Personal Emergency Response Systems

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.