Personal Emergency Response Systems

The Statewide Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver for the state of Tennessee  is approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to serve 3,700 elderly and disabled individuals. This Waiver provides a community-based, cost-effective alternative to institutional nursing facility care for individuals who are eligible for level 1 nursing home care and are financially eligible.

ELIGIBILITY

Individuals wishing to enroll in the HCBS Waiver must meet the following requirements:

1. Be a resident of the State of Tennessee;
2. Meet the financial requirements to receive Medicaid as determined by the Department of Human Services;
3. Meet TennCare Pre-Admission Evaluation (PAE) medical criteria for level 1 nursing facility care;
4. Be an adult over the age of 21;
5. Be able to receive services in the home at a cost less than that of institutional care; and
6. Have an identified  caregiver available to assure the health, safety, and welfare of the individual.

SERVICES

Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) – PERS, often referred to as medical alert systems or medical alarm systems is an electronic device which enables certain individuals at high risk of institutionalization to secure help in an emergency.  The individual may also wear a portable “help” button to allow for mobility.  The system is connected to the person’s phone and programmed to signal a response center once a “help” button is activated. The response center is staffed by trained professionals.  PERS services are limited to those individuals who are alone for significant parts of the day, who have no regular caregiver for extended periods of time, and who would otherwise require extensive routine supervision.

For More information:  http://www.tn.gov/comaging/waiver.html

For more information on medical alert systems and how they work, give us a call toll free anytime and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

PERS or Personal emergency response systems are devices that are used for homes to connect a senior or an elderly person to a 24-hour call center with a single push of a button. This comes with a transmitter that is usually worn around the neck as pendant or as wristband. When the button is pressed, it sends a signal to the receiver that is connected to the caller’s home telephone line. When a senior pushes the button, the staff that receives the call will immediately evaluate the situation; here, the staff will make an assessment whether he will call a paramedic or just call a designated friend or family member. PERS are mostly set up in a way to give the elderly the opportunity to talk to a call center representative from anywhere inside the house.

PERS is best for parent, an elderly, or a senior who is having a heart attack, slip, or fall somewhere in the house or even in the yard.

What are the things included in a Personal Emergency Response System?

A basic PERS package consists of two essential things: the equipment and the call service. The equipment will include the receiver console that is plugged into a typical telephone jack; it also comes with a battery-operated push-button transmitter that is usually used as a pendant or a wristband. When the user pushes the button anywhere in the house, it will signal the receiver console to connect to the emergency response center.

Like any other systems, the console serves as a communication medium between the home and the emergency response center and functions like a powerful version of the speaker mode of a telephone. If in case your dad falls or slips in the bathroom and presses his PERS button, he can have a simultaneous conversation with the staff who received his call; conversations are audible even when the console is in a different room. Like any speaker phone system, the range of communication may vary depending on the size and design of the house.

PERS plays a very vital role in the lives of our parents, the seniors, and the elderly. They literally serve as the bridge so that the person in the emergency situation can cross the road between life and an untimely death.

What does PERS mean?

PERS stands for Personal Emergency Response System. PERS works in simple ways and only involves three components:

• a small radio transmitter (it should be lightweight, battery operated that can be easily carried in a pocket or in a chain around the neck or wrist band)

• a console that connects to the user’s telephone

• an emergency response center that recognizes and monitors every call

When someone needs an emergency help, such us medical, fire, or police assistance, PERS users may press the ‘help’ button which will immediately send a radio signal to the console which is connected to the user‘s telephone. The console will automatically dial one or more of the pre-selected emergency phone numbers. One of the most important features of PERS is its capability to dial even when the phone is currently in use or off the hook.

When the emergency response center is reached, the caller is immediately identified which will then allow the emergency center to determine the cause of emergency, review the caller’s medical history, and connect to the appropriate medical professionals or caregiver. If in case the center can not reach the caller or know the actual nature of the emergency, they will notify the emergency providers to go to the home of the caller to provide medical assistance. Most of the ‘help’ buttons are water-resistant so they can be worn even in pools and the shower.

Two Types of Emergency Response Centers

I. Provider-based Centers: these are usually located within the area of the loved ones. They usually operate out of the hospitals and social service agencies.

II. Manufacturer-based Centers: these centers usually operate from one location, i.e., national center.

Personal Emergency Response Centers are open 24/7.

Do Personal Emergency Response Systems work outside?

Most PERS have a range of 200-400 ft. in and around the house. Range is affected by walls and other structures. For this reason, it is best advised to test the range of the Personal Emergency Response System first so that you will know the coverage area of the system used by your loved one.

PERS or Personal Emergency Response Systems provide independence and peace of mind for the senior using the system. For less than a dollar a day, you can provide the protection your loved one deserves.

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.

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.

Although Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) are primarily for seniors, this is just one segment of the population that MedFirst Alert serves. Our subscribers consist of those with disabilities young and old. Whether it’s a person with diabetes, heart conditions, severe arthritis, we have helped many cope with living at home alone by giving them the security and peace of mind knowing that emergency help is only a touch away.

Regardless of age, people want to remain independent at home and Personal Emergency Response Systems allow them to do just that. In an emergency situation subscribers activate a pendant around their neck or a wrist band which contains a small transmitter. This transmitter notifies our specially trained operators who have instant access to the callers medical history, their physician, neighbor, or caregiver. If it is determined that emergency personnel needs to be notified, it is done within seconds of the call coming in to our monitoring station.

MedFirst Alert is a major provider of Personal Emergency Response Systems in the United States and is headquartered in South Carolina. Call us today at 1-800-595-0718 to request a free brochure for more information.

Learn more about how Personal Emergency Response Systems work.