Personal Alarms

diy_fun_uk · 17 Jan 2021

I know you get monitored personal alarms often installed for vulnerable/elderly people i.e. they wear a button around their neck or carry in their pocket and if they get into difficulty they press the button and this alerts a central monitoring station. These solutions usually have an initial setup charge and then a monthly charge thereafter.

I was wondering if there's a solution similar to the above i.e. button worn by the vulnerable/elderly person, however when they press it, it simply sends a text message to designated family/friends i.e. no central monitoring station and no monthly charge.

I've had a Google but can only see solutions that link to a central station and carry a monthly charge. Does anyone know if the option I'm looking for exists?

Scarlet Pimpernel · 17 Jan 2021

Many years ago, I did have an alarm system that had two such devices. They activated the alarm rather than any monitoring station.
I would imagine that any wireless alarm system could be so enabled.
The alarm output might need to be adapted, but with such devices as intelligent doorbells, I would have thought it's not so difficult.

diy_fun_uk · 17 Jan 2021

Bobby Dazzler said:
Many years ago, I did have an alarm system that had two such devices. They activated the alarm rather than any monitoring station.
I would imagine that any wireless alarm system could be so enabled.

Hi, thanks, not sure if I'm mis-reading you. I'm not referring to anything house alarm related e.g. we used to have a house alarm that had a panic button combo. I'm referring to personal alarms. It's basically a small button worn by the user that, when pressed, alerts designated people. Most of them carry a monthly charge as they connect to a 24/7 monitored station. I was hoping to find a solution that simply connects directly to the designated family/friends i.e. no central monitoring or monthly charge.

Scarlet Pimpernel · 17 Jan 2021

What about this
https://www.amazon.com/Alphahom-Personal-Emergency-Real-time-Location/dp/B088WXH94B

elite123 · 17 Jan 2021

https://www.personalalarms.org/product/suresafego-anywhere-alarm/

I think the family monitored version just requires the sim card is topped up

Scarlet Pimpernel · 17 Jan 2021

diy_fun_uk said:
Hi, thanks, not sure if I'm mis-reading you. I'm not referring to anything house alarm related e.g. we used to have a house alarm that had a panic button combo. I'm referring to personal alarms. It's basically a small button worn by the user that, when pressed, alerts designated people. Most of them carry a monthly charge as they connect to a 24/7 monitored station. I was hoping to find a solution that simply connects directly to the designated family/friends i.e. no central monitoring or monthly charge.

Yes, the house alarm had two portable personal alarms that would activate the house alarm siren.
A simple wireless house alarm should be adaptable to allow such devices if they're not automatically included.
Then the output (to the alarm siren) would need to be adapted to activate an alert message instead.

diy_fun_uk · 17 Jan 2021

Thanks guys, two great options

bernardgreen · 17 Jan 2021

Using a central monitoring centre has several advantages.

The monitoring centre operator can talk to the person without the person having to get to the telephone. The operator can then determine the person's condition and whether emergency services are needed. A second operator can if necessary get emergency services on route to the location while the first operator is still talking to and re-assuring the person.

It does cost money and it does involve use of a land line telephone but in my experience the reliability and speed of getting emergency services alerted is well worth the costs involved.

Brigade77 · 17 Jan 2021

bernardgreen said:
Using a central monitoring centre has several advantages.

The monitoring centre operator can talk to the person without the person having to get to the telephone. The operator can then determine the person's condition and whether emergency services are needed. A second operator can if necessary get emergency services on route to the location while the first operator is still talking to and re-assuring the person.

It does cost money and it does involve use of a land line telephone but in my experience the reliability and speed of getting emergency services alerted is well worth the costs involved.

Which are most of the reasons why personal alarms that only alert family members (& only when they are alert) have never took off as a consumer product.

diy_fun_uk · 18 Jan 2021

bernardgreen said:
Using a central monitoring centre has several advantages.

The monitoring centre operator can talk to the person without the person having to get to the telephone. The operator can then determine the person's condition and whether emergency services are needed. A second operator can if necessary get emergency services on route to the location while the first operator is still talking to and re-assuring the person.

It does cost money and it does involve use of a land line telephone but in my experience the reliability and speed of getting emergency services alerted is well worth the costs involved.

Thanks and yeah, valid points. To be honest, this is something that's being suggested/driven by me within the family. My mum, although nearing 80, is still fully independent. However she's obviously not as sprightly as she once was and I reckon I've even seen a change in her since all this covid stuff began. At present she's very much against the thought of having a monitored system, however is open to a solution that would simply send a text to me and my sister. It's all about bringing her with me on the idea as oppose to forcing her into something she doesn't want at present.

Personal Alarms

Brigade77

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