Personal alarms and their benefits for older people

If you are getting older or you are supporting an elderly loved one, you may have been recommended a personal alarm. If so, you will want to find out more about them and how they can help.

Types of alarms

There are a number of different types of personal alarms. They broadly fall into two categories – alarms that are fixed in the home and ones that you wear. Those that are worn are usually worn around the wrist or neck, while fixed ones will be operated by a button or cord. An alarm might be a basic one that makes a loud noise to alert those nearby or it might send an alert to a family member or monitoring service. Some can have special features like a fall detector or a GPS tracker. If you are not sure what sort of alarm you need, talk to someone who retails personal alarms and call buttons, such as www.dinggly.com/products/wireless-call-buttons, and they will be able to explain the options.

How they help

The main benefit of a personal alarm is peace of mind. If an older person has a personal alarm, it can give them the confidence to keep living independently, secure in the knowledge that they can easily summon help if necessary.

If a fall or another medical emergency does happen, a personal alarm means that help can quickly be summoned. Getting prompt help in the event of an accident at home, will boost the chances of a full recovery, as well as minimising pain and distress.

Call buttons and fixed alarms can be placed in areas of particular hazard, such as at the bottom of stairs or in bathrooms, so that prompt help can be summoned in the event of a slip.

Alarms mean that the right person can be informed. They may send an alert to a pager or the mobile phone of a family member or to a professional, such as the staff in a retirement complex. Family also gain peace of mind, knowing their loved one can easily get assistance.