Here, anyone who has a health condition or a disability, or is elderly is able to get a "button" which can be worn around the neck, and pushed in case of emergency. When the button is pushed, a signal is sent to a monitoring centre, which then phones the person. Their voice is able to be heard through a special device, so that the person (if they are able) can still speak and be heard by the person at the monitoring centre. If the client does not answer the phone when the centre calls, they assume that the person needs help, and immediately goes to the person's house. Of course, this system depends on the fact that the person is competent enough to push the button. The call centre also calls the person every morning to see if they are up for the day, and if they don't answer the call, the centre assumes they need help. This system works fairly well for people who are still fairly mentally alert (ie, not in the more advanced stages of dementia).

Although my shunt failure symptoms come on fairly quickly, I am still aware of what they are, and therefore call the ambulance immediately, before I become unconscious. So I don't know how useful one of these call buttons would be for me.


Nat.