• Keep emergency numbers in large print near each phone. On the Refrigerator is good.
• Keep a phone close to the floor in case you fall and can’t get up.
• Think about wearing a MedFirst Alert Alarm pendant that will bring help in case you fall and can’t get up.

Floors – Look at the floor every room in the house

• When you walk through a room, do you have to walk around furniture? Arrange the furniture in the room so that you have a clear pathway.
• Do you have throw area rugs on the floor? Remove the rugs or use double-sided tape or a non-slip backing so the rugs won’t slip.
• Remove any objects lying around on the floor such as pet toys, magazines, etc.
• Remove or relocate cords or wires (like cords from lamps, extension cords, or telephone cords) so they are not in the way..

Stairs and Steps – Look at the stairs you use both inside and outside your home.

• Are papers, shoes, books, or other objects on the stairs?
  Pick up things on the stairs. Always keep objects off the stairs.
• Are some steps broken or uneven? Fix loose or uneven steps.
• Are you missing a light over the stairway? Have a handyman or an electrician put in an overhead light at the top and bottom of the stairs.
• Has the stairway light bulb burned out? Have a friend or family member change the light bulb.
• Do you have only one light switch for your stairs (only at the top or at the bottom of the stairs)?
  Have a handyman or an electrician put in a light switch at the top and bottom of the stairs. You can get light switches that glow.
• Are the handrails loose or broken? Is there a handrail on only one side of the stairs? Fix loose handrails or put in new ones. Make sure handrails are on both sides of the stairs and are as long as the stairs.
• Is the carpet on the steps loose or torn? Make sure the carpet is firmly attached to every step or remove the carpet and attach non-slip rubber treads on the stairs.

Kitchens – Look at your kitchen and eating area.

• Are the things you use often on high shelves? Move items in your cabinets. Keep things you use often on the lower shelves (about waist high).
• Is your step stool unsteady? Get a new, steady step stool with a bar to hold on to. Never use a chair as a step stool.

Bedrooms – Look at all your bedrooms.

• Is the light near the bed hard to reach? Place a lamp close to the bed where it is easy to reach.
• Is the path from your bed to the bathroom dark? Put in a night-light so you can see where you’re walking. Some night-lights go on by themselves after dark.

Bathrooms – Look at all your bathrooms.

• Is the tub or shower floor slippery? Put a non-slip rubber mat or self- stick strips on the floor of the tub or shower.
• Do you have some support when you get in and out of the tub or up from the toilet? Have a handyman or a carpenter put in a grab bar inside the tub and next to the toilet.

Other Things You Can Do To Prevent Falls

• Exercise regularly. Exercise makes you stronger and improves your balance and coordination.
• Have your doctor or pharmacist look at all the medicines you take, even over-the-counter medicines. Some medicines can make you sleepy or dizzy.
• Have your vision checked at least once a year by an eye doctor. Poor vision can increase your risk of falling.
• Get up slowly after you sit or lie down.
• Wear sturdy shoes with thin, non-slip soles. Avoid slippers and running shoes with thick soles.
• Improve the lighting in your home. Use brighter light bulbs (at least 60 watts). Use lamp shades or frosted bulbs to reduce glare.
• Use reflecting tape at the top and bottom of the stairs so you can see them better.
• Paint doorsills a different color to prevent tripping.

Making the decision to invest in a personal emergency response system (PERS) is  a decision that should be taken seriously.  Below are ten reasons most seniors invest in a quality medical alert system.

1) Because the longer a fall is left untreated the greater damage it has the potential to do. With so many lasting injuries to the elderly being the direct result of falls it’s important to have immediate access to care if or when a fall happens to you.

2) Because seconds matter when an accident occurs. Falls are the most common accidents experienced by the elderly. Many hospitalizations and even some deaths happen as a result of these falls. When it is you or a loved one that has fallen the longer it takes to get proper care, the longer it will take for recovery and the greater the odds of permanent injury or even death. Getting help quickly is the primary difference between a full recovery and permanent damage.

3) Peace of mind. Not only will you enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing there is someone out there who can help you get the care you need in the event of an emergency but it will also remove a huge burden from the shoulders of family members and loved ones who worry about you living on your own.

4) Allows you to maintain your own independence a little longer. If nothing else it will remove some of the sense of urgency your family feels to get you to move in with them or into an assisted care facility of some sort. The longer you can live on your own the greater your quality of life is likely to be.

5) Because you have more important things to worry about than “what if?” Seriously, life is short. Who has time to worry about “what if I fall in the shower or slip when getting out of the bed and can’t get to the phone?” You can quit worrying with a medical alert system because you will already have it covered.

6) Because it gives you an around the clock backup plan for when things go wrong. This is help that is available when you need it. It’s there on your schedule. No matter what time of day or night, the right service will have you covered for all manner of life’s little emergencies that we never seem to be prepared for no matter how much we plan.

7) Because you love someone who could benefit from around the clock monitoring. You don’t have to be the one using the service in order to benefit from it. If you have a loved one that is desperately clinging to independence you can give them the greatest gift available by purchasing a personal emergency response system for them.

As part of your emergency plan for friends and family. A good medical alert system is more than just a lifeline in a time of crisis (though that would certainly be worth every penny you pay for the service), it is also an emergency plan that contacts friends and family members when the crisis has happened and coordinates efforts to make sure you are cared for and not just receiving medical attention.

9) Because it provides instant and easy access to help in a time of crisis. Whether it’s a medical emergency, a personal safety issue, or any other crisis the medical alert system and monitoring are in place to serve you.

10) Because you never know when disaster will strike. It is always best to be prepared in a time of emergency. Since there is no crystal ball that will tell you every single emergency you’ll face in life this is one more component in your own personal safety net.

Falls have become increasingly on the upswing for seniors over the age of 65 according to the latest statistics from the CDC.  Many of these falls can be prevented just by changing a few things around the home and adjusting the lifestyle of our seniors.

Preventing falls and staying safe at home should be a top priority for seniors today who wish to remain at home during the golden years and forgo the assisted living route.  Below are a few tips to reduce your chance of falling and staying safe at home.

1. Start exercising today.

Most experts will tell you that beginning an exercise program will improve your balance and coordination.  From making your

bones stronger to elevating your mood, exercising has a host of beneficial and positive results.  Try to find a seniors class offering

Tai Chi or other low impact exercise routine.  One good place to start is your local YMCA.  Local YMCA  listings.

2. Safety-Proof your home.

Go through your home and remove all the things which may be potential tripping hazards (extension cords, mats, books,

magazines, clutter) from places where you walk.  Take special care to remove anything around and on the stairs.

If you have rugs, make sure they have non slip pads underneath and that the edges are taped down(double sided tape) securely to prevent them from rising up.

Keep items in the kitchen accessible so that you do not need a stool to reach them.

Place support or grab bars next to the tub, shower and toilet.

Use non-slip mats in the bathtub.

Make sure the lighting in the home is sufficient in all rooms.

Make sure you wear shoes that give good support and have non-slip soles.  Avoid wearing socks around the house.  Especially if you will be going up and down stairs.

3. Have your vision checked yearly by an eye doctor.

Poor vision increases the chances you may have a fall

4. Have a medical alert system in the home and use it!

Medical alert systems will not prevent a serious fall from occuring but in the event you do have an accident in or around your home, you need to be able to call for help.  Don’t count on being able to call or use a telephone.  Many times the phone will either be out of reach or you just can’t physically dial the numbers.  Your overall safety may depend on just how quickly help arrives at your doorstep.  Don’t take any chances here.

By following these safety precautions and having a medical alert system at home you will increase the likelyhood of remaining safe and independent.

More than 1/3 of adults age 65 and older fall each year according to the CDC and did you know that they are also the most common hospital admission?  Nearly 2 million people age 65 and older were treated at hospitals from falls.  For some reason, the rate of fall related deaths among older adults rose significantly over the past decade and we don’t really know why.

I would venture to say that falls among seniors is a very serious and ongoing problem that needs more attention from us as a society.

One way to shorten the response time for medical personnel to reach the home of senior fall victims is of course to have a working medical alert system or Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) at home.  Studies have shown that if help arrives quicker, seniors spend less time in the hospital and more time in their homes to recuperate and heal.

Falling at home is a really serious problem and once it happens some seniors develop a fear of falling which makes them more likely to fall in the future.

How can Seniors prevent falls?  Checkout our senior safety tips.  You can also get a brochure (http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/fallsmaterial.html) from the CDC.

Remember, having a medical alert system gives you access to 24 hour help in the event of any kind of emergency not just a fall.  These alert systems can also notify police in the event of a break in or call a family member.

Make sure you stay connected to help in your home

Imagine a medical alert device you wear everyday. When you need to make an emergency call, it works, and immediately connects you to a highly trained care specialist.

The device you’re imagining is a MedFirst Alert Personal Help Button supported by our Medical Alert Service. If you choose MedFirst Alert , in the event of a fall, you now have 24 hour emergency help available at your fingertips. Is your cell phone able to do that? Cell phones are very convenient, but they can’t give you the 24 hour emergency protection you need.

With a MedFirst Alert personal medical alert button, built for a specific purpose, and unmatched reliability, you can expect  24 hour round the clock emergency help when you need it the most. No worrying about dialing a cell phone or remembering a phone number. The Medfirst Alert System is always with you.  Around your neck, on your wrist or clipped to your belt, the choice is yours.

Here are just a few advantages of the MedFirst Alert system over a cell phone:

• 24 hour monitored medical alert
• Waterproof for use in a slippery shower or tub
• Always accessible in an emergency
• Convenience
• Automatic redialing, just in case
• Large, one button access to help
• No “downtime” for charging like a cell phone has
• Backup battery in case the power goes out in your home
• Prompt connection to a Care Specialist
• Assessment by Care Specialist using your personal medical profile and instructions
• Never out of reach

While cell phones are great for keeping in touch and talking to family, there is just no substitute for a medical alert system in and around the home for seniors and those with disabilities.

Just when you thought no one made house calls anymore you find that there is a system that, in a way, does just that. At a time when you are unable to get help, your medical alert system will bring help to you. But, how do these systems work and what is the catch?

Is there a catch?

There is no catch. The system itself is provided for you at no cost to you (if you are lucky enough to be reading this post).  When you order your system just mention the coupon code: 8093700.  There is a monthly monitoring fee but no annual contract. You can cancel at any time and for any reason. The system even has a self-diagnostic operation that is performed and a new system will be sent to you overnight (again free of charge) if something goes wrong with your existing unit.

Even the installation is easy enough that you should be able to do it on your own. You simply plug the base unit into the wall and then plug the telephone cord into your wall jack. The next thing you need to do is test the device to ensure it is working properly. You do this by pressing the wireless button and waiting for the care specialist to respond to you and conform that the system is in fact working. Voila!

How does it work?

When an emergency happens (intruder, chest pains, fall, etc.) you need to press the button on your wireless transmitter (the button on your pendant or wrist band). Within two seconds of the button being pressed you will be connected with a live operator who will discuss your situation with you and contact the proper point of contact for whatever will come next.

Your operator will have a list of information that is specific to you and includes contact information for physician, neighbors, friends, family, and hospital of choice if necessary so he or she can quickly get in touch with the people who need to be contacted in the event of an emergency. They have also been trained to immediately contact emergency personnel if they are unable to hear you on the other end of the line.

After the conversation with the care specialist, the proper people, according to your preferences, will be contacted so they can arrive to provide assistance. In an actual emergency, minutes can be critical. With the one button ease of your alarm monitor there are no phone numbers to remember or try to dial, you do not have to worry about making it to the phone, and you do not need to worry if you feel you cannot speak. Help will arrive for you and all you have to do is press one button.

Why should you consider home medical alert systems for you or your loved ones? The simple reason is because those minutes matter so much. Hours matter even more and days can be fatal between the moment of the actual emergency and when help arrives. An alert system will have help on the way in a matter of minutes rather than hours or days and that can mean the difference between full recovery and maintaining an independent lifestyle or needing to be admitted to a nursing home or even death.

Currently, most state Medicaid programs do not pay for home medical alert systems.  These medical alert systems are often referred to as Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS). In order to obtain Medicaid funding, a local Medicaid waiver is required in most municipalities. For example, the state of New York requires PERS providers to collect personal data from each subscriber of medical alert systems.  It’s my opinion that unless you are willing to just hand over your personal and confidential information to government employees that you should think twice about having Medicaid pay for your home medical alert system.

This personal data which must be provided to the state is:

• The client’s name, telephone number and address, including an apartment number and floor, where applicable;

• Personal medical history, including age, sex, medical condition, primary diagnosis, and other relevant medical history;

• The name, telephone number, and address of each person whom the PERS recipient has designated as the emergency responders;

• The name, telephone number and address of the person whom the PERS client has designated as his/her representative, if different from the emergency responder;

• The client’s written authorization for the emergency response organization and emergency responder to enter his/her home and provide emergency treatment and transportation; and

• The name, telephone number, and address of the client’s physician and preferred hospital.

If you are willing to give up this personal data to state and local government employees, then maybe you should think about applying for a Medicaid waiver in order to purchase a home medical alert system. For many of us, the amount of personal and confidential information required is simply not worth it. Once this information is in a government database, who will have access to it in the future? How will this information be used? Could it affect your health care costs down the road?

Could there be certain circumstances where the risks of releasing your private information to government employees are justified?  One such reason may be the cost of having a home medical alert system. If $30 to $50 a month for the system is just not financially possible, then it may warrant divulging your private and confidential information in order for you to remain independent and secure in your home.

In conclusion, know that if you choose to apply for a Medicaid waiver to obtain a home medical alert system that you will have to share your private and confidential information with your state or local municipality in order to obtain Medicaid funding.  Decide for yourself whether this is something you are need and are willing to do.

I encourage your comments and responses on whether or not Medicaid should pay for home medical alert systems.