Understanding the Technology Behind Medical Alert Systems
Understanding the Technology Behind Medical Alert Systems
Blog Article
It’s only human to crave ageless longevity. Indeed, we all desire to live as many years as possible while maintaining youthful vitality and exuberance.
However, everyone grows old sooner or later. And when old age creeps up on us, there’s much more to worry about than wrinkly faces or hyperpigmentation.
From increased risks of falling to a higher predisposition to heart attacks, old age presents myriads of health problems that require active monitoring. It’s in light of those challenges that medical alert systems exist.
Medical alert systems are units of interconnected devices used to detect the occurrence of emergencies that require prompt medical attention. Some gadgets sound alarm bells before the monitored condition occurs, while others signal for help afterward.
But how do medical alarm systems work, and what makes them reliable? Read below for a definitive answer to that question.
Unpacking the Components of Medical Alert Systems
Medical alarm systems have three essential parts – hardware, software, and peopleware.
The hardware is a transmitter that usually features a base station and/or a wearable device. Most wearables come as necklaces or wristbands.
When choosing between a stationary and portable medical alert system, consider the intended user’s lifestyle. Life Assure medical alert systems come with both options, allowing you to monitor the user’s health condition at home and on the go.
The most valuable features of a medical alert system’s hardware are a help button and a microphone. When in distress, a person presses the help button to initiate contact with an emergency operator. The microphone then supports two-way communication between the user and a monitoring center representative.
Meanwhile, the software components of a medical alert system are the technological capabilities that connect the hardware with the peopleware. They include wireless and landline connections, as well as Wi-Fi and GPS.
Lastly, peopleware is the human interaction with medical alert systems’ hardware and software. They include the gadgets’ actual users, agents at monitoring centers, and emergency responders.
While shopping for medical alert systems, ensure all critical components are available and configured.
How Do Medical Alert Systems Operate?
1. Setting up The System
Proper installation is critical to unlock the benefits of medical alert systems.
While the set-up process may vary across different providers, the first step is usually plugging your base station’s power cord into a compatible power outlet. Remember to keep the base station constantly plugged in, as you never know when medical emergencies will strike.
If your device utilizes a landline connection, you must also plug in the telephone cable. Simply sync the gadgets with the available network for wireless or cellular systems.
2. Picking up Signals
Most medical alarm devices come with two advanced sensors, namely accelerometers and gyroscopes. Each sensor is equipped with powerful algorithms that respond to vision and/or ambient changes in their surroundings.
For instance, a medical alert system’s sensors may be trained in data on normal human gait. The device would then sound alarm bells upon detecting anomalies in the user’s posture, such as when the person is slumped or horizontally oriented (which indicates falls).
Meanwhile, ambient-based sensors respond to changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity. These gadgets summon help when the defined parameters far exceed or fall below the preset baselines.
For instance, high humidity levels might suggest the user is drowning, while high temperatures could indicate a fire.
3. Activating Help
Medical alert systems come with a help button that the user presses to summon help. However, systems incorporating fall detections can activate automatically upon detecting visual or ambient anomalies.
When a warning is triggered, signals are sent from medical alert systems to monitoring centers. This happens wirelessly or via a landline connection.
Some medical alert systems are equipped with GPS devices, allowing monitoring centers to hone in on the user’s location.
4. Coordinating Help
2-way communication allows an emergency operator to contact the caller and gather more information, coordinating appropriate response. They may inquire about the nature of their distress, their present location, and if there’s anyone around they can talk to.
Without two-way communication (or if the caller cannot speak up), an agent at the monitoring center will immediately coordinate help by contacting the people in the caller’s contact list. These include family members, caregivers, neighbors, and professional first responders.
Experts recommended adding as many people as possible to your emergency contact list. It ensures someone is always reachable whenever you need urgent medical attention.
Final Word
Medical alert systems are one of the most thoughtful gifts you can present to the senior members of your family. These devices actively monitor the health condition of your vulnerable elderly folks, triggering timely alarm warnings when something is out of whack.
However, no two medical alert systems are identical.
When shopping for the best provider, prioritize those that offer at-home and on-the-go tracking devices in one package. Besides, select gadgets that connect both wirelessly and via landline.
Remember to also test-drive a medical alert system before committing to it. During the trial period, pay particular attention to the provider’s responsiveness. Report this page