Telephone autodialer for granny and boiler?

[T i m]

Hi all,

We eould like a telephone autodialer for granny (not a straight swap I know ).

My Father in Law died on Monday and we are worried that the 'want's her independence' Mother-in-law could fall over in her flat and no one would know (tho someone goes there pretty well every day).

Today I was helping a nurseryman (tomatoes) rig up a Smiths (I think it was) autodialer to warn him if / when his water heating boiler shut's down unexpectedly.

I have Googled for the same thing tonight (but can't find it anywhere?) as I thought it could make the basis for an emergency 'granny' call system? I would still have to sort some sort of wireless emergency call fob etc.

Or maybe the learned folk on this list might be aware if this sort of thing that might be supplied ready to rock by the 'system' etc (saving us having to buy / modify something)?

All the best

T i m

p.s. I read the plate on the end of the nursery boiler ... 4,000,000 btu (5 gallons / hour), and he told be that was a small one! The bloke up the road had 2 x 45 MILLION btu's !!

[Andy Hall]

For this application, it is really best to buy a service where pressing the button contacts a monitoring service who can then organise emergency services if necessary.

Here's one example just from a search

may find it worth contacting the social services dept. at her local authority. They may well offer a service or provide discount on equipment etc.

From their perspective, if they can provide equipment that will allow an elderly person to be independent in their home rather than needing residential care then it is worth their while.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Set Square]

My father had just such a system for the last couple years of his life in the late 1980's - and I imagine that something similar will still be available. It was provided by Social Services (I think we had to pay for it) and consisted of a box which plugged into a phone line and a wireless pendant which he carried round his neck. Pressing the button on the pendant caused the box to dial to a 7 x 24 emergency service. The box was also a hands-free phone. The operator would attempt to talk to him via the box to determine what the problem was (such as pressing the button by accident!) and, if necessary, would alert one of several neighbours - who had keys and had agreed to assist in an emergency. The service was invoked several times when he somhow got down on the floor and couldn't get up - and enabled him to maintain his independence almost to the end.

[T i m]

Thanks for that guys.

At 299 it seeems 'reasonable' for the kit and 1 years 24/7 human cover (I didn't see what it would be for the second year etc)?

I especially like the hand's free phone bit .. that could be very handy to be able to relay that she just needs a hand getting up (so a neigbour could be sufficient) or may need an Ambulance?

We 'der family' would probably consider that one of us would be available 24/7 to deal with any emergency but would we?

It would only need that one time when none of us could be contacted ... ;-(

I'll give the SS a ring and drop wirefree. a line and see what they say ..

All the best, and thanks again ..

T i m

[Jerry.]

Sorry to hear that. :~(

I agree with the other reply that suggested a proper SOS call service, not only will they inform you, they will (if they have reason to believe or can't get hold of the 'key holder') call the emergency services - I also suspect that the system they uses also has some form of self test, a duff unit or battery is not going to be much use the one time it really does need to work...

[AK]

You don't need to go to all that trouble, There is a thing called "Lifeline" which is a 24 hour monitored system. All you have to do is get your mother to wear a necklace around her neck. If it is activated they can talk to her via a very loud loudspeaker phone. They will then either call the contact numbers on the list in order, or they ring an ambulance and the police as well as you if they feel that she needs medical help. They will also call your mother each day to make sure she is ok, and your mother will probably be encouraged to call lifeline when she goes to bed so they have a second check in.

I was involved in the set up in my local area. There is a set up fee of around £30-40 and a weekly charge of around £3. My grandmother had it in Birmingham too and it was a god send. You will get some information here

this is my local council but it is available pretty much anywhere these days.

Angela

[Set Square]

It really needs several local people to be nominated - in order of preference - backed up by the Emergency Services if none of them can be contacted when a problem arises.

[Owain]

"T i m" wrote | I have Googled for the same thing tonight (but can't find it | anywhere?) as I thought it could make the basis for an emergency | 'granny' call system? I would still have to sort some sort of | wireless emergency call fob etc.

Should be fairly straightforward to link a burglar alarm autodialler to the wireless keyfobs sold by Maplin.

However that would only autodial; it would probably be preferable to have a system that allowed the possibility of speech/monitoring.

| Or maybe the learned folk on this list might be aware if this sort of | thing that might be supplied ready to rock by the 'system' etc (saving | us having to buy / modify something)?

Contact social services or Age Concern / Help The Aged for advice - the latter may have a factsheet on their website. Many areas have a community social alarm monitoring scheme which may even send a mobile warden out if necessary - useful if you live at a distance or are sometimes not available at short notice eg

(South Devon) (endorsed by Age Concern) (equipment manufacturer)

BT have the In Touch phone, which is one way of buying what you want.

the phone line is being used for one of these alarms, BT may provide a free upgrade to Prompt Care service and you can also give them your details so they contact you in the event of non-payment rather than disconnection.

Owain

[Paul C. Dickie]

In article , T i m writes

What's the model of boiler you're including in the deal?

[Chris Oates]

Yes, I can vouch for that - got it for my Mother and it worked very well.

Chris

[T i m]

Yes, that was sort of my first though .. the nursery guy said he paid

180 for the autodialler + the remote and we aren't far away from even an expensive (299) monitoring solution?

Yes, that point (and the benifits therein) was brought to me attention earlier. Granny is getting a little mutton these days but a decent 'hands free' system would at least be able to hear her, even if she couldn't hear them?

Brilliant, that will give me some idea of what *can* be offered and see what our (Herts) div can do ..

All the best ..

T i m

[T i m]

Thanks for that Jerry .. he was 79 1/2 and had a pretty good life. Football was his passion and was playing regularly up to about 50.

My wife has very fond memories of many family trips to the beach and her Dad being a 'mate' .

He kept his humor to the last and that was mentioned by all the (wonderful) staff at the Isabel Hospice (W.G.C.) where he spent his last few weeks.

He was a perfect Father-in-Law and was always there to help, never pushed his views on you unless you asked and was always 'easy going'. He called me 'Tiger' (for Tiger Tim) and we didn't have one bad word in the 15 years I knew him.

I have a daily remider of his existance and skills in the 'struck weather pointing' on our huge flank wall (done when he was 67!) ;-)

Gone but not forgetten ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

[T i m]

Well, you could 'adopt' a a share in this 4,000,000 btu beast I was working next to yeaterday ... for a 1/5th share would only cost you 1 gal / hour? And for that you could have all the tomatoes you can eat!

All the best ...

T i m