.
He used it a few times when he fell and couldn't get up, mostly to have them call one of us who lived close by to come help him. And twice I used it to call 911 when I could not leave his side in an emergency. The Fire dept installed a code box outside his door that responders could use the key to get in.

 

[badatmath]

My Dad got Life Alert. He had a pendent around his neck and an intercom thing attached to his phone, so when he pressed the button around his neck, he could converse with the company.
He used it a few times when he fell and couldn't get up, mostly to have them call one of us who lived close by to come help him. And twice I used it to call 911 when I could not leave his side in an emergency. The Fire dept installed a code box outside his door that responders could use the key to get in.

I know code boxes are a thing - had heard they were a bad idea because they scream helpless old people live here - lets rob them!

But IDK how they work exactly. Can't I just tell the firemen to go in thru my garage (if I can speak but can't move). It has a code box too but the door the house is locked though surely easier to breach than the monster front door I have. . . never really thought about it.

 

[Kings over Queens]

Assistance after falls is a 911 matter, even if you are in a senior living facility (of course there the assistance hopefully helps prevent falls).

If you are looking for medical alert devices, here is a recent thread on the subject: Medical Alert Recommendations.

We've had Bay Alarm for many years (DH is disabled) and have been happy with them, although we've (fortunately) never actually had to use it.

Thanks, that is what I'm looking for.

 

[Kings over Queens]

The Fire dept installed a code box outside his door that responders could use the key to get in.

This is interesting. Better than breaking down a door.

An other alternative could be a keypad door lock I suppose.

Thanks!