A Emergency Response system such as Freedom Alert is intended for use by a person living alone or one who is not able to get around physically. In an emergency situation where the person has fallen and is not able to get up, help can be summoned by pressing a help button that is worn on the person. Other people who make good use of the Personal Emergency Response System are those who have medical conditions such as diabetes where there is a danger of falling into a coma. The help button may never been needed, but family members of an elderly individual get peace of mind when they know their loved one will have emergency help quickly if needed.

A Medical Emergency Response system is made up of three components: the radio transmitter that is worn or carried by the user at all times, a connection through a console at the telephone, and the center for emergency call monitoring.

The Personal Emergency Response system is put into operation when the user needs emergency help, such as the police, fire department or in the event of a medical emergency. The system user presses the help button on the transmitter, which automatically emits a radio signal that is picked up by the console. The console is pre- programmed to dial one or more telephone numbers that are selected by the user. For example, if an elderly person has fallen and injured a hip so that they can’t arise, the user would press the help button. The emergency response number would be dialed in many instances. This usually can be done even if the telephone handset is off the hook or in use. Some systems have information about medical history at the call center so that they would contact an adult child or a spouse.

If the center staff can’t determine what the nature of the emergency is, they will send a response team to the location and will continue to monitor the response until the emergency situation is resolved.

Transmitter

The transmitter unit as seen on Freedom Alert is light weight and operated by battery power that must be recharged or replaced periodically. Checking the batteries regularly helps to insure that they remain operational. The transmitter has one or two buttons for calling help. The transmitter is worn on a wrist band or around the neck on a chain. They can be attached to a belt, or simply carried in the pocket. Some transmitter units reflect low batteries by means of a battery level indicator.

Dialer

The console or automatic dialing machine picks up the radio signal from the transmitter and send the alert through the private telephone line system. In the event of a telephone system with more than one extension, some special wiring or jacks may be required in order to grab the line.

Emergency Response Center

The console dials into one of two different types of emergency response centers. Manufacturer based centers usually have only one operation center nationwide. Provider based systems are found locally. They are often run by social service agencies or by regional hospitals. Because users often have the choice of renting the Personal Emergency Response System or purchasing their equipment it usually makes the difference whether the local center is available to the consumer. Equipment leased from the manufacturer is usually part of single nationwide center. Occasionally, the user can choose which type of system he prefers–manufacturer based or provider based.

Customers sometimes choose to buy the equipment but the majority rent Since most insurance companies won’t pay for either the daily monitoring, the equipment or the installation of the unit. A purchased unit will run anywhere from $200 up to $5,000. The installation fee and monitoring fee will cost an additional amount. When the PERS unit is rented, the monthly fee usually includes the monitoring service. Typically, rentals or leased units are handles through hospitals, social service agencies, home health providers or other businesses. Looking for a great personal emergency response system check out Freedom Alert!

Statistics assert that more than 60% of seniors are more likely to fall inside their home while over 30% may fall outside. In fact, further studies suggest that seniors over the age of 65 suffer hip fractures more often than not.

As children of elderly parents, sometimes it is difficult to keep abreast of their daily routine while all the time worrying that something has happened if telephone calls are unanswered. The Freedom Alert medical alert system offers several measures that can alleviate most of the worry for both parents and caregivers.

You may have seen one of more medical alert systems on TV wherein they show a pendant that can be worn by a senior citizen to be used in the event they fall, or who suffers from a serious illness and cannot get to a telephone to call for help. By simply pressing the button on the pendant, they are immediately connected to the company who will dispatch an emergency service, contact a loved one, as well as a neighbor.

A medical alert system may also offer a communicator which is attached to the telephone and can be utilized on a 24 hours basis. Several of these communicators can be placed in the bathroom, where most falls occur, and other areas in the home as well. It enables a senior in distress to push a button on the communicator wherein a representative from Freedom Alert will be able to communicate with the individual. In fact, it works in conjunction with the pendant also.

Today, with so many seniors living alone, the risk of falling is on the rise. This places a great stress on their children, especially those who do not live within close proximity to their parents. As children of elderly parents, we go about our daily routines but are ever mindful that something could happen. Having a medical alert system such as Freedom Alert in place relieves much of the anxiety many children of elderly parents experience on a daily basis.

More importantly, however, a medical alert system utilized by seniors living alone offers them the freedom to go about their daily routine. It relieves their anxiety and provides a connection to someone who they know will be there for them in case of an emergency.

Our parents took care of us from birth to adulthood; it seems only fitting that we take care of them in their senior years by ensuring they join a medical alert system service.

Parental Safety
I’m getting to the age where I’m starting to worry about my parents safety, not only from a health standpoint, but for their physical well-being as well.  They are getting to be the age where falling poses a real threat to their lives.  Many of the elderly that fall get pneumonia related illnesses during their recovery period from which they don’t recover. Thirty per cent of the people over 65 fall every year, and 28% of those who don’t receive timely help will die as a direct result of that fall.  Scary!!  So when the Freedom Alert 911 commercial came on an As Seen on TV spot, I immediately thought of my parents.

The Freedom Alert 911 Unit
The Freedom Alert 911 emergency alert system is really just a small speakerphone and a base station that plugs into a phone line.  The speakerphone is usually worn as a pendant on a neck chain, or it may be worn on a wristband or on a belt clip…all of which come with the system.  We can choose up to three numbers to program into the speakerphone that will dial at the touch of the appropriate button.   The system can also be programmed so that the speakerphone will dial one of four phone number choices we selected ending with the 911 number if none of the previous numbers answer. Freedom Alert 911 keeps dialing until someone answers.   As my parents are still active, we ordered two so each one could wear one.

Operation and Range
The speakerphone’s AAA battery will need need changing every few months.  The battery test button feature is great to make sure it’s fully charged and ready to communicate with the base.  Speaking of batteries, the base station has a battery back-up so that it’s always operable, even in the event of a power outage.  Mom and Dad really like the fact that if they are within 600 feet of the base station, the speakerphone will communicate with it and they have emergency assistance available.  The 600 foot coverage means they can go outside, putter in the yard, and still have the security of the Freedom Alert 911 coverage.

Forming the Freedom Alert 911 Habit
At first it was hard to get them in the habit of putting the pendants on when they returned home and walked in from the garage.  It took just a few times of me phoning with a reminder (nagging) to take The Freedom Alerts off the hook by door and slip them on.  As it’s splash resistant, they’ve even got into the habit of wearing them in the shower…a very smart move!

Mom & Dad have the security of Freedom Alert 911 for a one time purchase of about $360 with no service contracts or monthly fees to keep up with.  Not only does it provide them with the ability to reach someone quickly in case of an emergency, but it really gives me some peace of mind as well…and you can’t put a dollar amount on that!

Unfortunately the initial base unit of the Freedom Alert 911 I received was not operating, but a call to the Tech support line was answered promptly by a live person who quickly diagnosed the problem and immediately put a new base unit in the mail to me at no cost. Freedom Alert 911 gives you EXCELLENT PRODUCT SUPPORT! The replacement base worked perfectly and my testing of the range of the phone to the base was excellent.

I purchased the Freedom Alert system for my 80 year old mom who is losing her sight and hard of hearing. She needed an emergency response system and had been receiving numerous calls from services that wanted to sign her up for an alert service with a call center (who knows where) that would then call 911 if needed. All of these services had monthly fees and an initial cost that all totaled seemed financially draining. They also had contracts that locked you into their program with no clause to opt out if you didn’t like their service. The Freedom Alert 911 has a single purchase price and you’re done!

Once I set up the unit in my mom’s house I walked around her yard outside and used the test button to check status. I got excellent coverage everywhere in her yard and beyond (over 200′). I also checked her basement and got good coverage there as well. So everywhere she may decide to go she now has peace of mind that pressing one button will put her in touch directly with the local 911 operator or a friend or family member. I had her test the actual button to call the 911 operator to make absolutely sure she would be able to communicate successfully, again her hearing is not good, but the volume level was perfect and she told the 911 operator that there was no emergency, just testing her new Freedom Alert system. The operator asked for her street address which she provided and the operator told her that was what was on her screen. Perfect! Now mom knows what to expect when she may need to press the button.

It’s really all about peace of mind, and this unit delivers that and may someday save her life. Freedom Alert 911 is a very cost effective solution.