Using A Cellular Medical Alarm With GPS Can Save Lives

By Sally Delacruz


The generation that vowed it would never grow old has broken that promise. As baby-boomers become elderly, living independently for as long as possible has become increasingly important. This presents a set of unique challenges for senior citizens, including the realistic possibility of suffering a medical emergency. Wearing a cellular medical alarm with GPS reduces those concerns.

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.

Demand for a personal, easy-to-use alarm system that automatically summons an ambulance originally prompted the earliest development of these devices. Pioneering models used a simple network featuring a remotely activated speaker phone. When active, it could connect directly via a hands-free land line to an emergency dispatch center. This was a great improvement, but still had limited range and portability issues.

Subsequent improvements include communications pendants worn around the neck. When activated, they automatically connect to the speaker phone, which calls for help via a land line. These systems are still quite popular, although limited to in-home use. Some also include sensor technology that summons aid when a victim cannot talk. Most have an available monitoring service, while others are simply programmed to call 911.

Although helpful and life-saving, that technology has been further updated using services made possible via stationary satellites. New electronic alarms are able to connect to the main dispatch center via a cell phone network that includes GPS (Global Positioning System) technology. This capability takes the uncertainty out of country-wide travel, and makes running errands virtually worry-free.

Although there are concerns about digital surveillance, this is one form of tracking that has been welcomed. All smart-phones today come with the GPS tracking activated, and most users do not take the time to deactivate that feature. Based on the last recorded call, satellites are able to triangulate a signal between cell towers, revealing its precise origin.

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.

When activated, some service care centers are also able to provide important medical information for first responders before they arrive. When a senior in distress does not actually know his or her location, help can still be on the way within minutes. Like cell phones, these devices must be recharged periodically, and have a similar life expectancy, but the additional security advantages they offer are worth that minor inconvenience.




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