Resources and Information for Seniors

Gift giving can often be a challenge when giving to a loved one who we feel already has “everything” but there is one thing we can give a senior or at-risk dad that they might not have…

American Medical Alarms would like to suggest that families consider giving the “Gift of Safety” for Father’s Day. This is a gift that might not only change his life, but could save his life in a medical emergency.  Safety, a sense of security and independence are precious gifts and American Medical Alarms can help you give this gift to your father.

Did you know that most seniors who have a medical alarm are able to continue living independently in their homes up to six years longer than those without a medical alarm? These seniors say that the reason they are able to do so is because of the added sense of security they have with their medical alarm.

Their added sense of security comes from knowing that they can get help if they need it, and, they are more apt to be active, social and outgoing which adds to their overall health and well-being.

An American Medical Alarms system will allow your father to get help in an emergency by simply pressing the button he is wearing. He will be connected with a highly trained professional who will get help for him and can even provide life saving instruction until rescue arrives.  In situations that don’t require rescue, we can call someone from his contact list to come over and assist him. All of this happens within a few moments and could save your loved one’s life.

So, consider giving the gift of safety for Father’s Day this year.  It will be a gift that both you and your Father will feel good about throughout the year.

For more information, visit us online at http://www.americanmedicalalarms.com/index.php

Gift giving can often be a challenge when giving to a loved one who we feel already has “everything” but there is one thing we can give a senior or at-risk mom that they might not have…

American Medical Alarms would like to suggest that families consider giving the “Gift of Safety” for Mother’s Day. This is a gift that might not only change her life, but could save her life in a medical emergency.  Safety, a sense of security and independence are precious gifts and American Medical Alarms can help you give this gift to your mother.

Did you know that most seniors who have a medical alarm are able to continue living independently in their homes up to six years longer than those without a medical alarm? These seniors say that the reason they are able to do so is because of the added sense of security they have with their medical alarm.

Their added sense of security comes from knowing that they can get help if they need it, and, they are more apt to be active, social and outgoing which adds to their overall health and well-being.

An American Medical Alarms system will allow your mother to get help in an emergency by simply pressing the button they are wearing. They will be connected with a highly trained professional who will get help for them and can even provide life saving instruction until rescue arrives.  In situations that don’t require rescue, we can call someone from their contact list to come over and assist them. All of this happens within a few moments and could save your loved one’s life.

So, consider giving the gift of safety for Mother’s Day this year.  It’s a gift that says “I love you” and both you and your Mother will feel good about it throughout the year.

Visit us online at http://www.americanmedicalalarms.com/index.php

Unfortunately in today’s society, we have to take precautions with our identity.  We may be aware of the dangers, but, when is the last time you reminded your loved ones to be cautious?  There are plenty of people out there that are ready to take advantage of your parents or grandparents, so it’s a good idea to remind them regularly how to best protect their identity.  Here are some tips:

• Do not give Social Security, bank account or credit card information over the phone.  If you receive a phone call from someone requesting any personal information, ask them for the name of the company they are calling from, look up the number for that institution and call them back.
• Shred personal documents that contain Social Security numbers, bank account information, credit cards numbers, etc.  If you do not have a shredder, tear the documents in pieces, be certain that account information is torn in half, and discard in separate receptacles.
• Limit the number of credit cards you carry, and never carry your Social Security card together with your Driver’s License.
• Protect your Social Security number, avoid using it whenever possible, and never print it on your checks.
• Monitor your bank and credit card accounts carefully so you will know if something is missing, or if there has been an unauthorized purchase made.
• Never send credit card information through an email.  Email is not secure.  Send credit card information only through a secure online order form.  Review the image below to see how to determine whether or not an online order form is secure: 

Help keep your loved ones safe.  Society is not what it was 40 years ago, and these simple reminders just might prevent your loved one from experiencing the consequence of identity theft.

You can also provide peace of mind for your loved one by getting them a medical alarm.  With a medical alarm, your loved one can get help during an emergency with just the push of a button.  There is nothing more disheartening than hearing countless stories of families who had someone fall who could not get to a telephone to call for help, so nobody knew about it…and nobody came. It is our goal to help make sure no family has to experience that situation. With a medical alert system from American Medical Alarms help is always within reach.

First, we’d like to wish everyone a Happy Easter and hope you enjoy your weekend! We received quite a few letters today and I wanted to share a couple of them.

The first letter is from one of our winners in last year’s in our “Win a Free Year of Service” giveaway. She wrote:
“Thank you so much for the free year of service (she is still a customer even though her free year ended). I am very pleased with your company and will certainly recommend you to my friends.”

The second letter is from J. Stanton who wrote:
“I wish to thank all of you for your patience and kindness! You couldn’t have been more helpful. Many Thanks!…Although I was, at first, intimidated by the equipment, I became accustomed to it. I conclude that your system is trustworthy and the service I received from those answering the telephone, the very best.”

We truly appreciate each of the letters we receive and appreciate your feedback as well.

In case of emergency, you can really assist your loved ones by providing them access to important documents. Below is a list of common documents that you might want to store and various options for storing them:

Important Papers that either prove ownership or that would be difficult to replace should be stored in a fireproof safe. These types of documents include things like:

Certificates (birth, marriage, death, citizenship)
Social Security Cards
Legal papers (divorce, settlement, custody, adoption, living will, durable power of attorney, or DNR directives)
Policies (Life, Insurance, Health)
Real estate deeds
Titles (automobile, motorcycle, boat)
Military Service Records
Immunization Records
Passports
Stock and bond certificates
Contracts
Household inventory
A list of Financial Accounts, the Account Numbers, Passwords or Pin required to access those accounts.
Any other documents, records or information that would be difficult to replace like:

Did you know that by law, tax returns are required to be retained permanently and supporting tax documents (like W2’s, 1099’s etc.) must be retained for 6 years. So, keep your tax returns in a safe location (maybe even in a safety deposit box).
If you have a life insurance policy for yourself or any family members you should store this information with your important documents. When storing this information you will need to store the original policy along with any changes or renewal policy information since many life insurance policies change from year to year. You should not rely on your Life Insurance provider to correctly interpret a policy that you began over 20 years ago. So, keep the initial policy as well as any addendums together along with any information that might be needed to access the policy.
Home/Automotive repair and maintenance bills should be retained as well and can be easily stored in a file to be accesssed as needed. Many folks like to also log any automotive repairs in their owner’s manuals.
If possible you should create a video log of your possessions taking care to record the make, model and serial number of each item. If you do not have a video recorder you can purchase/use a camera to take photos of your belongings. Store this information in a safety deposit box or in a fire/water proof safe in your home. I recommend making copies and storing them at multiple locations.
Because a safety deposit box may be sealed, it is important that you retain copies of everything in an easy to access location. We recommend using the Vital Record PortaVault to help you keep your documents organized and the First Alert Fire and Water File Chest to store these important documents.

April 1-7th is Medication Safety Week, started by the Women’s Heart Foundation, which is geared towards bringing national attention to the 6th leading cause for death. For people taking several medications at a time it is important to learn how to protect yourself from complications that can arise. There are several steps you can take this week to improve your medication safety.

The Following information is from the Women’s Heart Foundation Website:

• April 1: Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet
  Start with a clean slate. Discard outdated medicines and old prescriptions. Many drugs lose their potency over time. Store medicines in their original containers and in a cool, dry place. Locate medicines away from children and pets and from those who do not understand.
• April 2: Know Your Medicines
  Know both the generic and trade names of your medicines. Know how to identify pills and know what they are for. Make a list of all the medicines you are taking. Write down both the generic and brand names of medicines as this may prevent inadvertently double-dosing. Know the drug’s purpose and why you are taking it. Be able to identify pills by name. List prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, birth control pills and patches and supplements. Keep the list updated and keep it with you at all times. Print out your free Medication Record (pdf format) by double-clicking on Medication Record (English version) or Medication Record (Spanish version).
• April 3: Read Medicine Labels Carefully
  Are you taking what your doctor ordered and the way he ordered it? Note precautionary stickers on the label. Note the route, dose and frequency of your medicines. Keep medicines in their original containers. Pay attention to warnings. Note that some medicines can react with foods. Others have to be taken on an empty stomach. Some lose potency quickly and must be kept in an air-tight container. The effectiveness of many medicines is dependent upon taking them at the correct times. How the medicine is to be taken ––the route–– is also important (i.e. by mouth, through the skin, under the tongue, inhaling, rectal or vaginal suppository, enema or douche). Be careful!
• April 4: Dietary Supplements Awareness
  Discuss taking a dietary supplement with your doctor or practitioner and your pharmacist before you start it. Herbal medicines and other dietary supplements can react with medicines and have an unknown synergistic effect. All herbal preparations are contraindicated while pregnant or breastfeeding. For more information, go to Dietary Supplements.
• April 5: Organize Your Medicines
  Keep an updated record listing all medicines and supplements you are taking. Use of a medicine organizer box may be helpful, especially for those taking more than one pill several times a day, however, a medicine organizer box requires close monitoring, especially when there is a change in medicines. Also, be aware that use of an organizer box violates the rule of keeping medicines in their original containers. Managing pills with a medicine organizer box, while convenient, is not without risk. Take medicines as prescribed. New drugs with time-released action can offer some help with organizing with only once-a-day medicating. Ask your doctor about these newer medicines. Keep your medicine record up-to-date. Go to Taking Medications Safely.
• April 6: Transitional Care Awareness
  A change in medical regimen can be confusing and can place you at increased risk. Be diligent about communication with all healthcare professionals. Make sure you understand your medicinces and how you are to take them before leaving the hospital or doctor’s office. Ask for written instructions. Be extra cautious whenever there is a change in your medical regimen. Double-check your medicines when picking up a new or refilled prescription. If in a hospital or nursing home, make sure the nurse checks your I.D. bracelet before giving you your pills. If a pill doesn’t look familiar, ask why. It may be a generic of the same drug you were taking however, if you don’t ask, you won’t know! Make sure you receive written instructions upon discharge from any medical facility and insist that both the generic and brand names of each drug you are to take is included. Follow the tips listed on the Healthy Hearts Guide Taking Medications Safely.  
• April 7: Better Communication With Health Professionals
  Actively seek information from your pharmacist about the pills and the supplements that you are taking. Ask for print-out sheets on drugs. Discuss all risks and benefits with your prescribing practitioner. Share information about the medicines and supplements you are taking with all your prescribing practitioners and with your pharmacist. Discuss expected effects and possible side effects. Discuss if there are any serious side-effects that your doctor needs to know about right away. Report adverse drug effects promptly and never hesitate to ask questions when it comes your health and the use of medicines. Your doctor, healthcare practitioner and pharmacist are there to help…just ask! Go to Taking Medications Safely. Go to Taking Coumadin® at Home for safety tips when taking warfarin – a blood thinner.

American Medical Alarms also highly recommends that you have a Vial a Life to keep your emergency medical information. The Vial a Life program is nationally recognized and saves countless lives each year by providing rescue with pertinent, life saving information when you are unable to speak for yourself. You can obtain a FREE Vial a Life today at American Medical Alarms.

We received this letter in the mail today and wanted to share it with our readers. Kay from Des Moines, WA wrote:

Thank you for your service, two weeks after we installed the alarm system
my mom fell at night and broke her hip. Without your system who knows how long she would have been on the floor unable to get help…

We are happy that we were able to assist Kay’s mom with getting help during this emergency. This is why we encourage families to consider a medical alarm so we can be there when no one else can.

Visit our website at www.AmericanMedicalAlarms.com to see how you can offer this same protection for your loved one.

Occasionally we have a unique rescue that we like to share. One of our customers contacted us recently to extend his gratitude for saving his life TWICE and to let us know he is telling all his friends about our company.

He explained how he had gone out to do a bit of shopping and when he returned home he pulled into his garage and heard his telephone ringing which he rushed inside to answer. He said that later that evening he began to feel sick and a bit light-headed so he went to lay down.

He awoke some time around 2:00am extremely thirsty so he headed downstairs to get a glass of water. However, he was even more light-headed and by the time he reached the bottom of the stairs he was so dizzy that he pressed his button on his alarm, a few seconds later he lost consciousness.

Several hours later he woke up in a hospital and learned that he had almost died from carbon monoxide poisoning, if he hadn’t pressed his button before losing consciousness…he would have. Having our medical alarm system saved his life. He had very little time to take any sort of action yet he was able to press his button and got the help he needed.

He was very happy to be alive and told us that not only did we save his life by getting him the help he needed but that while the doctors were treating him they found a blockage in his heart that if it had been left untreated could have caused him to have a massive heart attack. So, he thanked us for saving his life twice.

It is always a great feeling to know we have saved someone’s life. It is disheartening to hear from folks who knew someone who could not reach their telephone to call for help so nobody knew about it…and nobody came. When seconds count, when you don’t have time to reach your telephone having a medical alarm from American Medical Alarms is priceless.

How to avoid this for your loved one

On March 14, 2010, the News-Press reported that a locked door hindered rescue from being able to save the life of a local 72-year old woman, Mrs. Stucki. The story, found here at www.news-press.com, explained that dispite rescue being sent to her home after she called 911 pleading for help they were not able to gain entry to her home until police arrived. In the time in between Mrs. Stucki passed away.

As the Director at American Medical Alarms it is sad to hear of these situations, but we hear about them all the time. We’d like to share a couple of ways to prevent this from happening to your loved one. One of the best ways to prevent this situation from happening is to obtain our medical alarm system for your loved one. Our medical alarm system allows them to get help in an emergency with just the push of a button so they don’t have to worry about reaching their telephone. It also provides the added benefit of allowing us to call a keyholder (nearby family member, friend or neighbor) to unlock the door for rescue so there is no delay in gaining entry into the home. We also recommend all of our customers have a lockbox in the event that their keyholder is not at home or in situations where there is nobody nearby to act as a keyholder.

This service is so important for seniors and other at risk individuals. Most people don’t realize that our medical alarm system is more than just a button…it’s a vital connection to a live operator, to rescue and to your family. We coordinate with everyone involved in an effort to get you help as quickly as possible and to avoid situations where rescue is not able to gain entry into your home.

Visit us at www.AmericanMedicalAlarms.com today to learn more about our service.

Gift giving can often be a challenge especially when giving to a senior who we might feel already has “everything” but there are many things we can give seniors that they might not have.

This year American Medical Alarms is encouraging families to consider giving the “Gift of Safety.” This is a gift that, when you really think about it, could not only change a senior’s life but save their life as well. Safety, a sense of security and independence are precious gifts and American Medical Alarms can help you give these gifts to your loved one.

Did you know that most seniors who have a medical alarm are able to continue living independently in their homes up to six years longer than those without a medical alarm. These seniors say that the reason they are able to do so is because of the added sense of security they have with their medical alarm.

Their added sense of security comes from knowing that they can get help if they need it. Because they know that help is always just the push of a button away they are more apt to be active, social and outgoing which adds to their overall health and wellbeing.

An American Medical Alarms system will allow your loved one to get help in an emergency by simply pressing a button they are wearing. They will be connected with a highly trained professional who will get help for them and even provide life saving instruction until rescue arrives. In those situations that don’t require rescue we can call someone from their contact list to come over and assist them. All of this happens within a few moments and could save your loved one’s life.

So, give your senior this precious gift this Christmas! Visit us online at http://www.americanmedicalalarms.com