I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

In My Humble Opinion
1

My mother-in-law was putting something in a cabinet yesterday, and she pulled it over on herself, which knocked her into the bathtub where she cut her head. It pinned her in the tub for god knows how long…long story short, the paramedics took her to the hospital after she un-pinned herself and called her daughter. She’s OK, just a little shook up.

Anyhoo, we were thinking she might need one of those medical beeper thingys so she won’t have to lay there until the cats eat her. But we don’t know anyone who has used one. Any experience with these things in Doper Land? What’s the monthly cost? Is the response time good? Do they have them in bracelet form? (I was thinking…if the necklace gets turned around or stuck under your body, it’s not going to do you much good. A bracelet would be much more accessible).

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

2

Yes, my father had one as my mother was slipping into Alzheimer’s and he had bad arthritis, and before we got a full-time care person. IIR, price-shopping was a good idea.

It’s a button to turn on an autodialer, which had a recording and three numbers: another house on the property (a farm); the State Park HQ a mile away; and the Fire Department 15 miles away. And maybe the service.

It worked fine once. The other two times, my father decided not to push it as he didn’t want to disturb anyone (and believe me, he should have). The second time, he didn’t even let the live-in care person know. All you can do is what you can.

Comment: If you use this kind of thing, you want to test it once a month. That’s another reason to have an immediate neighbor as the first number, so you can test it with them.