community alarms an alarm system to help you in your home

Transcription

1 community alarms an alarm system to help you in your home Please note that our Plus Dane customer contact telephone numbers refered to throughout this leaflet have now changed to: [free from most UK landline phones] [local rate from a mobile phone]

2 community alarms We want you to be able to enjoy your home. If you are living alone and are vulnerable to accidents and emergencies we can help to make things easier. Our Community Alarm service gives a solution which enables you to raise an emergency call to a monitoring centre. This service will help you to feel safe in your home and help you to maximise your independence for as long as possible. Community Alarms Our 24 hour service offers you the comfort that you can get help in seconds. When you activate the alarm it sends a message to a Control Centre with specially trained staff who can access your details including any special health or medical requirements that you have. This helps them to respond to your call effectively. They will contact where necessary your nominated relatives or friends, nominated key holders, medical practices or the emergency services. How does the alarm work? The alarm works through your telephone and mains supply. You will receive a handset and a pendant that can be worn around the neck or on the wrist assuring you that you can get help from anywhere in your home. When you need help you press the button on the handset or the pendant. Benefits of a Community Alarm There are a number of benefits to the community alarm service that include: Instant Response Highly skilled operators respond to 2

3 your call or alert and take the appropriate action on your behalf to get the help you need; Complete Reassurance 24 hour telephone link to the Control Centre; Easy installation The alarm is simple to install and only requires a telephone socket and mains supply; Help at the press of a button No matter what your difficulty is, someone will always try to help you; Personal Service Friendly and dignified service. How to apply You can apply for a community alarm by: Calling us on ; Writing to us; ing us at your.views@neighbourhoodinvestor.com; By speaking to a member of staff. Once you have made your application, we will write to you within five working days to tell you if you have been accepted to receive an alarm. We will then arrange to visit you to complete a short application form which includes taking details of: Your medical conditions; Regular medication that you take; Who your doctor is; Your next of kin or emergency contact details. We sometimes have a waiting list which you will be placed on until an alarm becomes available. We will tell you how long we think you will have to wait. If your need is urgent, please tell us. Once an alarm becomes available we will contact you within three working days to arrange to install the alarm and show you how to use it. 3

4 community alarms Frequently Asked Questions Here are some answers to questions about our community alarm service: Q Is there a cost? A There is a small weekly charge for a Community Alarm which is payable with your rent. This charge covers the rental of the equipment, maintenance and the service. If you receive Housing Benefit or Pension Credit you may be eligible for a Supporting People grant to cover the cost of the alarm. This payment will be paid direct to us. When we complete the application we will discuss payment options with you and help you to complete a supporting people claim. Q Can anyone have an alarm fitted? A If you are feeling vulnerable due to your age or medical condition you can apply for an alarm. If you are under 55 and have no medical conditions you would not be eligible for the service. Q What would you do if none of my contacts can respond to an emergency? A If you call for help and the operator cannot get hold of any of the contacts you have provided, they will assess the situation and may call the emergency services, such as an Ambulance. 4

5 Q Will my alarm work in the garden? A In most small gardens, your pendant would still trigger a call, a demonstration of this can be done when we install the alarm. Q What if I do not want the alarm any more? A If you do not wish to continue receiving the service you can contact us and arrange for us to remove the alarm. The cost of the alarm would then stop. Q My home already has an alarm fitted can you remove it? A No. A fixed community alarm in your home is hard wired so cannot be removed. Paying for the alarm charge is a condition of your tenancy which you agreed to pay when you signed your tenancy agreement. If you feel the alarm no longer meets your needs, please talk to us. Customer Feedback We value your views and would like to hear what you think about the service you receive from us. If you wish to make a complaint, compliment or give us a suggestion you can do so by contacting us on

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7 Translations available on request Other languages, Braille, audio format & large print available on request Plus Dane Group 172 Park Road Liverpool L8 6SJ 5.2 M Produced by Plus Dane Group communications team June 2012