[Magdalen] Fall Down Go Boom.

[Jay Weigel]

Chiming in on Life Alert here even though IAND. We got it for my dad and
unfortunately it did not work out too well for him as his dementia caused
him to push the button a couple of times when he didn't need it. How it
works is that the system alerts the Life Alert people when you fall and
push the button and you can tell them (if possible) if you need help--the
famous "I've fallen and I can't get up!" commercial--or even if you can't
talk, and they call the 911 system in your area who send EMS (and sometimes
police if they think necessary) to get you up and if needed to treatment.
How they get into your house is how they would usually get into your house
if police would need to. If EMS can't and they hear sounds of distress they
would call police to gain entry.

Possible solution for your wife, Christopher, might be a smart watch. I was
given one for my last birthday and it has been an excellent thing indeed.
Not only can it be programmed to all kinds of health things (mine alerts me
to cardiac dysrhthmias, which I'm prone to although my current ones are not
bothersone), but if you fall, it will ask if you need help and give you the
opportunity to press the button to call 911 yourself, and will give them
the coordinate (I think that's how it works). The difference between it and
Life Alert is that Life Alert is a subscription service and the smart watch
is a one-time expense. Mine's an Apple and I love it. You may also consider
a service dog which could be one that is trained to sense when she is about
to fall and position itself to prevent it. Those are $$$$$ though they are
wonderful indeed.

At a gem show in September, I rounded the corner of our display on the way
to the ladies' , tripped on the tablecloth, and did a pretty spectacular
faceplant. I was immediately surrounded by a group of mostly male
exhibitors (who knew me) and some spectators (who didn't) asking me if I
was all right and when I affirmed that I was, they helped me to my feet. My
only injuries were bruising to the elbow I landed on, bruises to the knee
on the same side, and a severe affront to my dignity, which was, of course,
in tatters. My smart watch went off right on cue, asking if I needed help
and offering to call 911 for me.

On Sun, Oct 27, 2019 at 11:40 PM Christopher Hart <cervus51 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> David,
>
> Glad to know that you are OK! Can you say a little more about the Life
> Alert system. I’m especially interested as my wife is prone to falls. How
> do they get into your house? Could they enter if your partner was not
> present or himself able to greet them? Thanks.
>
> On Sun, Oct 27, 2019 at 2:58 PM cantor03--- via Magdalen <
> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > I fell on the floor and couldn't get up yesterday morning.  Over the
> > years, I havegone down a few times, mostly on black ice situations.
> > Luckily, all my falls havebeen soft falls, and no serious injury
> occurred.
> > In this case, I twisted aroundto pick up some papers off a table and lost
> > balance.
> >
> > The amazing thing was the quick response.  I did use my Life Alert to
> > summonhelp (my partner cannot lift me dead weight).  Within ten minutes
> of
> > the fall, Iwas faced with three strapping emergency personnel, two of
> whom
> > simplygrabbed my arms and hauled me upright.  There was no charge or even
> > anypaperwork, and they left as quickly as they had come.  What
> > wonderfultownship first responders.
> >
> > I was amused that my dogs didn't recognize me on the floor, and stayed
> > theirdistance growling and after awhile on my feet finally realized it
> was
> > I.
> >
> > And my 82nd birthday is a couple weeks away.  Falling is part of getting
> > older,sadly.
> >
> > David  Strang
> >
> >
> > --
>
> Christopher Hart
>
> List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
> Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
> Twitter: @cervus51
>