Even more safety - Clever additional functions for an emergency call detector

The basic functions of an emergency call signaller are to provide a device to send an emergency signal for the home and to staff an emergency call centre, which is then contacted. It is manned around the clock and organises help immediately and in a targeted manner. This not only ensures noticeable safety, but above all strengthens the independence of a person in need of care who lives alone. Relatives also have less to worry about, because help is always just a push of a button away. Sometimes, however, this basic function is not enough to cover all eventualities. In such a case, additional services can be added to the basic tariff. Here you can get an overview of which additional functions are possible and when they may be necessary.

An ordinary emergency call detector is a safe support for people in need of care who are at home. But what if the person is still fit enough to enjoy leaving the house? Be it for a walk alone, to go shopping or to meet friends. What about dementia patients who are still able to spend large parts of the day alone at home, but sometimes leave the house and then possibly lose their orientation outside? For such cases, mobile solutions are needed that are equipped with GPS and enable precise localisation of the person.

But situations can also arise in the home that go beyond the requirements of a normal home emergency call. If only for emergency situations that are not immediately obvious, such as a fire or a burglary. Also, for people who are less mobile and have an increased risk of falling, there is always the concern whether the radio transmitter is really always worn on the body and not perhaps lying somewhere on the table where it cannot be reached in an emergency. Here, certain additional functions can help to defuse the dangerous situation and alleviate the worries.

Intelligent home emergency call systems include functions that independently send an emergency signal when certain events occur. The aim here is to automatically register potentially dangerous situations and to intervene if the person concerned is unable to do so for various reasons. There are thus two basic possibilities for intelligent systems:

1. Automated home surveillance registers potential dangers emanating from the surroundings. For optimal monitoring, the emergency alarm system can be connected to smoke, gas or burglary detectors, for example, so that an emergency signal is emitted directly and fully automatically when these detectors are triggered. In this way, the resident is protected against dangers that come from outside and that might not be noticed in time by him or her.
2. Automated monitoring of the person himself detects potential dangers that relate directly to the person's situation. Here, for example, motion detectors are used that register if the user does not move for a certain period of time. They can be installed in the room or as a mat in the bed. Fall sensors worn on the body automatically detect the shock if the user falls down and emit an emergency signal after a predefined period of time if the system is not deactivated by an all-clear signal by then. There are also special sensors that are used for certain illnesses. For example, epilepsy sensors analyse muscle movement and can immediately recognise when an epileptic convulsion is taking place. For people suffering from dementia or otherwise confused, motion sensors can register if someone leaves their home and send a message accordingly.

These intelligent solutions take over part of the responsibility and ensure the independence of people in need of care enormously through automated and targeted monitoring. They are particularly interesting for people in need of care who cannot live completely independently due to severe limitations, but who are still alone at home at times. It is often the private providers who show special technical innovations in their range of services and are at the cutting edge in this area.

In addition to special devices, comprehensive service offers can also extend the basic care provided by an emergency call notification system. Here, it is less about technical tricks and more about which services are provided to make everyday life easier for people, which can be linked to the emergency alarm. This includes, for example, leaving a house key so that helpers have quick and uncomplicated access to the home in an emergency. Lonely people can also book an active call service. In this case, an employee calls the person to be cared for weekly or even daily and inquires about their well-being. Reminders to take medication regularly are also possible, or networking with a meal service that delivers a ready-made meal at certain times.

Basically, there are hardly any limits in the service area and there seems to be a floating border to care services in some cases. If there is a need here, a welfare association (e.g. Caritas, Diakonie or Johanniter) is often a good place to start, as the focus here is on care and these adjacent service areas can be safely covered through good networking.

Emergency call detectors are initially designed for protection within one's own four walls. However, for people who are also out and about, mobile solutions are necessary. There are various options for this, ranging from special and partly free apps to special mobile phones for seniors or smart watches with their own SIM card. Mobile devices almost always include the option of GPS positioning, if this is desired. This way, in an emergency, it can be immediately determined where exactly the person is. This is not only interesting for dementia patients or their relatives, but also facilitates the coordination of a possibly necessary rescue operation.

In principle, not all providers offer all possible additional services. For this reason, it is very important that you check the complete range of services offered by the different providers when you first purchase an emergency call point. Experience shows that the situation will change over time, so that additional services that were not necessary at the beginning will be added later. Therefore, think ahead about how the situation is likely to develop in the next few years and which extras will then help you or your relative to find relief.

Under certain conditions (e.g. existing care degree or living alone), the long-term care insurance subsidises an emergency call detector with 25.50 euros per month. This sum usually covers the basic services completely. Additional services that cause costs beyond this must usually be paid for by the insured person. They average between 10 and 30 euros per month. Only in cases of financial hardship and if there is a demonstrable need for certain additional services can an application be made to the social welfare office to have the costs covered.

The additional services with an emergency call detector include both technical refinements and an extended range of services. They supplement the basic function and enable an optimisation of security that is even better tailored to the individual situation. It is important to consider in advance which additional functions you would like to have in the future. In general, private providers often score more with technical refinements, while welfare organisations can offer good networking with care services. In individual cases, however, only a precise comparison will help. Additional services have to be paid for yourself and cost an average of 10 to 30 euros per month on top of the basic tariff. This is often subsidised by the long-term care insurance, so that only the difference has to be paid.