Experience with panic alarm for elderly?

R0C

My Grandmother's home is being targeted by travellers and they have left an indication that they will be returning in the near future to break into her home.

She is a very stubborn woman and is not taking this threat seriously, and is refusing to leave her home.

She is in her late 80s and lives alone in a rural region.

Her general health isn't great and she has had a stroke this year.

The Gardai are not being helpful.

I want to get my Grandmother some kind of panic alarm which she can wear on her arm or around her neck, as soon as possible. I had hoped that perhaps I could call someone about this today and sort something out but so far after ringing several companies I am being told that it will take around 3 months to get an alarm.

Can anyone advise me on how I could go about sorting out something quicker?

She has an extremely high sense of pride that cannot be argued with.

I don't want to give too many details but there is very strong evidence that the travellers will be returning within the very near future, and the best option we have at the moment is that my Grandmother will hear them, get out of bed, locate her phone and glasses, and ring the Gardai. The usual waiting times in this region for Gardai are atrocious and I do not want to see it play out like that.

Anyone's experience with panic alarms appreciated and perhaps you can PM me with any companies that can do something asap for us.

Thanks.

fred funk }{

3 months :eek:

Any company should be able to get a basic wireless system with a panic button pendant installed very quickly.

Make sure who ever you get is licenced, the register is http://www.psa.gov.ie/Website/psa/psa.nsf/registervw?Openform

And a list of installers is here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055956748

byhookorbycrook

My mam got one through Muintir na Tíre. Of course,when she fell and broke her hip, it was in the drawer...downstairs:rolleyes:

Has your mam a nice big fierce dog?

R0C

I'll start trying people on the list and see if I have any better luck.

My Grandmother is in rural County Mayo, and no, she has no dog or any form of protection, and the best advice the Gardai could come up with was "Can't she go stay with someone for the time being?" :rolleyes:

Now that's easy to say, but this is the home she worked hard for all her life, it is her entire life and she hates to be taken away from her peaceful routine. She wants to listen to her radio and watch her TV and do her crosswords in peace, she had a long hard life and is entitled to that at this stage of her life. And she's not willing to change her ways or go anywhere.

Before reporting the issues to the Gardai, I had hoped that as the travellers left very clear evidence that they would be returning in the coming days, I thought perhaps the Gardai could sit somewhere and wait for their arrival and catch them in action (or perhaps monitor them via CCTV), but they won't even promise to drive past her house while patrolling in the early hours of the morning as "You just don't know with travellers when they will turn up."

I had put all of my faith in a panic alarm, so I've been very disappointed today that everyone so far has told me it'll take 3 months, meanwhile my Grandmother is alone again tonight with a phone she can barely use as her only connection to the outside world, and a sense of pride that means she won't allow anyone in the family to stay with her.

I will drive past her house a couple of times tonight to keep an eye, though I live 20 miles away, and start work at 7 a.m.

I don't have any other options though until we get her sorted with some kind of alarm.

Thanks for your replies.

altor

If you are going to pay for the unit with no grant then there should be no delay. If you go on the list for this device then she would be waiting 3 months or more in some cases. The grant available is for if your over 65 living alone. The installer gets paid for the install and the person living there pays €66 per year to the monitoring station. There is also a grant for smoke, Carbon Monoxide Detectors (€40) Plus external lights (€80). You will need to contact your local authority for more details.

R0C

Thanks for the info, altor. That could be where the problem is arising, nobody mentioned a grant to me, and I explained the situation to them, but perhaps they assumed I would still want a grant for this.

I'm not very well up on grants, so your response is appreciated.

I'll get back onto them this morning and see what can be done.

altor

R0C wrote: »

Thanks for the info, altor. That could be where the problem is arising, nobody mentioned a grant to me, and I explained the situation to them, but perhaps they assumed I would still want a grant for this.

I'm not very well up on grants, so your response is appreciated.

I'll get back onto them this morning and see what can be done.

Your welcome, I would think that is the case as if you get an installer to buy one of these units they will install it in 10 minutes for you.

Thoie

Can you at least make sure there's no more than petty cash in the house for the moment? Inform someone else (like another trusted relative/neighbour) what you're doing with her cash/valuables if you're taking them from the house - sometimes after a stroke people can get a bit paranoid that people are stealing from them, and you don't want her to think that you're out to get her.

Sarahkennn

Hi,
I'm looking to get somne sort of panic alarm for my 70 year old dad. Anyone know how to apply for a grant? Does anyone know a good panic alarm system?

altor

Sarahkennn wrote: »

Hi,
I'm looking to get somne sort of panic alarm for my 70 year old dad. Anyone know how to apply for a grant? Does anyone know a good panic alarm system?

You need to get in touch with your local authority.
You will have to apply for the grant to have one installed.
If you pay for the system to be installed you wont be left waiting on a list.

RangeR

Have you considered a DORO Mobile Phone. eMobile sell the 614 [big buttons, big on screen text text, clamshell]. It's got an emergency [panic button] on the back of the clam shell. You can configure the panic alert to SMS up to 5 definable numbers, then activates speakerphone [this thing is loud] and rings up to 3 to 5 numbers [stops dialing after an answer].

So in the case of an emergency, the user presses the button and no longer has to worry about holding the phone. The theory is, within a few seconds, someone will be on the other end of the phone and can converse.

Only downside is... I got this for the MIL a few months ago. I get 2 or 3 false alarms every week. It's now gotten to the stage where I wait 2 minutes THEN ring her. She cancels the call and texts me that it's a false alarm. It's so easy to press.

littlevillage

Sorry if I am re-opening an old thread.

With the spate of rural robberies recently.

I am looking to get some form of panic alarm for my parents (they live in a house in the countryside and are in their 80's)

What is the best and most sensible solution ? I know they may not qualify for a grant as they are not living alone.

Also I was considering getting some outside lights

anyone have any advice ?

PS. My mom already has a DORO mobile phone with a panic button on it. Too be honest it does not work very well.
You have to push the button constantly for a couple of minutes to get the alarm to sound and only then does it ring the configured number as well.

KoolKid

The most reliable option would be a full monitored home alarm with wireless panic buttons. This will give them coverage whether they are home or out. You will also have the comfort that the Guards will be contacted if a panic button is activated.
Some good sensor lights around would help also.

Stoner

There is task community in city north.

You get a monitoring service something like that might work in your area Google them.
The one I know of is only 60 Euro a year and you get a call station at home and one to carry around on your neck. Its a talk back service, very nice people at the other end

2011

Stoner wrote: »

There is task community in city north.

You get a monitoring service something like that might work in your area Google them.
The one I know of is only 60 Euro a year and you get a call station at home and one to carry around on your neck. Its a talk back service, very nice people at the other end

That is a fantastic deal!

2011

Does anyone know if there any other areas with a similar deal in place?

KoolKid

For medical monitoring alone?