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Medical Alert Service

young woman and older woman Staying independent can be tough for seniors, especially if living alone. It is estimated that over half of all falls that result in injury occur at home. If you fall and the phone is out of reach, medical help could be delayed for hours or days. With HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service, our help will be on the way within minutes. Call 845.334.2747 to enroll.

What is HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service?

HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service is an easy-to-use personal response service that ensures that older adults alone at home can get quick access to emergency services and caretakers whenever it is needed, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Every Second Counts

If you need help, HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service ensures that the right people will be contacted as soon as possible, and they will have the information they need to assist you. In an emergency situation, time and information are tantamount to protecting your health. When signing up, we will compile your medical history, including allergies, past procedures, medications you are on, prosthetics and more. We also collect your home address and whether you have special circumstances (like pets or a hidden key) and will be able to share this information efficiently with emergency responders.

SaveSave

A common misconception is that by pressing the Personal Help Button an ambulance will automatically be sent to your home. However, pressing the help button connects you to a Personal Response Associate who communicates with you through the HealthAlliance Medical Alert base unit and decides with your input what assistance is dispatched.

The Associate will access your medical history and information, and assess the situation. They can contact a neighbor, loved one, or the appropriate emergency responder based on your needs, and will follow up to ensure you are receiving assistance.

The HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service Personal Help Button is also available with a fall detection device capable of detecting a fall. If you are unresponsive or unconscious following a fall detected by the button, the HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service Response Center will dispatch help.

According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, one out of three adults age 65 and older falls each year. Roughly 25% of those people suffered injuries such as lacerations, fractures and head trauma. Not being able to get up after a fall can worsen injuries and cause conditions such as:

Pressure Ulcers: Usually known as ‘bed sores’, pressure ulcers are caused by unrelieved pressure. These can extend to damage deeper tissues if assistance does not come.

Rhabdomyolysis: When muscle tissue is damaged, unwanted proteins are released into the bloodstream, which can clog the kidneys and even cause acute kidney failure.

Dehydration: Without access to water after a fall, dehydration can lead to low blood pressure, confusion, shock, brain damage and organ failure.

Hypothermia: Lying still in a cold room can reduce body temperature, and can affect heart function.

Aspiration Pneumonia: A fall can force fluid, food, and other foreign matter into the lungs after a fall, causing a serious lung infection.

The CDC has several suggestions for preventing falls, including:

Regular exercise: Focus on improving leg strength and balance with practices like Tai Chi.

Medicine review: Ask a doctor or pharmacist to check if any of your prescribed or over-the- counter medications could cause drowsiness or dizziness.

Vision: Get an eye exam at least once a year and regularly update eyeglasses to maximize vision.

Home safety: Reduce tripping hazards, add grab bars and railings, and improve lighting.

Nutrition: Be sure to get adequate calcium and Vitamin D.

Osteoporosis: Be screened and treated, if applicable.

You can get HealthAlliance Medical Alert Service for a little more than a dollar a day. You are not required to buy any equipment or make a long-term commitment. There are no hidden or extra fees.

HealthAlliance Medical Alert (formerly Kingston Hospital Medical Alert) has been providing Personal Emergency Response Services to Ulster, Greene, Columbia, Delaware, Sullivan & Dutchess County residents for over 30 years. The benefits include:

• Helping you live independently and safely.

• Helping you continue to live in the comfort of your own home.

• Prompt, caring assistance at the touch of a button – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

• Security.

MedAlert
371 Broadway
Kingston, NY 12401
Phone: 845.334.2747

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