PERS: An alert system for disabled, sick and the old

PERS or Personal Emergency Response System, also called a Medical Emergency Response System, is an electronic device designed to let a user summon help during emergencies. This device is particularly useful for the disabled or older people who live alone.

Components of PERS

PERS has three components—a small radio transmitter, a console that is usually connected to a user's telephone and an emergency response center that monitors calls from PERS. The radio transmitter is a help button either carried or worn by a user. When a PERS user need an emergency help—be it medical, fire or police, he or she has to press the small radio transmitter's help button. The transmitter then sends a radio signal to the console which in turn dials one or more pre-selected emergency telephone number.

PERS can dial emergency numbers even when the phone is off the hook!

Most PERS system can dial out an emergency number even if the phone is off the hook. This is called, "seizing the line". When a PERS call reaches the monitoring center, it tries to determine the nature of the emergency and if required, the center's staff may also review the medical history of the user and check to see who should be notified. In the event, the monitoring center fails to contact the user or cannot determine if an emergency at all exists, it will alert the local emergency service providers. With most systems, the center monitors the situation until the crisis is resolved.

Insurance companies pay for PERS

A PERS can be purchased, rented, or leased. Unfortunately, neither Medicare nor Medicaid, in most states, pay for the purchase of a PERS equipment. The same thing holds for most insurance companies, as well. There are however, a few insurance companies that do pay for PERS but they require a doctor's recommendation. Also, some hospitals and social service agencies may subsidize fees for low-income users. Purchase price of PERS normally range from $200 to more than $1,500. There is also an installation fee and a monthly monitoring charge which may cost from $10 to $30.

National manufacturers, local distributors, hospitals and some social service agencies provide rentals of PERS. The monthly charge may range from $15 to $50 and usually include the monitoring service.

Lease agreements can be long-term or lease-to-purchase. In case of leases, it is imperative for the user to review the contract carefully before signing.

PERS can be a life-saving safety and security device

PERS, for some, may be bit expensive but there is hardly any doubt that they provide a lot of safety and security to the people who need them the most—the elderly, the sick and the disabled. PERS have already proved to be a great boon for such people. However, for people who are little bit stretched on their budget and are looking for a cheaper alternative, dialers are a good choice.