Calling for help
a guide to community alarms, 2003
(go to list of report contents)
Who will receive your calls?
The safest option is to subscribe to a community alarm scheme. There will always be staff on hand to answer your call. You will probably have to pay a few pounds a week for the service, but it is likely to cover the installation and maintenance of the alarm unit and triggers. Schemes which contact your friends and relatives are generally cheaper than those which send out their own staff - mobile wardens.
The alternative is to have a unit which can be programmed to dial your friends and relatives directly. The ones that can are:
CareSec
Homelink Extra II
Horizon II
IntelliLink
In Touch 2000
Lifeline 400
Lifeline 4000
Lifeline 4000+
S11 Carephone
Sayphone
With these units your helpers receive a recorded message that you need help. The units could be set to dial at least three different numbers, several times each if necessary. They can include a mobile number. You avoid ongoing service charges, but remember all your helpers could be unavailable when you make an alarm call. A third option is to have an alarm centre as your last number.
Which centre?
If you want to use a community alarm scheme, we suggest you try your local authority or housing association first, to see what services they provide. If that fails, contact ASAP to find out which of their members take on clients in your area. If you want a particular model, contact the manufacturer (addresses and telephone numbers are given on the contacts page) for information on centres which provide their products.
See where can you get an alarm? for more details on who provides alarm services.
Report Contents
About alarms
What
is a community alarm?
How
does an alarm work?
Basic
choices
Who
will receive your calls?
Where can you get an alarm?
Alarms on test
Models tested
Antenna
Princess AP1000
Antenna
AP2000
CareSec
Homelink
Extra II
Horizon
II
IntelliLink
Lifeline
400
Lifeline
4000
LIfeline
4000+D
Lifeline
TalkBack trigger
S11
Carephone
Sayphone
In
Touch 1000
In
Touch 2000
In
Touch 2000 Package
Other information
Using
an alarm
Checklists
of things to look for
Alarms
in the future
Acknowledgements
Contact
details
