Let's Talk About Aging
"Help I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up" PERS Devices with Jenna Lindholm
Jenna Lindholm talks about PERS devices (Personal Emergency Response Systems), how they work, and how to acquire one as a safety device for older adults and persons with dementia.
Jenna Lindholm talks about PERS devices (Personal Emergency Response Systems), how they work, and how to acquire one as a safety device for older adults and persons with dementia.
Good morning. This is Kitty Glomski along with
Brooke:my cohost Brooke Mainville
Kitty Glomski:from Region 9 Area Agency and Aging and another episode of Let's Talk About Aging.
Brooke:Today I have a special guest Jenna Lindholm, do you want to introduce yourself, Jenna?
Jenna:Hey, Brooke. Thanks for having me. Sure. I am a nurse and I have worked with the Area Agency on Aging for 11 years now. I'm here to talk about the Personal Emergency Response System.
Brooke:Those also known as PERS.
Jenna:Yes. PERS are devices that help individuals get assistance in emergencies. People may have heard of them through Lifeline's famous"help I've fallen and I can't get up!" commercials.
Brooke:Yeah.
Jenna:Those ads really brought awareness to the idea of what we call PERS and highlighted the importance of these devices. They can really truly be a lifesaver in those moments when you've fallen and you can't get up.
Brooke:Yeah, I think that this is a great topic to talk about today. I remember seeing those commercials on TV, and they're still relevant today. That's true. Jenna, what is the purpose of personal emergency response systems?
Jenna:These systems are designed to provide a peace of mind for individuals, families and users by connecting them to emergency services or caregivers right through the push of a button. So you don't have to be able to reach your phone. You wear a device and you can push it for help.
Brooke:That already sounds like one benefit, but are there other benefits of owning a PERS device? There are more benefits owning a PERS device. They are lifeline in critical situations, especially for seniors living alone, or those with medical conditions. Like I said, it's a push of a button and help is on the way. This reduces response time and potentially saves lives. And I'm sure there's statistics out there of how many lives it saves. Do you know what the different options are available? With the commercial you talked about the necklaces, but is that the only type out there?
Jenna:No, it's not. They have come a long way since we saw those commercials in the 90s. There are various forms to suit different needs. There are wearable options like the pendant. There's watches. There's discrete buttons that can be placed around the home. And, these units now are even mobile. So they work both indoors and outdoors.
Brooke:That's nice because, you can still be active and have these devices. Maybe you just live alone and you just want it for winter days or going outside. So that's nice that they have those options now.
Jenna:It really is. We have individuals that have these units and I know we have a an individual who loved gardening and she fell outside and was just scared to go out and do her gardening anymore. By getting her a PERS that was mobile that she could take outdoors she felt safe to participate in that activity again.
Brooke:That's amazing because through Region 9, one of our goals is to allow people to stay in the community longer and live the life they want to live.
Jenna:Any opportunity we have to help people keep living the fullest life in the community, it's one that we want to take and these are a great option for people.
Brooke:Yeah, so are there different brands or is it all just one brand?
Jenna:When it comes to brands, the market has a range of options. There's companies like QMedic, Pain Care, Guardian, which is now combined with Medscope. Of course, there's Lifeline from the famous commercials. And, all of these companies are really known for reliability and innovation in the PERS industry. There are other options out there. There's a wide variety available, on Amazon through phone providers, all sorts of things.
Brooke:So people just need to do some research and finding what one fits best for them.
Jenna:Without a doubt. And, if you have questions about PERS, we have ones that are vetted vendors and you can contact the Area Agency on Aging, and we can help give you some referrals to some providers that we use.
Brooke:Okay. So you're just talking about Region 9 does have a program for PERS. What does that program look like in case someone is interested?
Jenna:Yes, our program offers subsidizing the cost of PERS for eligible individuals, it's definitely worth checking into with one of our intake specialists to see if they qualify. You just need to call and speak to our intake specialist.
Brooke:Do you have the intake specialist phone numbers?
Jenna:We have 3 different offices that serve our different areas. So if you are in Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Presque Isle, or the City of Oscoda, you can call 989-358-4631. If you are in Cheboygan, Lewiston, or Otsego Counties, you can call 989-358-4740. And if you are in Arenac, Crawford, Iosco, Ogemaw, Oscoda, or Roscommon Counties, you can call 989-272-2268 and this information, the contact information and the main line for the Area Agency on Aging information is also on our website.
Brooke:Great. Our website is www. NEMCSA. org. And Jenna, how does one go about getting a device?
Jenna:Accessing a PERS system is pretty straightforward. You can purchase one directly from any of these providers that we've talked about today. And installation is usually simple. The companies offer customer support and they'll come out and assist you with setup. Most PERS devices do not require Wi Fi to operate. They rely on cellular networks. This makes them accessible, even in areas with limited internet coverage, and they're typically designed for seniors and individuals with medical conditions, ensuring that they can be used by those who need them most. And I do want to hop back to the network availability because we do have people in our region who don't have good cell coverage. There are still some vendors who offer PERS units who are operated by your home phone line too.
Brooke:Okay, great. We talked about contacting Region 9 to see potentially if you qualify for a PERS through us, but what is the average cost of a PERS device?
Jenna:PERS devices can vary based on the features, the brand, basic models might start around$30 a month, and then if you get into some more advanced GPS tracking, fall detection systems, you can start to see the price go up a little bit from there.
Brooke:If someone is a wanderer from dementia, GPS tracking might be great for that as well. Or like you said, fall prevention, that's always a great thing to have.
Jenna:Anything that's going to give our participants, the seniors in our communities, and their caregivers a peace of mind.
Brooke:One of their biggest benefits is just peace of mind for everyone involved. Wouldn't you say Jenna?
Jenna:Without a doubt.
Brooke:Jenna, is there anything else that you want to add about the personal emergency response systems?
Jenna:Whether you're considering one for yourself or a loved one, remember these devices can provide invaluable support during emergencies. And I recently was reading about, for my own potential use, how Apple Watches have the ability to add a family member. So you could get them the Apple Watch device if you're an Apple user. And Without them having to connect it to a cell phone, you would pay like the$20 or$30 a month fee to have it be a cellular apple watch added to your plan and they don't have to have a cell phone connected to it and you can manage it as a family member. I was looking into it for my children, but this is something that can be used for families and caregivers and loved ones because those watches also do have some of that stuff. They have location tracking, they have fall detection built into some of the devices now, and you can get emergency services with the sound of your voice. So, that's like a newer tech it's not technically a PERS, but it could meet that need for some people.
Brooke:Yeah, I teach matter balance a fall prevention 8 week workshop and we talk about Apple watches, because I think that they look modern. They look sleek. If you have wifi or you're. Telephone was close by. It will work. But like you said, adding that$15 to$20 a month allows you to go to the grocery store and not worry. Another device that I tend to talk about too, Jenna, is having Amazon Alexas through your house.
Jenna:I think that when some of the technology and caregiver stuff that we've recently put out and I've attended some of them they, they touched on that how having Alexa around, you've got a voice assistant that you can call out to. So when you say help I've fallen and I can't get up, you can say that to Alexa and she can respond and help you get connected. If you're in a traditional PERS, if it's not the fit for someone. There is other tech out there to help them achieve their goals of feeling safe in the community.
Brooke:I agree. Even with my grandma, we put her cell phone on a lanyard. So she always had her cell phone around her neck and she almost fell to the ground a couple of times was able to catch herself and call my uncle and he was able to drive there and help her before she actually fell. One big thing too is always just make sure that you have your cell phone on you and then it's charged as well. We just want to make sure that you're staying safe because we never know when we might have an accident out in the community or in our homes. I think it's 60%, 60 or 80 percent of falls happen in your own home.
Jenna:Falls are one of the leading causes of nursing home admissions, and that's not something we want to see. So we want to try and prevent those as much as possible.
Brooke:I agree. I think that falls are very damaging to older adults in the population. Statistics are there to prove it. If we can do anything, if that's modifying our home, carrying our cell phones, getting a PERS device, whatever it may be to limit that and avoid it, I think it's definitely beneficial to do. Thank you for coming on Jenna. You talked about an important device or technology that a lot of people can utilize in case of emergency. I appreciate you taking the time to come and speak on this.
Jenna:Thanks, Brooke. Without a doubt. Stay safe out there.
Brooke:Yeah. Thanks, everyone. Thank you, Jenna.
Jenna:Thanks.
Kitty Glomski:So this is Kitty Glomski and Brooke Mainville asking you to join us again next time on Let's Talk About Aging.
Carla:Let's Talk About Aging is a production of the Region 9 Area Agency on Aging, 2569 US 23 South, Alpena, Michigan 4 9 7 0 7. This Podcast was supported, in part, by grant number 90MPPG0039 from the US Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC. Podcast music provided by Groove Music, selection titled"Modern Logo," created by Vadym Kuznietsov and can be found at https://elements.envato.com/modern-logo-ZVHFBJ6