SEAS SUBSCRIBER ORDER SENIOR EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM PHONE 858/ FAX 858/

Transcription

1 SEAS SUBSCRIBER ORDER SENIOR EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM PHONE 858/ FAX 858/ NAME: PHONE: SUB NO.: ADDRESS: APT.: CITY: ZIP: MEDICAL HISTORY: MEDICATIONS: ALLERGIES: NOTES: RACE: INCOME: DOB: PHYSICIAN: PHONE: EMERGENCY RESPONDER 1 EMERGENCY RESPONDER 2 EMERGENCY RESPONDER 3 NAME: NAME: NAME: ADDRESS: ADDRESS: ADDRESS: CITY: ZIP: CITY: ZIP: CITY: ZIP: PHONE: PHONE: PHONE: ALT. PHONE: ALT. PHONE: ALT. PHONE: NOTES: NOTES: NOTES: Has key? Y/N Has key Y/N Has key Y/N Referred by: Address: Phone: Approved: Sent: Install date: CAD Entry: Filed: DATE (SEAS USE ONLY): Client hereby releases information to establish emergency service. Signed: Date:

2 SEAS IMPORTANT POINTS SEAS provides a 24-hour Personal Emergency Response System. Provides increased independence and safety for in-home care. No age restrictions. Service is provided where indicated to: o Seniors o Recovering surgical or other at risk patients o For chronically ill MS, Parkinson, heart, stroke, etc. Sliding scale fee is based on client income making it affordable to anyone. Never more than the price of a cup of coffee per day. No one refused service for financial reasons. Local Call Center uses only trained paramedics to answer emergency calls and directly dispatch ambulances, caregivers, police, fire, or other local services as needed. SEAS is a 27+ year old non-profit funded by a broad base of government and foundation grants. Grants include San Diego City, San Diego County, Scripps/Mercy, The San Diego Foundation and other area foundations collaborating for the benefit of area residents. A joint program of Clairemont Friendship Center and Scripps/Mercy Hospital. Service is provided throughout all of San Diego County

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4 SEAS Program Summary The SEAS mission is: To assist seniors and the disabled to prevent premature death or bodily harm associated with unattended injury or illness situations while maintaining independence in their own homes. The Clairemont Friendship Center successfully pioneered this program for the City of San Diego in In the 25 years since beginning this program, it has grown to be the largest not-for-profit program providing similar service (on a voluntary fee/donation basis) in North America. The SEAS program serves seniors in all ethnic groups and council districts in San Diego and approved clients for the service are never turned away for lack of ability to pay. SEAS provide clients personal access to emergency medical and social services 24 hours a day with the press of a button worn by the client. SEAS attaches to the client's telephone a computer/receiver unit programmed to call the emergency response center and alert paramedics when a help needed signal is received from the tiny, encoded, waterproof transmitter. The button is worn at all times by the senior or disabled client even in the bath. When a "help needed" signal is received, on-duty paramedics attempt to contact the client through the units built-in microphone and speaker to determine the nature of the problem. The paramedic then contacts the nearest neighbor or family member to inform them, and immediately dispatches paramedics, ambulance, fire, or police (as needed) to rescue the client. Even if the client is unconscious or otherwise unable to respond over the unit help is sent to investigate within 2 minutes. "Medically vulnerable" seniors are defined as those 75+ or with known serious medical history such as stroke, heart attack, severe arthritis, and other conditions that limit mobility and increase the risk of sudden illness, accidents or falls. Our clients represent service to only an estimated 0.6% of the known vulnerable population. The at risk population of over 55 and 80+ age groups are the fastest growing segment of San Diego s population due to the aging of baby boomers together with the increased life span of their parents. Seniors want self-sufficiency however with aging comes increased risk of falls. Studies show that over age sixty-five, 30% of the population per year has falls. That group increases with age to 50% of the population per year by age eighty 1. In one half of these falls the patient was unable to get up unassisted and, the decision for placement in a nursing home was made due to such falls. The amount of elapsed time before receiving help directly affects outcomes of serious illness or injuries. Long periods of unattended illness or injury result in high mortality which increased from less than 12% for those unattended for less than one hour to 67% for those who had remained helpless for an estimated 72 hours 2. Additionally, many isolated clients are required to press a button at least 2 times per day to prevent an alarm from being sent. Thus if the client is physically unable to press their button for help or to reset the unit daily, there is an automatic alarm and police or paramedics are sent to investigate. On average, for the most vulnerable in our community, this service helps reduce risk of premature institutionalization by a factor of Studies also show reduce hospital admissions by more than 25% 4 and decreased length of stay of those hospitalized by up to 40% 2. Most significant was the decreased mortality from unattended falls and medical emergencies by 55% 5. Living alone or spending long periods alone and independent is a much higher risk for aged yet the alternatives, (i.e. resident caregivers or nursing homes) result in premature loss of autonomy, independence, privacy, and high cost to the community. Falls and sudden illness are a natural occurrence, but there need not be delay in providing assistance which is the actual cause of unnecessary suffering, long hospitalization, fear of injury and loss of independence and high mortality. 1,3,4 Currently in the SEAS program, the average amount of independence gained due to this service is 24 additional months. The lowest cost, in San Diego for residential care is more than $2000 per month to a client and the community, as opposed to a maximum of $35 per month for the SEAS service. For many of these clients, institutionalization is the only other alternative. Based on 24 additional months of independence the community savings per client exceed $47, Tinetti Me, Williams CS, Falls, injuries due to falls with the risk of admission to a nursing home. N Engl J Med 1997:337: Gurley RJ, Lum N, Lo B, Katz MH, Persons found in their homes helpless or dead. N Engl J Med. 1996:334; Ruchlin HS, Morris JN. Cost-benefit analysis of an emergency alarm and response system. Health Services Res. 1981;16:1; Roush RE, Teasdale TA, Murphy JN, Kirk MS. Impact of a personal emergency system on hospital utilization by community-residing elders. South Med. J. 1995:88: Gurley RJ, Lum N, Lo B, Katz MH, Persons found in their homes helpless or dead. N Engl J Med. 1996:334;

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6 Senior Emergency Alert System Comparison The Senior Emergency Alert System is classified as a Personal Emergency Response Service. The SEAS Program is comparable if not superior to other types of PERS. Take a moment to look at a brief comparison between the Senior Emergency Alert System and other types of services out there. Senior Emergency Alert System (SEAS) The Others Alarms are answered here in San Diego County at the Emergency Communications and Dispatch Center Emergency alarms answered by San Diego area Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics and Nurses specializing in emergency medicine and telephone medical assistance. All certified and licensed by California. After determining the nature of the emergency E.M.T. s will directly and immediately dispatch nearest ambulance, sheriff, police, fire paramedics or just a friend-whatever is most needed. Typical response within 3 to 5 minutes. When emergency service is dispatched, contact is maintained with the responding service until it arrives at the scene. Non-profit service funded by San Diego City and County. Part of the services your taxes go for. No one turned away for financial reasons. Nothing to buy, suggested monthly monitoring fee is on a sliding scale and never exceeds $35 per month. Service will be provided even if unable to pay all or part of requested fee. Never a fee increase. Nothing to buy and no long-term contracts. SEAS uses the latest and best equipment made. Determined by continually testing and comparing new equipment against industry standards. SEAS is not a sales agency marketing a single suppliers product. Sponsored by the City and County of San Diego, SEAS is the only system exempt from the Police Department license and fees required for having alarm systems. Local San Diego Management you can talk to personally anytime you have a suggestion, question or need. Alarms go to out of state call centers. ie Florida, Massachusetts, Colorado Answered by out of San Diego answering service operators-not by trained medical professionals. Our call center dispatches all ambulances in San Diego County. If you sign up with a different company, their call center must call our call center to dispatch an ambulance. Out of state operator depends on reaching an available friend you have listed to respond first and the friend is expected to call needed emergency services after they arrive adding an additional 10 minutes to 1 hour or more to emergency service response times. No ability to directly contact emergency services other than by dialing to the service through the regular public phone lines. Corporations-for profit. Full fees required. No provision for low-income persons. Fixed fees typically $45 or more. Fees have been increasing nearly every year. Many requiring 2-year contract without the right to cancel or discontinue service without paying a huge penalty. Only uses equipment built by the single supplier they represent. Cannot select better performing equipment based on the client s need which may be manufactured by other companies. When fire or police are called in response to an alarm, the client is subject to fines for failing to have a Police Department issued alarm license. Only sales representatives locally with no authority. Management out of state and generally inaccessible. Please call for more information or visit our website at

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