[comforter]

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Daughter has ALS and lives next door. She has little finger strength and very little voice. I need something with a big button (like the around neck emergency buttons) that she could easily push and it would announce to me that my assistance is needed. I don't want a button, where you pay a monthy fee, and it goes first to an emergency system. Just something that could reach me.... probabably 1/8 mile away.... less than 1/2 mi. I don't know if a walkie talkie would work or not. Buttons might not be easily enough pushed... Certainly there is something out there..... Any suggestions?

[Lara]

Hi comforter,
You could possibly set up a wireless personal alarm.
This one can be set up to have the message paged to you by the sound of it. When I think about it all the aged care facilities here have emergency button that goes directly to the main office and not to emergency services. That could probably be worked into your home situation. It's difficult to tell if the button on this one is large or small.

School Safety
Wireless security devices are ideal for schools who want to provide security for their teachers, staff and students without a costly retrofit. Small pendant transmitters are unobtrusive and can be worn like a necklace, wrist watch or belt beeper. To summon help, simply press the button and the identity of the user is immediately transmitted to the alpha-numeric pager worn by security or office staff. You can even add motion sensors, glass breakage detectors and door/window exit sensors that will transmit the location of any unauthorized activity immediately to campus security personnel.

http://www.systemstechnologiesusa.com/page4.html

There's one called a Bluetooth panic button "Engaget" which seems awfully complicated to me compared with the school one above. I'm sure there are other devices. If I find anything I'll post it.

The Wireless Personal Alarm is a button-sized transmitter designed to be worn as a pendant. Press it, and an emergency call goes out to a pre-defined list of contacts with your location triangulated by the network (with a satellite phone, GPS is used, but the unit has to be connected to the phone, kind of defeating the whole point).

http://www.engadget.com/2005/05/25/b...ergency-calls/


I'd suggest asking on the ALS forum here at NeuroTalk. http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6
Also, a knowledgeable OT or Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) should know of something.

http://www.ucsf.edu/brain/pdf/ALSManual.pdf
Daily Activities Made Easier for People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
can't find anything specific on this one, but it's a great general site.

[Lara]

p.s. There's also handsfree voice dialers.
Handsfree Freedom Voice Dialers and voice activated telephones. They're quite pricey though.
http://www.dynamic-living.com/telephones.htm

This emergency dialer unit will contact neighbors, friends, relatives or emergency personnel with the touch of a button.
http://www.dynamic-living.com/telemergency.htm

This is a bit like the one I've seen in aged care facilities...
Two Pendant Paging System
http://www.dynamic-living.com/two-pendant-pager.htm

Safety and Emergency Help products
http://www.dynamic-living.com/safety.htm

Channel Wireless Intercom -The wireless intercom has up to a 1000 foot range.
http://www.dynamic-living.com/wireless_intercom.htm

[Wittesea]

What about the high quality walkie-talkies that are now available? Most of the high quality ones have a long range (some have a range of several miles), and there is no monthly fee involved at all.

Here is a fairly recent article from USA today about the new higher-tech walkie talkies (that are usually called 2-way radios now)-
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columni...7-kantor_x.htm

My brother (a college student) bought a set of these long range 2-way radios - he kept one for himself and gave the other to his girlfriend so they could talk to each other at any time... these 2-ways have such a long range that they can talk to each other no matter where they are on their college campus (which is quite large). And the units themselves are quite small (although there are other units available that are larger if you prefer a larger unit).

I don't know if these newer walkie-talkies (long range 2-way radios) would work for your situation, but it was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw your post.

Take care,
Liz

[Jomar]

I was thinking the same too. The walkie talkie /phone things
my kids have used them when they go 4 wheelin and skiing on Mt Hood.

maybe even a small phone with you on the speed dial so she only has to push one button? and it would dial your number for her.

[ZombieSlayer]

This one that Lara pointed out .... http://www.dynamic-living.com/telemergency.htm

Is a very good unit. We got one for my grandma when I first moved to Napa and it was easy to set up, and more importantly easy to use.

The hardest part about using it, is to replace the batteries on the pendant. They should be checked once a year.