Call4Care Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the service you offer?

The Call4care service is a simple personal alarm system with a panic button that’s designed to alert staff in a Response Centre that you need assistance. All you have to do is press a button. At any time of day or night a reassuring voice will respond to take control of the situation and organise the help you need - whether it’s contacting a nominated responder, calling an ambulance or your doctor in a medical emergency, or calling the fire brigade if you smell burning. Our vigilant, empathetic staff members are specially trained to assess a situation quickly and accurately, take away the worry, and relieve any distress.

• Why do I need your service?

It doesn’t matter how independent you are - if you live on your own, there’s always a risk you may need help for some reason, especially if you have fallen over, hurt yourself or become ill. How would you get to the phone to call for help? In a circumstance like this, a portable panic button alarm that automatically summons help in an emergency can be very reassuring. As a senior care provider, that’s exactly what Call4Care does.

• What if I am in another room or unable to speak when I press the alarm?

When an alarm call is triggered, the loudspeaker and microphone on the Carephone will automatically be activated. Through the unit, our Response Centre will try to communicate with you. If it seems you cannot hear us, we will increase the volume so that we can hear each other - even if you are in another room. If we are unable to obtain a response from you, we will assume you are in difficulty and immediately contact one of your responders and take other appropriate action.

• What if I press the panic button in error and trigger a false alarm?

It doesn’t matter. Our dedication to compassionate senior care means that our Response Centre will check with you to see that everything is okay and, when we are satisfied that you are safe, we will end the call. When the call is answered just inform the staff at the Response Centre that you pressed it by accident. They will be happy to hear this and will close the call down for you. In fact we ask our clients to press the button at least once a month, to ensure that you remain totally familiar with the process and to test that the system is working correctly.

• In an emergency, who will be sent to help and what happens if you cannot contact them?

You can nominate three responders (a friend, neighbour, relative or someone you trust) who lives within 30 minutes of you and can be contacted in an emergency and has keys for your apartment or home. When an alarm is raised our Response Centre staff will establish what is wrong, and contact the appropriate people. If we are unable to contact your Responder, or they are unable to assist, we will take other appropriate action.

• What if the Operator is unable to make contact with my listed Responders?

If this is the case, then the operator will contact the Emergency Services that they determine to be needed.

• How do I know when the battery in my pendant is running low?

The pendant constantly “talks” to the base unit in your home which automatically detects if and when the pendant battery is low. The base unit will trigger an automatic call to the Response Centre that the battery is low. Our technical staff will contact you to resolve the problem.

• What happens if there is a power cut?

In the event of a power cut, there is a battery in the base unit, which will ensure that the system keeps working. Our response centre will also automatically detect your power is out.

• Will any of the other equipment in my house affect the pendant working properly?

There should be no interference with the functionality of the system from any other household equipment in your house. ICASA has approved the frequency that we use – in fact we use a worldwide frequency exclusively reserved for Telecare services for elderly safety.

• Will my pendant interfere with a pacemaker?

Always advise your physician or medical practitioner that you will be using Call4Care’s services. We can provide him with technical details of this panic button if you require.

next page »