A personal alarm system provides 24 hr access to a monitoring centre, 365 day of the year, to enable you to call for help in an emergency situation.

1. You set off the Alarm
You do this with a Personal Radio Trigger (a push button which you carry around with you), to call for help from anywhere in your home. The trigger sends 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 the centre. Most systems do this by telephone.

3. Your calls get through
If your Unit is set to get in touch with a monitoring 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.

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, 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, rented or council owned property.
This service is chargeable, however, if you are aged 65 or over and in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit you will receive the service for free. There is no installation fee.
For an application form:
Contact: (Operations Manager)
Doncaster Council's
Home Alarm Service
Council House
College Road
Doncaster
Tel: 01302 737 189
Or
DIAL Doncaster
Tel: 01302 327 800

Age UK Personal Alarm Service (formerly Aid-Call)
You can choose either an Age UK Pendant or Wristband that is quick and easy to install that will give you peace of mind.
For information and advice, or to book a no obligation demonstration:
Contact:
Freephone: 0800 011 3846
Website: www.ageuk.org.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 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.