St John Ambulance (Qld) is reassuring Queenslanders that the planned National Broadband Network (NBN) optical fibre rollout will not affect St John lifelink medical alarms.
St John lifelink Coordinator Collette Watson said clients can be assured that the NBN plans to replace copper phone lines with optical fibre will not disconnect the medical alarm when the NBN is installed in their region.
“Medical alarms supplied by St John lifelink have undergone rigorous testing to ensure they are compatible with the NBN via the UNI-V (Voice ports) or via an ATA connected to the UNI-D (Data ports) ports once activated.”
“While the current battery back-up time available on the NBN service is shorter than that of a medical alarm, it will continue to operate for a few hours during a power failure.”
“The safety and wellbeing of St John lifelink clients will remain our highest priority, and we have been working closely with the manufacturing company to ensure their safety is not compromised.”
St John (Qld) supports the NBNCo’s decision to develop a register to identify households with medical devices that may need extra assistance making the switch to the new network, and is contacting clients to discuss how this will affect them.
If the NBN is rolling out in your area, please call St John lifelink for support and advice on the connection requirements to suit your needs on 1800 104 226.
About St John lifelink
Living independently is a challenge as we age, especially if we are living alone. Many elderly people in the community, as well as those with disabilities, are faced with moving into early residential care due to lack of regular support.
St John lifelink Coordinator Colette Watson said as people get older they need the reassurance that assistance is on-hand should they require.
“The statistics of elderly people falling in their own homes are quite alarming, with 1 in 3 people aged 65 and over and 1 in 2 people over the age of 80 falling every year,” Colette said. “What’s most distressing is that five to ten per cent of these falls result in a fracture.”
“All Queenslanders have the right to feel safe in their own home and a simple way to help people manage emergencies in their homes is to use the St John lifelink medical alert,” she said.
Colette says getting help quickly is critical to surviving and recovering from a fall.
“The St John lifelink medical alert enables people who have been injured, have fallen or become ill in their homes to call for help simply by pressing a button,” she said.
Last updated October 2013
“In an emergency, the medical alarm (worn as a pendant, wristband or brooch) activates an alert to St John Ambulance.
“Within minutes, St John lifelink operators will direct emergency services personnel to the client’s home with relevant medical history and details of the incident so the situation can be properly managed.
“This greatly reduces the impact of the emergency, and can even save a client’s life.
“In less serious cases an emergency contact, such as a neighbour or family member, can be contacted to assist the client.”
For added safety, the system includes an infrared beam that senses when a client has not moved within a certain timeframe and activates the St John lifelink emergency procedure. This can reduce the number of people who have accidents in their home and are unable to call for help.
There are a growing number of cases where people have perished in their homes after injuring themselves and not being able to send for help. The St John lifelink is an affective and affordable solution to allow people to maintain their independence, lifestyle choices and networks of friends. The medical alerts provide reassurance for people to remain at home longer with safety, security and confidence, knowing that help is available at the touch of a button.
If someone in your care wishes to remain safely in their own homes for longer, consider a St John lifelink medical alert.
For obligation-free demonstration or more information visit www.stjohnlifelink.com.au or call 1800 104 226.
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