Personal Emergency Response Systems
Many older adults and their loved ones worry about what might happen if they became ill or were injured while at home alone. Personal Emergency Response Systems were designed to allay that fear, by giving the older adult a way to summon help when they can't get to a phone.
With such a system, the subscriber wears a lightweight pendant or wristband, with a button they can press to call for help. A press of the button activates a transmitter and alerts the monitoring center.
A sensitive speakerphone attached to the subscriber's phone line allows for two-way communication between the monitor and the subscriber. If the subscriber is unable to respond, the monitor contacts a personal responder -- a neighbor or family member who can quickly go to check on the subscriber. If no responder is available, or if there is an emergency, the monitor contacts emergency services.
For most personal emergency response systems, subscribers pay an initial installation charge and a moderate monthly fee to lease the equipment and receive the monitoring service. Some companies have required contracts; others lease equipment month-by-month.
For information about personal emergency response systems available in Wake County, see our community services search pages.