I needed some information on medical emergency systems. My dad is 84 and my mum is 79. They live on their on in their sprawling house in Missouri. Nothing can get them to move out. They want to live on their own with limited assistance to keep their pride and independence intact. I wanted to know if these medical alarms remind them to have their meals and medication on time. Which are the best options available?

Thanks for the product info. Those are good points. For a while we made do with a part time CG, and 2 phone calls a day from invalid bro who sent up an alert if he couldn't get her to answer. Then other bro or me would dash over there. We went to 24/7 when she started needing a walker, 4 1/2 years ago.

I have seen some really ugly ones, too. Prompt help if there is a fall makes all the difference, but there is always going to be a lot of but ifs about anything you try.

I am glad to meet someone who tries. So many just want to find out how to get out of it. Welcome to ECO.

Bobcat, I think the purpose of the waterproof pendants and watches is to encourage users to keep them on 24hrs. I also think it is smart to choose one that is stylish for the same reason. Frankly, some of the options out there are ugly and very cheap-looking. I can understand wanting to take them off all the time! We had success with the Phillips Lifeline product. It is quite expensive however, and I think there are several comparable options that charge lower monthly rates. I have no experience with the medicine reminders, sorry.

steved, at the beginning of momma duty, we thought to try a bracelet or pendant, for her, but the trick is, they have to remember to wear it and then want to use it.
Your info is interesting. I have wondered though, about any automated reminder system. I just don't have a lot of faith in them f there is progressive dementia.

I would really ike to hear about your application and the results.

Welcome to ECO. Tell us about your care giving situation please.

Another reminder system combined with a medical alert is offered by Rescue Alert .

As a follow-up to my last post, there is indeed a product for medicine reminders offered by Phillips. It is called Carepartner. It works along with the Phillips medical alert service, which is called Lifeline.

I was very frustrated trying to find reliable comparisons of these medical alert services. My mother needs one because she has fallen several times but wants to remain in her house (alone). Consumer Reports does not review them, and neither does AARP. So I took matters into my own hands and studied most of the big providers, then posted the results on my legal Web site.

In short, be careful out there. There are some companies you'll probably want to stay away from. Watch out for outfits with long-term contracts, big up-front fees and no refunds. The good news: there are several decent choices out there. Anyone interested can see my results here.

I did not look into the issue of medicine reminder services, but I don't remember seeing this offered with any alert services. I'd guess it would be expensive. If I come across something I'll post a follow up here.

quote:

Help on Medical Alerts

Medical Alert card or bracelet is really the best. They maintain a computer database of all your medical information

Hi Sarah, and welcome. We're glad you found us.
I don't know anything about the "reminder systems", but I did find one emergency system that my husband accepted quite well.
I found it at Radio Shack. There's a little box that hooks up to the phone, and your LO wears a (heart shaped!) pendant around their neck. You can program the box with up to 4 telephone numbers. When a button on the pendant is pushed, the system automatically calls each of the numbers, until somebody answers the phone. Neighbors, relatives, etc.
I entered 911 as the last call. ALSO, if a button is pushed on the pendant, it makes a sound like an air horn. Very useful if something happens in one corner of a 'sprawling home', or if one of them is outside. It gave all of us a measure of comfort.
I bought it a couple of years ago, and it was around $50. They can't have gone up too much.
The hardest part will be getting Daddy to wear a necklace.

Welcome in Sarah glad to have you.
Have you looked into this company yet?

http://www.quietcare.com/

Heres a story on CNET
http://www.news.com/Taking-your-meds-Sensors-will-know/...11393_3-6194845.html

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bunnys_grl,

I found this google page that can give you an idea of what's out there, and a lot of links to companies that may have additional things to offer.
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=medical+emergency+alarms&um=1&ie=UTF-8

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bobcat,

Welcome Sarah, it's good to have you join us. I can appreciate your parents' desore to be as independent as possible for as long as possible.

I have not used a system of that sort so I really don't know, but I 'ld try the AARP and Consumer Reports sites. Hopefully someone here will have had some experience with such a system. I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for. Something like the bracelet or necklace the lets them call for help, or a reminder system clock type of thing?

You sound like a loving and concerned daughter. Is there any specific reason why you feel they need such a system? Have they had falls, or missed meds, losing weight? Perhaps you could tell us more about your (their ) situation. Many newcomers introduce themselves in the New Caregiver's Meeting Room. The more info we have, the better tuned our responses will be.

Nice to meet you.