Lifestyle Hints
Lifestyle Hints is an educative section of our website to help our readers to live a healthy, independent, safe and fulfilling lifestyle for longer in their own home.
Our business is all about providing the products, services and advice to help you and your loved ones achieve this.
This section can take you through a self assessment, quiz you on how safe your home is, provide you with tips to avoid falls, and redirect you to other trusted sources of information. We can also help adult children navigate a way through the sometimes touchy idea of introducing the subject of personal alarms for example, to independent elderly parents.
- Do You Need LifeLink Telecare?
- Take one of our Fall Prevention Quizes
- Tips for Talking With Your Parents
- FAQs
- Videos
TIP
Falls and medication errors are the 2 main reasons seniors end up needing medical attention, sometimes hospitalisation and often the beginning of a downward spiral in health.
Falls in particular have a significant impact. In Australia the number of hospitalised injuries due to falls in people over 65 years has risen by 10% in recent years. Older females accounted for most of the hospitalised fall injuries and a third of those were to the hip and thigh. Indeed, once over 65, women are 2.5 times more likely to fall than men. Another statistic to note is that those living in residential institutions have a rate of falls 5 times higher than those of the same age who have a fall living at home. Source: Hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 2005-6. James Harrison
To stay independent and healthy, live in your home longer and minimise the risk of falls and medication mix-ups.
TIP
Getting help within one hour of fall reduces risk of death by over 90%
Do You Need LifeLink Telecare?
Ask yourself the below questions to gauge if you can benefit from LifeLink Telecare
- Are you alone for several hours during the day or night?
- In the past year have you fallen, been dizzy, been anxious about falling, or been at risk in your home?
- Have you been hospitalised or been to emergency in the past year?
- Do have at least one of these chronic ailments: heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, stroke, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder), diabetes, osteoporosis or arthritis?
- Are you required to take several daily medications?
- Do you require assistance with at least one of the following activities: bathing, dressing, cooking?
- Would a personal alarm provide peace of mind for you or your loved ones?
- Is it important for you to continue to live independently?
- Do you use a cane, walker, wheelchair or some other assistive device for balance or walking?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, we recommend you have a close look at how Telecare can provide you with the reassurance and safety in your home.
Take one of our Fall Prevention Quizes
Find out how safe the various rooms in your house and garden should be.
Other Trusted Sources of Help
- General Practitioners (GP)
- Aged Care Professionals
- Retirement Villages
- Health Care professionals
- Social Workers
- Local Council
- Aged Care Australia www.agedcareaustralia.gov.au
- Independent Living Centres
- Department of Health & Ageing www.health.gov.au
- Australian Institute of Health & Welfare www.aihw.gov.au
- Alzheimer’s Support www.alzheimers-support.com
- National Dementia Resources www.dementiatechnology.org.au
Tips for Talking With Your Parents
Most families find these life discussions somewhat uncomfortable. People tend to put it off until it is too late. These hard discussions tend to be about divorce, wills, terminal illness or other issues perceived to be fraught with emotion or ‘tempting fate’.
However, you will hear anecdotally, that those who do have frank, open, consultative family meetings on these topics find it to be most beneficial. And the key benefits relate to families:
- Being proactive
- Having a say and being involved
- Coming up with a plan
- Communication of the plan, people’s wishes and expectations
- Everyone knowing what to do if a health crisis does occur
Our advice is to have a family meeting, sooner rather than later, about how to maintain your senior parents’ independence and safety at home using LifeLink products and service combined with our Lifestyle Hints tips.
- If possible, introduce this topic during a quiet time with no distractions or other emotional events going on in your or your parent’s life.
- Ideally this would be a face-to-face chat rather than phone or email. Many seniors in Australia do use email and Skype is proving to be quite popular. The connectedness of Skype may be next best option if you do not live in same city or country as your parent.
- Bear in mind this issue may take 3 or 4 attempts and so be patient and approach softly, softly.
- If your parent has any friends who already use similar products you may want to use them as an example, or have chat in their house to show your parent how it actually works in the home
- Take a positive and proactive approach. This discussion is to maintain a common goal which is for your parents to remain in their home for as long as possible. Both you and your parents want the same outcomes making everyone happy.
- Try to avoid being patronising or condescending – even though this can be a very frustrating issue for you. Remember this topic can be very confronting for your parents who have been responsible for your welfare for a long time. It is a time of change which makes most individuals very uncomfortable.
- Try to involve your parents as much as possible in the decision to agree to install assistive technology and then in which product package best suits their wants. Perhaps look on the web together, visit a friend who has a similar products, talk to their GP, other health professionals with your parent.
- If you feel that your parent is at strong risk and your suggestions are resisted then it may be time to seek professional help from your parent’s GP or other appropriately qualified staff such as aged care workers, social workers, case workers, allied health workers.
FAQs
Over the years we have had many people ask us common questions, so we thought we’d share those and our answers…
Q: How does the service work?
A: You can wear the personal alarm as a neck or wrist pendant, and in an emergency you simply press the button on the pendant. You will hear the alarm unit dial the Response Centre and within seconds a two-way voice link is open enabling you to speak to our Operators from wherever you are in the home. Our staff will assess the situation and call the most appropriate contact. This may be a neighbour, a family member, a carer, or 000 emergency services.
Q: I live with my husband who is disabled. Can he have a pendant too?
A: Yes, two Amie pendants can be used with each alarm unit. Each one is separately coded so we know which one of you has raised the alarm.
Q: How quickly can I have a LifeLink alarm?
A: From the time of receiving your order, LifeLink normally can install your alarm system within 10 days (in metro areas).
Q: Can I see the system working before signing a service agreement?
A: Yes, LifeLink provides potential clients with an obligation free demonstration in your home.
Q: Will my pendant work in every room in the house?
A: The range of the radio trigger may vary from house to house. In most cases the pendant will activate the alarm unit within a range of 25-50 metres. The best way to be sure is to test the range of the pendant when the demonstration takes place so you know exactly.
Q: What do I do if my alarm unit does not work properly?
A: LifeLink servicing is included in the cost of a rental and monitoring package. If you find that your alarm is not working as expected, simply call our Response Centre. In most cases the problem can be resolved over the phone.
Q: Can I wear my pendant in the shower or the bath?
A: Yes, in fact we recommend that you do. The Amie pendant is highly water resistant.
Q: What happens if I activate my alarm by mistake?
A: Don’t be afraid or embarrassed. There is a cancel button on the alarm unit that you can use. Rest assured, we won’t be annoyed by your call. We are always happy to talk with you and to know that you are safe and well.
Q: I suffer from epilepsy and cannot press the button while I am suffering an attack, how can I call for help?
A: LifeLink has a unique device that can automatically call the Response Centre if you fall and cannot get up again within 15 seconds. This is called the Fall Detector.
Q: Does my alarm work if the power is turned off?
A: Yes, in the event of a power failure, the alarm unit has a back up battery to maintain service until power is restored. Your alarm unit will send an automatic signal to our Response Centre every 4 hours so we can help you to manage the problem. You can expect the battery to last up to 40 hours without electricity.
Q: My wheelchair is stuck in the doorway, how can you help me?
A: You need only ask us to contact your nominated carer or other emergency contact. We are committed to helping you solve whatever problem has occurred.
Q: What happens if the phone in my bedroom is off hook when I press my pendant?
A: In Australia where an extension phone exists you will need to connect a Mode 3 socket to give your alarm unit priority line to the Response Centre. If you have only one telephone socket in your home the alarm unit will have automatic priority.
Q: If I move house can I take my alarm?
A: Yes, you need to notify our Response Centre of your new address and you can take your alarm unit to your new home. Simply press the button and our Operators will talk you through the procedure. It is very simple.
Q: How will the Ambulance get into my house if I have fallen?
A: When you agree to have the alarm system installed, we will ask you to provide information about how to access your home. We will ensure that this information is kept confidential and only used when emergency access is required. We strongly recommend a key safe with the code kept on file to be used by your emergency contacts.
