Instructions required......

[conny]

I'm looking for an instruction sheet for a home telephone that can be used by elderly people to raise an alarm.

The brand is a 'Homesafe' Model TO155.

The idea is that if someone has a fall, or are in danger, they can press a fob they have on a lanyard and it will dial a selected number to alert someone outside the home.

I've tried googling it but can't find any information about it. It is less than 12 months old.

 

[Bodgeitandleggit]

Conny...if I think what you are talking about it is a system that is used by a care company and the equipment is supplied by them ..my elderly neighbour has one and it is a tunstall system and you can press a large button or press the keyfob in case they fall and the call routes direct to the care company

 

[conny]

No its a system my partner bought for her Dad but she can't find the instructions on how to remotely turn the alarm off if he presses the fob.

She originally bought it off the internet for him after he fell and broke his hip last March. He has now been diagnosed with COPD so we have been drawing up a plan should he be taken ill suddenly. By pressing the fob it causes the base station to ring her phone with a pre recorded message that he needs help.

The problem we have now is that if he presses the fob by accident we have forgotten how to re-set the unit. This can be done at the base station or remotely from my partners phone, (if we knew how). Without re-setting it the alarm feature will not re-activate.

 

[bernardgreen]

It may be worth you considering a system like the one that Bodgeitandleggit refered to.

The alarm you have can raise the alarm but does it also enable you to talk to your partner's father after he has pressed the alarm fob. Many systems switch the phone to loudspeaker mode so the control room operator can determine waht has happened. Being able to speak to the person enables correct response to happen and if they cannot speak then the emergency services can be alerted. The control room also provides 24 hour cover which with the best will in the world can be difficult for a relative to provide.

 

[cajar]

Might be worth opening the unit to see if it's just been rebranded as homesafe. Long shot but worth a look before you shell out to replace working gear.

 

[conny]

Unfortunately the system doesn't allow us to speak to Dad so think we may have to look at something like B&L's idea.

The present unit just rings the nominated number and gives a pre-recorded message saying, "Alert, Alert, Alert."

As he lives 30 miles away it doesn't seem to be as good as we first thought it would be.

Thanks for the replies lads. Very useful information from all of you.

 

[bernardgreen]

With a distance of 30 miles I would use a system that reports to a manned control room to void delays getting help. If the alarm has dialled your phone then your line will be busy until the alarm clears down the call. If you need to alert the emergency services you will need another phone or wait until the alarm clears down and you phone is free.

Also the equipment supplied by reputable care services will not just plug in but will be arranged so as to disconnect phones and take over the line. This is necessary to ensure the system can make an alarm call even if the phone was in use when the alarm button was pressed. The person may have felt ill, picked up the phone to call someone and then collapsed, with the line busy an alarm that just plugs into a socket will not be able to make the call.

The only time the alarm cannot take over is when the line is busy on an incoming call but it is hoped that if that happens then the caller will recognise there is a problem and act accordingly.

 

[EightyTwo]

Piper lifeline?