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A panic button also referred to as a personal alarm, SOS alarm or safety alarm, is specifically designed for people who live alone and may be unwell or in vulnerable circumstances.
In this article, we outline the forms a panic button comes in and how it works.
Personal panic alarms usually come in the form of a pendant that can be worn around your neck or a bracelet that can be worn around your wrist. A panic alarm can come in different forms - one that works in the home and garden, or a location-aware GPS alarm or watch that also works when you are out and about. You may be worried about a panic button being bulky or uncomfortable to wear; however, they are designed to be discreet. They won't get in the way, so you can carry on with everyday tasks and forget that you're even wearing one. However you choose to wear it, you should make sure that you have it on 24/7.
Many of Age Co's personal alarms are water resistant, meaning they're safe to wear in the bath or shower. It's important to keep it on when you're washing, as slips and falls are more likely to occur in the bathroom.
Your panic button can be used whenever you feel unwell or if you have an accident at home or when out-and-about. Don't hesitate if you're uncertain - it's important that you use your alarm when you need to so that someone can check that you're okay. Unfortunately, Age UK data shows that falls are the most common cause of injury-related deaths in people aged 75 and over. If you experience a fall, an alarm could alert someone to an incident straight away, enabling you to get the help you need as soon as possible.
In an emergency, when you press your panic button, you can speak directly with an Emergency Resolution team through a built-in microphone and speaker. They will know who you are and where you live, even if you are unable to speak, and will arrange for help to reach you.
If you have an emergency while you're alone, you can either push the button on your wearable pendant or push the large help button on the main unit. Either of these options will connect you to the 24-hour Emergency Resolution team.
Once you've pushed the button, you'll be connected to Taking Care's Resolution team. Taking Care aims to answer alarm calls within 30 seconds, so you shouldn't need to wait too long. Once an operator has answered, they'll know who you are, where you live, and your medical history, so you don't have to explain any of this. Simply tell them why you've pushed the button and what the situation is. If, for any reason, the operator is unable to hear you, they'll call your home telephone just in case there's a problem with your alarm. If they still don't get a response, they'll get in touch with your pre-approved emergency contact or the emergency services to check on the house.
When you first get your panic button, and you set the system up, you'll be asked to provide the details of a couple of people who can be contacted in an emergency. This should be someone who is able to respond and get to your house to check on you. It might be a son, daughter, grandchild, friend or neighbour. Make sure that any emergency contacts are aware that they will be contacted when needed so it isn't a surprise to them.
In order for your family to gain access to your house should they need to, you should always take your key out of the door when you're at home. If you leave it in, your emergency contact might not be able to get in with their own key. If they don't have a set, it may be worth having a key safe installed outside your home. As long as they have the code, they'll be able to access the key stored inside to get in.
Some of Age Co's personal alarms come with a base unit that connects to the strongest mobile network available using two pre-fitted multi-network SIMs. The base unit for your alarm can be used in the rare event that your pendant runs out of battery. If it does run out of battery, the pendant will automatically alert the resolution centre, who will issue you with a new one.
An Age Co personal alarm base unit has a range of up to 300 metres from the base unit, which means that it will work even when you're in the garden. The base unit also has a battery backup of 40 hours. This means that during a power cut, you will still be able to make an alarm call. If you accidentally press the button, you can shake the pendant or press the cancel button on the base unit to cancel the call.
They're designed to make you feel safe at home and when you are out-and-about, whether you live alone or with a partner. Should anything happen, you know that help is never too far away.
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Age Co Personal Alarms are provided by Taking Care (PPP Taking Care Limited). AgeCo Limited is a trading subsidiary of Age UK (registered charity no. 1128267). AgeCo Limited donates its net profit to Age UK. AgeCo Limited registered office: One America Square, 17 Crosswall, London, EC3N 2LB (registered in England and Wales, no. 03156159). Taking Care is the trading name and brand of PPP Taking Care Limited, a subsidiary of AXA Health. Registered Address: 20 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0BG. Company Registration Number: 01488490 | Registered VAT Number: 243 6741 60
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