CallSafe wise choice for seniors who live alone

Living alone can be great. You can do what you want, when you want, and no one is hogging the remote.

It’s not like living completely alone if you have furry roommates, but unless they are well-versed in 911 calls, they are basically there for comfort and enjoyment, which brings me to my next point: Having taken a header into large pieces of furniture on numerous occasions, I can fully appreciate the importance of having an upright companion with phone skills.

But there is a way to have the security of someone being nearby while still living alone.

CallSafe, an emergency response system provided by St. Joseph Healthcare, can put peace of mind at your fingertips. With the system, you won’t have to worry about being unable to reach help if you have taken a spill.

The CallSafe system is affordable at $31 a month, and there’s no installation fee, unless extensive travel is required for installation. A small, battery-operated call button can be worn around the neck or on the wrist. A receiver box plugs into the phone jack, while the telephone plugs directly into the receiver box.

Though the initial setup is simple, the CallSafe installer spends about 45 minutes with the client explaining and testing the system until both parties are comfortable with the device.

When the call button is pressed, the receiver box triggers an alert to the call center, which is located in Florida and staffed by specially trained operators. The client’s specific information, such as name, address, names and phone numbers of three emergency contacts and any medical conditions, show up on the operator’s computer screen.

“Response time is less than 30 seconds from the time the button is pushed until the operator’s voice comes over the receiver and asks if everything is all right,” said Dennis Dodge, service administrator for CallSafe. “If the response center can hear the client, then they do what the client requests. But if the center can’t hear the client, the operator calls the first emergency contact, providing that person is close by. Otherwise, the operator makes a judgment call and gets an ambulance [to the residence]. The range of the receiver is about 100 feet.”

The units come with a lifetime warranty, free maintenance and a battery backup system in case of power failure.

“Sometimes you see ads on television for this type of system offered by big companies out of state,” Dodge said. “But getting one locally ensures proper service and maintenance of the equipment.”

CallSafe can be used for as long or short a time as needed.

“There are no requirements at all to get CallSafe, and it doesn’t need a doctor’s orders,” said Dodge.

But even clients who recognize this need may be reluctant to press the call button.

“They tell me that they don’t want to be a bother to the call center operators,” he said. “I tell them, ‘You’re the reason they have a job. If you don’t use the service the operators could be out of work.’ When I say that, their attitude shifts and they don’t feel like a burden.”

Clients are encouraged to use the call button if they are not feeling well, hear a noise outside and are frightened or concerned, need the fire department, or are just lonely and want to hear a friendly voice. Operators are always willing to chat and provide a comforting ear.

CallSafe is available in all of eastern Maine. For information, call Dodge at St. Joseph Hospital at 262-1195.

Eastern Maine Healthcare also has an emergency response system called Lifeline.

Carol Higgins is director of communications at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information in EAA, call 941-2865, e-mail info@eaaa.org, or log on to www.eaaa.org.