How does a Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) work?
How it works is quite simple, involving only three components: A small radio transmitter (a light-weight, battery-powered “help” button that can be carried on a belt or in a pocket, or worn by the user on a chain around the neck or on a wrist band); a console connecting to the user’s telephone; and an emergency response center that monitors these types of calls. When emergency help is needed, such as medical, fire, or police, the PERS user can press the transmitter’s “help” button, sending a radio signal to the console (connected to the user’s telephone). This causes the console to automatically dial one or more pre-selected emergency telephone numbers. Most of the systems that exist have the capability of dialing out, even if the phone is in-use or off-the-hook, making this a crucially important feature. When an emergency response center is contacted, the caller is identified, allowing the center to determine the nature of the emergency, review the caller’s medical history, and notify the appropriate medical professionals and/or family/caregiver. If the center can not contact the caller or determine whether an actual emergency exists, they will notify emergency providers to go to the caller’s home, monitoring the situation until the problem is resolved. Most “help” buttons are waterproof, and can be worn in the shower or pool.