How A Cellular Medical Alarm With GPS Can Help Save Lives

By Sally Delacruz


The generation that became known as baby boomers vowed during the sixties to never grow old, but that promise has predictably evaporated. Today, this aging demographic group is most concerned about the issues of independent senior living, including the realistic possibility of needing to call for emergency medical attention. Having access to a cellular medical alarm with GPS helps assuage those fears.

Nearly one third of all seniors takes a serious fall each year. In an effort to avoid losing personal independence, some try to conceal this from their physicians, even though falling remain a significant source of disability and permanent injury. Without the ability to call for help even when alone, loss of balance resulting in a fall can very quickly turn into a life-threatening situation.

The need for a portable, personal system able to quickly summon help in an emergency spurred the initial development of these devices. The earliest models activated a speaker phone remotely. That set would then connect to an emergency center operated by the provider, over an existing home land-line. While there were still restrictions involving range and portability, this was a big improvement over a simple handset.

Not long afterward, companies began to offer communications pendants that could be worn. When the user pushed a button, the pendant also connected to a speaker phone, which would then automatically call. These models are still popular, and now also include special sensor technology that completes calls even when the user is unable to speak. Some providers operate their own call centers, while others connect directly to 911.

While these advances have been valuable, there are additional features that were not available until recently. Standard alarms previously worked only at home, but are now able to summon assistance no matter where the user may go. They do this by linking the wearable units directly to the existing cell phone network, and use GPS location capabilities to determine the physical location of the victim.

Today there are valid concerns about digital privacy, but this is one form of tracking that has been warmly welcomed by many families. Any smart-phone today already automatically uses the Global Positioning System to locate users, and most users do not bother to deactivate it. Stationary satellites use the information from cell towers to triangulate the physical location of a user based on the last call.

If a person is confused or sick, pushing a button not only displays location, but can also relay helpful personal information. Calls are limited only by the availability of cell coverage, and allow users immediate personal communications with an emergency center worker. As an added advantage, these devices are not awkward to hold, are easy to read, and are usually waterproof.

It is now even possible to relay pertinent medical information directly to first responders, making field treatment safer and more accurate. Even if a senior citizen has no idea where he or she actually is, assistance can still be on the way in a short time. Similar to cell phones, these units need recharging every few days, but that is a small price to pay for greater peace of mind.




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