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Original poster

Help with alarm for my ill mum - anyone got experience?

21 replies

everythingstaken123 · 03/05/2018 09:03

My mother has recently had a stroke. She's doing well and is going to be discharged from the NHS shortly. She doesn't want a carer as she is able to do a lot but her legs often give way and I'm worried that she might fall and be on her own for a long time after if no one is going round. I will be going round every couple of days but I have two young children at school and pre-school and it's very difficult to fit too much more in. Does anyone have an alarm or device set up in a home that would help in this situation? I have seen those wrist alarms but I think if she falls and someone starts speaking to her in another room she won't hear as she's really deaf. Not really sure what to do? Does anyone have experience of this kind of thing? Any help gratefully received....thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Orchardgreen · 03/05/2018 09:09

If the alarm "base" talks to her and she doesn't respond, they will contact the emergency services and send them round. A key safe out side is a good idea as the emergency services will have the code.
Make sure the alarm is one that detects falls.
Good luck!

CMOTDibbler · 03/05/2018 09:10

My parents have an alarm from AgeUK, and it's been great. If someone presses it and doesn't respond, they will call whoever is on the contact list so you can whizz round and check - or call an ambulance direct if no one is available

ajandjjmum · 03/05/2018 09:11

We have a Canary security camera inside MIL's living room. Cost just over £100 and then there is a monthly fee (£7.50?) so that we can check she's OK if she's not answering her phone. Works on a mobile app.

Whereismumhiding2 · 03/05/2018 09:13

If you are UK, then Argenti telecare (Google them) do fall detector alarms. Ring your local adult services dept as they might refer for you & be able to advise if a local health team can do rehab.

EspressoButler · 03/05/2018 09:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Whereismumhiding2 · 03/05/2018 09:19

Fall detector alarms are different to lifeline pendant alarms that you have to press.

EekThreek · 03/05/2018 09:25

My Grandad had a sensor as part of his alarm that he clipped to his top pocket, and if he didn't move for a while it would send a notification to the monitoring centre and they'd call him to see if he was ok. Brilliant idea, except he kept forgetting to put it on in the morning, so he got a lot of calls

Reassuring to know that they would pick it up if he didn't get up one morning - especially as we lived 3 hours drive from him.

He also had the standard pull cords in every room as a back up, but the piece that was on him all day was the biggest reassurance.

Original poster

everythingstaken123 · 03/05/2018 10:04

This is all really helpful - thank you so much for taking the time to respond.

CMOT was the Age UK alarm tricky to install? Did you/they have it done professionally or did you do it yourself?

Also they have an alarm where people talk to them, do they have more than one monitor in the house? My mum's house is reasonably big so I guess it might be helpful to have at least one on each floor?

OP posts:

CMOTDibbler · 03/05/2018 10:18

As I live a couple of hours from them, we got AgeUk to install it - I don't think it is complicated though

RadioGaGaGa · 03/05/2018 10:25

We bought an alarm from a national supplier, then found that the local council have their own system which was slightly better. It's called Telecare and is nationwide too I think. The difference was with what we swapped to, there is a local team of responders, who come out, not just emergency services, so for minor falls etc. So they will come if they need help that doesn't warrant a 999 response. If they can't help when they arrive, of course 999 kicks in.

There is only one monitor. The idea is that if they press the alarm, the person at the other end will call them. If they cannot reach the monitor to be heard, the company will alert the keyholders. You need to specify two keyholders within a 15 minute radius, or have a keysafe outside for the emergency services to use.

The alarms are easy to install - they plug into a plug socket near the main phone line. They charge about £35 for someone to do it, but it's quite easy to DIY.

You have to test it once fitted and my parents have to call it once a month as a test.

Whereismumhiding2 · 03/05/2018 10:32

Here's an idea of the range of telecare products you can get.. it's developing all the time.
www.argenti.co.uk/products/

Original poster

everythingstaken123 · 03/05/2018 12:37

Thank you all for the info - all of it was really useful. Will get looking into it now.

Espresso - your post made me laugh. My mother is very resistant to any kind of help. I can see her feeling much "better" very soon!

OP posts:

RadioGaGaGa · 03/05/2018 12:57

It's worth noting that the way the contracts work is that you are leasing the alarm box / control. When you no longer need it, it's sent back.

This is why it is not possible (I assume) to have more than one monitor in the home .

Your mum should be able to choose between a wrist band and pendant alarm. We chose one of each as both my parents use them. The pendant is better in some ways in case they can't use their hands. One thing to watch out for though is that some are very sensitive- my mum's friend triggered the alarm by falling on her pendant in the garden, and they sent help, even though she was fine!

RadioGaGaGa · 03/05/2018 12:58

One more thing- you need to check the range. if your mum goes outside into her garden for example. Some have a good range of maybe 300 feet from the control box, others not so good. This was important for us as my parents have a large garden and go into it, gardening.

loveyoutothemoon · 03/05/2018 14:33

The sound from those base boxes are SUPER loud!

Almostfifty · 04/05/2018 19:40

Could you not persuade her to get help for the first six weeks, that are free? If she knows it's to get her home quicker, she might not be so resistant to it.

helpfulperson · 04/05/2018 20:33

Does your local council not operate a system? Round here they all do and can open other channels as well.

mateysmum · 04/05/2018 20:40

Do look at your local council website as they or a partner company often provide this service at reasonable cost. My in laws have alarms via their local council partner and it has helped them several times. Last weekend FiL's legs gave way and my MiL could not get him up, so she just pressed her alarm and got help. The receivers have a fairly good reception and the alarm people may additionally call on the standard phone.
These things are quite literally a life saver and the people at the call centre are all lovely.

Original poster

everythingstaken123 · 06/05/2018 12:12

Thank you for all your help. I am going to talk to the local council and see what they have to offer as quite a few people have mentioned that to me now.

OP posts:

PinkBuffalo · 06/05/2018 12:24

We have a life line at home provided by social services (my mum isn't elderly, but is severely disabled)
Like a PP said, the base box is SO loud! I use hearing aids, & I could hear it down the hall even without my hearing aids in!
I would definitely urge you to sort a key safe outside the front door. Social services did this for us as well I think. This is also a lifesaver. My mum called me at work the other morning to say she had fallen out of bed. It was only 8am and her carer wasn't due until 9am. I work about an hour away. It meant I could call the ambulance from work, and they accessed the hous with the key safe. My mum was off the floor before the carer arrived & getting checked out. It's great to know ambulance/police can access the house in an emergency without breaking the door down!

fivedogstofeed · 06/05/2018 22:09

I got the AgeUk alarm for my mum. They were really good, a lovely woman came out, installed and explained everything ( just need access to a power & phone socket). If there is any issue with electricity they phone me to check everything is Ok.

I also got a key safe. Amazingly this was installed free by a local charity. It means that if I get an alarm call but happen to be miles away I can potentially call someone else to go into the house, or the alarm company can give the key safe code to the doctor/ ambulance.

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