A
common misconception is that by pressing the Personal Help Button an
ambulance will automatically be sent to your home. However, pressing the
help button connects you to a Personal Response Associate who
communicates with you through the HealthAlliance Medical Alert base unit
and decides with your input what assistance is dispatched.
The
Associate will access your medical history and information, and assess
the situation. They can contact a neighbor, loved one, or the
appropriate emergency responder based on your needs, and will follow up
to ensure you are receiving assistance.
The HealthAlliance
Medical Alert Service Personal Help Button is also available with a fall
detection device capable of detecting a fall. If you are unresponsive
or unconscious following a fall detected by the button, the
HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service Response Center will dispatch help.
According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, one out
of three adults age 65 and older falls each year. Roughly 25% of those
people suffered injuries such as lacerations, fractures and head trauma.
Not being able to get up after a fall can worsen injuries and cause
conditions such as:
Pressure Ulcers: Usually known as ‘bed sores’, pressure
ulcers are caused by unrelieved pressure. These can extend to damage
deeper tissues if assistance does not come.
Rhabdomyolysis: When muscle tissue is damaged, unwanted
proteins are released into the bloodstream, which can clog the kidneys
and even cause acute kidney failure.
Dehydration: Without access to water after a fall,
dehydration can lead to low blood pressure, confusion, shock, brain
damage and organ failure.
Hypothermia: Lying still in a cold room can reduce body temperature, and can affect heart function.
Aspiration Pneumonia: A fall can force fluid, food, and other foreign matter into the lungs after a fall, causing a serious lung infection.
The CDC has several suggestions for preventing falls, including:
Regular exercise: Focus on improving leg strength and balance with practices like Tai Chi.
Medicine review: Ask a doctor or pharmacist to check if any
of your prescribed or over-the- counter medications could cause
drowsiness or dizziness.
Vision: Get an eye exam at least once a year and regularly update eyeglasses to maximize vision.
Home safety: Reduce tripping hazards, add grab bars and railings, and improve lighting.
Nutrition: Be sure to get adequate calcium and Vitamin D.
Osteoporosis: Be screened and treated, if applicable.
You can get HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service for a little more
than a dollar a day. You are not required to buy any equipment or make a
long-term commitment. There are no hidden or extra fees.
HealthAlliance Medical Alert (formerly Kingston Hospital Medical
Alert) has been providing Personal Emergency Response Services to
Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Delaware, Sullivan & Dutchess County
residents for over 30 years. The benefits include:
• Helping you live independently and safely.
• Helping you continue to live in the comfort of your own home.
• Prompt, caring assistance at the touch of a button – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• Security.
MedAlert
371 Broadway
Kingston, NY 12401
Phone: 845.334.2747
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