Personal alarms eg careline.

Exactly. People are amazed I live on my own, but amazingly my parents are dead, I am divorced and have no siblings. I can't be the only one in country!

^ I may have to wait longer for an ambulance^ - I suppose they are comparing this to having a neighbour pop over.

Once an ambulance is called the wait will be the same - whether they called it or your neighbour did.

UTBB I informed the care system I had no relatives, the only ones being in Southern Ireland and friends are close to my age and I did not want to "bother" a couple two doors away as both work.

I was told no problem I may have to wait longer for an ambulance. I haven't worked out that one, I would just be on my own. I have had a keysafe fpr many years, I just have to remember to remove the key from the inside lock.

Usedtobeblonde

Since I started this thread I have had numerous Facebook pages advertising call systems.
I did not look for information on systems anywhere, I only posted on GN.
One may have been a coincidence, the number I have received is certainly not.
We should be aware.
I only post on GN under a user name, as we all do, how is that linked to my Facebook?
I am actually quite concerned.
Any ideas?

No need to be concerned, UTBB it is not sinister, though annoying.

I think what has happened is that GN must have signed up to an ad placing scheme, which works by ad firms giving the scheme (not GN) a list of trigger words for the goods that their selling customers (who pay them a fee) want to market.

If any of those trigger words appeared on a page, an advertising email would be sent to whoever mentioned it, and GN would get a very tiny amount of money - pennies usually.

It is usually only a one-off email, which you can delete and ignore. If they keep sending more, look for an "unsubscribe" button somewhere at the bottom of the message to block them.

Your browser or your internet provider probably has a way to stop getting any marketing emails at all. Have a look at your privacy and security options.

The other possibility is that a different social media site (on Facebook?) that you use, or a website with a comments page, is doing the same thing.

I do think that elderly and vulnerable people should invest in a keysafe outside their front door. Ensure the safe number is known by everyone who may be coming to provide any assistance.

With my mums care line . A message goes to a central place , they call her on her landline / mobile if she had one . If no answer they call me or my siblings . If no answer from us , they call an ambulance.
The staff at the careline don’t come out to visit . I don’t know how it would work if you had no family or friends.

I think after reading and listening it seems that many of these systems rely on family and neighbours to act after the initial contact has been made.
I feel this is often not ideal.
No one maybe instantly available to act or visit and sometimes the elder person may not want to “ bother “ neighbours.
I realise I am probably asking too much and no ideal system exists but I wonder how often the carers from the care system actually come out to deal with the immediate situation.

Can I recommend a different system which I have, called Howz.
It's about £200 initial cost and then £9 a month.
They provide a smart plug, usually put on the kettle but you can choose anything, a door sensor which would go on the front door if someone has dementia but mine is on the fridge, and a room sensor (I have 2, one up and one down).
You provide a list, as long or short as you like, of people to contact if none of the sensors are triggered over a time period you choose.
I've had it for some years and it definitely came to my rescue when I got out of bed one morning and my hip prosthesis dislocated, leaving me lying on the floor unable to move. I had the system set up for alerting my daughter if I wasn't up and about by 0800 (this happened at 0700). She was on holiday in Italy at the time but it worked just as well, she immediately phoned various friends and neighbours whose numbers I had given her, and they got in via the key safe and called an ambulance.
It doesn't solve the problem of needing immediate assistance but its big advantage is that it requires nothing from the person concerned, and can be set up to exactly the needs of that individual.

My MiL fell and lay all night next to her alarm. I'd didn't occur to her to press it! Shoe couldn't say why not.

If you want cover outside (say, in your garden), you might want something else...

If you are ok enough to call out, an Alexa or similar may work - at least in your home.
Another good idea.

I have found that I do not need to pay for these. My ALexa is set so that from anywhere in my flat I can call out to that to either call my daughter, and/ot call for an ambulance.

I do send that daughter a text every morning just saying 'OK'. If this is not received by 9.00 am she will try to telephone me (I have occasionally forgotten) - if no reply to telephone then she will come round. As she lives and work about ten minutes away, this can be pretty immediate.

My little Alexa costs me nothing to operate. Have had it in my flat since I moved in over six years ago. No need to pay for any sort of alarm system which only then telephones a set contact list.

Mazgg

I have often thought it would be a good idea if there was a number that I could check in with every morning to say I was ok. I don't speak to the same person every day so it could be several days before the alarm was raised if I couldn't press an alarm . My brother in law had been dead for several days before he was discovered

My mum lives on an assisted living complex and she has a panel in her hallway. She presses a particular button every morning and if she doesn’t . The manager checks on her . Unfortunately when she fell , the manager was off sick .

My dad had one through the local authorities but it would only work a short way out of the house a matter of yards. he found it a great comfort and used it on a few occasions always with success
My close friend has one now and it has been a boon as she is a faller It works anywhere out in the street, garden, shops anywhere and works as above described re ambulance etc
If you can afford it go for it might save your life

Jocirk, how goof your mom had you. To think coeaners were more caring to her than her son considering her a nuisance is
awful. Maybe he will be treated the same.

I persuaded my 90yo uncle to have one installed after he had been on the bathroom floor all night . He had been very reluctant before then .
When we registered the device we had to give three contacts with their phone numbers of which my number was first to be contacted .
He had to use it a couple of times before he died and it worked perfectly. When he pressed the button the voice came over the phone which could be heard all over his home so it didn’t matter which room he was in. He was asked what the problem was and then they would ring me to assist him . It was useful when his catheter blocked off during the night and he had to be taken to hospital.

My mother-in-law used to text every morning and evening and if we didn't hear by the agreed time we followed up on it.
Not foolproof though - but better than nobody checking in.... and it was a stroke in the night that persuaded her that this was not enough.
Do you have a friend of family (however far away) who would do this for you Mazgg?

Yes my mum has a free one . She fell last week . Because traffic was bad, my sister number 1 on list)would be 30 mins do they called her neighbour ( number 2 on the list) who came round used the key safe to lift her up .
As she could move etc but couldn’t get to standing. So yes they work and mum also has one on the bottom of her shower screen in case she falls in the bathroom .

I have often thought it would be a good idea if there was a number that I could check in with every morning to say I was ok. I don't speak to the same person every day so it could be several days before the alarm was raised if I couldn't press an alarm . My brother in law had been dead for several days before he was discovered

My mum lives in an assisted living apartment and they have pull cords around the flat plus a pendant linked to careline , however she has to press the pendant and a few times she’s fallen and hasn’t pressed it because she doesn’t want to bother people .
After a fall in her bathroom 2 months ago she now has a wrist alarm with a falls sensor , the call centre call her and if no answer, they call me as I’m first on the list .

I think the "falls" option is really important as people don't need to press it at all (if they fall, obviously).
The call centre can liaise with the emergency services too.

I’m a companion and neither of the ladies I sit with have ever used theirs when they needed to. They crawl to the phone or wait until someone turned up. It’s not something they relate to, it’s just there on there body.

Mums has died and we need to get a new one but she's concerned about the price £180 I think. It's a brilliant little gadget, £1.50 a month to run as it's gsm and contacts me via text/phonecall On its anywhere sim.

It's a Pebbell. If she falls (as long as she has it on her) it automatically calls me, or she can press the button and call me. The original had a lot of use calling me when I was out and the dog started fitting! Worth it weight in gold!

Now, it's died "buy a new one" I say "it's too much" she says! I can't win!

My Aunty and Uncle have CareCall, they are fantastic. They probably have a call out once a month and the service is brilliant. Like others have said, they talk through a box and come out automatically if either fall.

Not I’m, I meant mum