Community Alarms
Alarms send a message to a friend or relative or to a response centre to say you need help.
All you do is push a button - and sometimes not even that.
1. You set off the Alarm
You do this with a portable trigger - a push button which you carry around with you, to call for help from anywhere in your home. They send a radio signal to the Alarm Unit. Some are worn round your neck, some like a wristwatch, others are clipped to your clothes or are carried in your pocket. Other ways of setting off the Alarm are by a button on the Alarm Unit itself or wall buttons or pull cords fitted around your home.
2. The Unit calls for help
Once it has received the signal, the Alarm Unit calls someone you have nominated or a special response centre. Most systems do this by telephone.
3. Your calls get through
If your Unit is set to get in touch with a response centre, your details will appear on a screen so the centre staff will know that it is you, and where you live. They will usually try to speak to you through the Alarm or by telephone.
If you say you need help, or if there is no reply, they will send someone to you quickly.
If your unit is set to contact family or friends directly, it can be programmed to dial more than one number in an emergency.
4. Someone arrives to help
Your problem might be dealt with over the telephone. If not, someone will arrive to help you. This could be a friend or relative, a mobile warden from the response centre, or the centre may have called a doctor or ambulance for you.
How to get an Alarm
Alarms are not usually sold in shops.
See below for details of how to get one, and who from.
Your Local Authority
The service is available to all older and vulnerable adults who reside in the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough area, whether living in private or council owned property.
For a weekly all-inclusive fee of £4.79 + VAT (You may be able to claim back VAT), where applicable, The Dispersed Alarm Service can be provided in your home. There is no installation fee.
For an application form:
Contact: Lisa Richardson (Operations Manager)
Doncaster Council's
Community Alarm Service
Council House
College Road
Doncaster
Tel: 01302 737 189
Fax: 01302 737 295
Or
DIAL Doncaster
Tel: 01302 327 800
Help the Aged
Help the Aged has its own National Alarm Service called SeniorLink.
It is operated by pressing a button on a base unit or accompanying pendant or wrist strap and automatically being connected to the SeniorLink Response Centre where the response team are able to help.
For information and advice about SeniorLink:
Contact:
SeniorLink,
Help the Aged
207-221 Pentonville Road
London
N1 9UZ
SeniorLine-Helpline: 0808 800 6565
SeniorLink: 0845 603 4576
Website: www.helptheaged.org.uk
Age Concern England
Age Concern England has a joint venture with Aid-Call, an alarm manufacturer and distributor.
They arrange for each alarm to be connected to their own response centre.
For information and advice about Aid-Call
Contact:
Age Concern - Aid Call
Linhay House
Ashburton
Devon
TQ13 7UP
Freephone: 0800 772 266
E-mail: info@aidcall-alarms.co.uk
Website: www.aidcall-alarms.co.uk
Tunstall Response Ltd
Response is much more than just an ordinary telephone.
With it, help can be summoned at the press of a single alarm button.
This automatically dials the monitoring centre.
For further information:
Contact:
Tunstall Response
Ascot House
Malton way
Adwick-le-Street
Doncaster
DN6 7FE
Tel: 0845 053 0866
Tel: 0845 056 5456
Fax: 01302 333 175
E-mail: service@tunstallonline.co.uk
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this fact sheet was correct at the time of going to press,
DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
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