It’s important to allow your mom and dad the freedom of independence for as long as possible, while still ensuring their safety. In order to accomplish this, many are turning towards medical alert systems with fall detection. To learn more about this type of technology and how you can implement it into your parent’s lives, read below:
What is a Medical Alert System With Fall Detection?
The device subscriber, in this case your parents, will wear a device at all times while they go throughout their daily routine. The pendant like device will alert an emergency response center, in the event a fall is detected. Your parent does not have to push a button in order for help to be sent.
How Does the Sensor Know a Fall Has Occurred?
Each pendant includes state-of-the art technology that detects motion. When the sensors detect a specific type of motion, relating to a fall, the pendant will automatically alert the emergency center and help will be sent immediately.
Is There Ever a Need to Press the Button?
As with most medical alert devices, this type of device will have a button, allowing the wearer to access help if desired on their own. No fall detection works 100% of the time, so wearers are advised to initiate the rescue process by pressing the button themselves if possible if they fall. The fall detection feature is more of a fail-safe element if a person is knocked out when falling and unable to call for help on their own by pressing a button.
Do Alerts Every go Off on Their Own?
Yes, as with all technology, even the best will occasionally send false alarms. For example, a false alert may go out if your parents drop their pendant necklace and it bounces just right, causing the device to think a fall has occurred. This type of false alarm might also occur if your parent accidently pushes the alert button on their necklace. In most cases, when this occurs, your parents can simply push their button twice, holding it for seven seconds. They will then get a call from the emergency center checking on their condition, they can then tell them they pushed the button or dropped their pendant by mistake and the emergency response will be canceled.
How This Technology Works
The technology behind the fall detection, medical device is pretty impressive. It contains a gyroscope, magnetometer and two accelerometers. When a fall is sensed, data is gathered for an additional 10 seconds. During this time, the data is analyzed via a cloud-based classifier. This determines if a fall has occurred. At this time, if the device concludes a fall has taken place, it will send out a “fall has been detected” notification and the emergency response center will begin sending help. This process amazingly takes all of about 30 to 45 seconds.
How The Device Should be Worn For Best Results?
To ensure the most accurate results when it comes to fall detection, encourage your parents to wear their fall detection button/pendant close to their body, preferably at the breast plate or chest level. Some people opt to wear it at their waist, using a belt clip, while others hang it from their neck with a lanyard. If your parents choose to wear it around their neck, make sure it’s close to their chest to get the best results. Tucking the pendant and lanyard into their clothing is ideal.
How You Set This Up
You love the idea of such a device for your parents, but worry it’s too advanced to set up. No need to fear. Every part of the device has been designed with ease-of-use in mind. Most come with simple, easy-to-follow instructions for set up.
