We are living in an age of electronic gadgetry, which for the elderly is often frustrating. However, some of that electronic technology can save a person’s life following an accident or sudden illness, break-in, fire or gas leakage.
A personal alarm is a friendly reassurance of immediate help, and can be worn either around the neck, as a watch or on a belt. It means that if you are gardening and suddenly can’t get up, no one is with you and you are desperate, by pressing the alarm, help can be summoned. If you have an accident and are conscious, help is just the press of the alarm button away. There is no need for embarrassment. This service helps people stay in their homes safely as they get older and remain independent Many alarms are waterproof so they can be worn in the shower or bath.
There are different companies offering this service. For more details ask at the pharmacy.
Gas monitors are important safety alarms to warn of gas leakage, and as some gases have no smell, the monitor can save lives by recording the level of danger and making a penetrating loud noise that even the hard of hearing can usually hear.
When you have a gas monitor in the home, it is important to understand how it works. Waking up in the night to an ear-shattering beep is frightening. It is important that you read the little screen on the front of the monitor. It tells you when there is danger, together with the loud beep, and means, “Phone 911 and get out of the house quickly.”
The other day we heard of an elderly lady who awoke in the night to an ear-shattering continuous beep. She removed the CO monitor from the wall. To her horror, it kept beeping. She became quite nervous and was only half awake, so she put it outside the house as she didn’t know what to do. The noise was so penetrating, she wrapped it in a blanket and left it outside. She went back to bed and worried. Who could she phone in the middle of the night?
Now she didn’t know if this was a real scare or why it wouldn’t stop “screaming” after it was removed from the wall. Because it is a CO and natural gas monitor, it gives warning of deadly gas and should be dealt with immediately. As CO has no smell, a person can die quickly without any knowledge of the danger. A battery ensures that the monitor works even when there is a power outage.
Make sure you can read and understand the little screen on the monitor. This tells you when the monitor is recording. It is necessary to read this screen to determine whether the beep is warning you to get out of the house, or if it is just a faulty battery. If you can’t read the monitor and it is continuous beeping, call 911 anyway and explain the situation. Prepare to leave the house until help arrives, take a warm jacket, wear socks and take a flashlight in case you need to wait a few minutes. Such an alarm signals your need to act immediately.
According to the fire department, it is important to change batteries in any alarm/monitor every six-nine months. The monitors too have a life of about five years and should be replaced. It is important to keep a list of monitors and batteries with renewal dates somewhere obvious. Your life may be saved by paying attention to these safety measures.
Christine Munkerud is a volunteer with the Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors.