My mother had the pendant and the only time she took it off was when she went out in the car. She’d get her car keys from the hook and then put her pendant on the hook. This way she would always remember to put the pendant back on when she returned home. I think it’s a lifesaver. She fell two times and was assisted each time.
Echoing others. First you have to wear it. Neighbor fell twice in one day–first time D was around. Second time he laid on the floor for two hours until she happened to return. . Got the service but the device was on the dresser in another room.
My SIL got my mom Life Alert, and she wore it. Mostly. But she is a person who doesn’t think it’s a problem if she’s fallen and can’t get up – and is not gushing blood and/or nothing is broken. She no longer has Life Alert because we know she wouldn’t use it.
My 89-year-old mom claimed she didn’t need a button because she always carried her cell with her. She was charging the phone on the dresser overnight a little while back when she fell as she got out of bed and was rushing to the bathroom. Took her half an hour to crawl to her phone. So 10 days in the hospital getting a hip replacement revision, then two months in rehab, then two weeks at home with 24/7 care. She hated the full-time home care and begged for the button instead.
I’d already researched the Phillips Lifeline button (she’d fallen several times in the past and broken other parts of her body). We ordered the Go Safe pendant with fall detection. It arrived a week ago and mom and brother (who lives very close to her) managed to break the cord while testing the breakaway function. Apparently once it breaks apart it can’t get put together again (don’t know why not, my cat’s collar can be reattached).
So now as far as I know, mom and brother are still waiting for a new cord and haven’t set it up yet. Argh. Mom is getting part-time help three days a week but I just hope she is always carrying her cell. And we didn’t actually get a GoSafe with GPS - they’re on back order - we got the HomeSafe. I think I’ll email bro and find out what the heck is going on.
Oh - Mom started asking about using a wristband instead of a pendant. I said I didn’t think that would be too effective for fall detection…wave your arm once and they think you’re down.
Mom and bro got the Lifeline set up late last week and it was already used this evening. Mom had trouble catching her breath, pushed the button, and the paramedics came and took her to the hospital. She’s on oxygen and is OK at the moment. So we already got our money’s worth.
Can’t get my Dad to ever wear the pendant. He leaves it hanging next to the bed. I call every day and beg him to put it on. He just doesn’t listen. I don’t know why we did it but signed a two year contract. Paying $39.95 a month for a plastic pendant on his nightstand.
I would recommend paying month to month until you are sure it will actually be worn.
We got it for my mom when she was alone in the house with my dad, who had been incapacitated by a stroke. If she fell, he would have no way of helping her, or even calling for help. It took forever to convince her to wear it, but eventually she learned to keep it on anytime she was alone in the house. Since dad died in December she continues to wear it at all times when is in the house - except when she is in the shower, which is where she’s most likely to fall. Ugh…She was a pendant, though I think she would prefer something that clips to her pants, like a pedometer.
I wonder if people our age will need these types of systems, since we’re all so used to cell phones. I even use some care now. I do a lot of work around the house, so when I am on a project, I keep a cell phone on the floor nearby. figure that if I fall, it’s easier to crawl to a phone than reach for it on a table.