Saga SOS reassuring personal alarms from Saga
Help at the press of a button... If you need medical assistance... If you injure yourself in the home or garden... If you are prone to the odd fall... If you have an unwanted caller... Whatever the emergency, Saga SOS is there to assist you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 2
Reassurance for you, or someone close to you 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? A press-button alarm that automatically summons assistance can be very reassuring. That s exactly what Saga SOS does. Saga SOS is a simple personal alarm system that s designed to alert staff in a response centre that you need assistance. All you have to do is press a small, portable 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 your nominated keyholder, calling an ambulance or your doctor in a medical emergency, or summoning the fire brigade if you smell burning. Our vigilant, sympathetic staff are specially trained to assess a situation quickly and take away the worry. They can even assist you with bogus callers at your door. Saga SOS offers a host of features including: Long range personal alarm for use around your home and garden Friendly, vigilant staff to take control of the situation Hands-free two-way speech just talk and we will hear you Easy to install Lightweight can be worn around the neck or on the wrist Battery back-up in case there s a power cut Two levels of protection to choose from Saga SOS Standard and Saga SOS Plus Option to rent or purchase A choice of payment methods. 3
How Saga SOS works A press-button alarm is worn unobtrusively as a pendant around your neck, a wristband, or as a clip to your belt, waistband or lapel. In an emergency, press the button just once and the mobile alarm will activate a special homecare unit within your home. It does this using radio waves, not a long wire. The homecare unit is linked to our 24 hour response centre via your telephone line. It enables communication between you and us. It also acts as a microphone and loudspeaker, allowing you to talk directly with the person in the response centre. Your normal telephone continues to operate as usual. Through your homecare unit, the person at the response centre will ask you what is wrong. Because your unit is uniquely coded, they will already know who you are and where you live, so that they can get the appropriate help without wasting any time. If you are unable to speak or reach the homecare unit, they will contact the person you have nominated to hold your key. If the keyholder is unobtainable, they will alert the emergency services. If the call is a false alarm (you may have pressed your button by mistake), once staff at the response centre are satisfied that you are okay, they will end the call and reset the alarm. 4
For extra peace of mind protection from bogus callers Saga SOS also includes a separate bogus caller button. This can be fixed near the inside of your front door. If an unwanted visitor appears at your door, do not let them in instead, press the button (or the one on your personal alarm) to trigger a call for assistance. This will enable the person at the response centre to help deal with the caller. With Saga SOS Standard you can do all this... Trigger an alarm call to the response centre using either the homecare unit or the press-button personal alarm Press a button on the homecare unit or on the portable personal alarm to answer any incoming phone call and communicate hands free through the homecare unit, rather than picking up the handset on your normal phone Ask the response centre to adjust the volume on the homecare unit speaker Get staff at the response centre to verify the identity of callers at the door as appropriate. And if you want intruder and smoke detection too, just choose Saga SOS Plus. 5
A choice of protection levels SOS Standard Saga SOS is designed to offer a host of useful features as standard: Homecare unit, with adjustable volume control and automatic battery back-up Waterproof press-button personal alarm, with a range of up to 150m, and pendant, clip and wristband accessories Bogus caller unit to deter unwanted callers psaga SOS homecare unit: Plugs into a power socket and phone socket and dials the response centre when any of the linked devices are triggered. User guide and pre-programming of unit Lifetime warranty (rental option) two year warranty (purchase option). SOS Plus For extra peace of mind, Saga SOS Plus not only does everything that SOS Standard does, but also gives you: Three intruder sensors for automatic detection of intruders via infra-red technology Automatic smoke detector for the early detection of fires. ppersonal press-button alarm: Can be worn on your wrist, on a clothing clip, or around your neck, and will raise a call to the response centre when pressed. pbogus caller button: Position inside the front door. Press to call for assistance dealing with unwanted visitors to your home. psmoke detector: Will raise the alarm and alert the response centre if the unit detects smoke, indicating a fire. p3 intruder sensors: Can be activated via the homecare unit to detect intruders and alert the response centre while you are out. 6
A choice of payment options There are two elements to the cost of SOS the cost of the equipment and the cost of round-the-clock monitoring and maintenance. We aim to make SOS as affordable as possible; unlike some other providers no deposit is required, and there are two value-for-money payment options so you can choose the one that suits you best. The rental option You can rent the equipment included with your SOS Standard or SOS Plus package for a minimum of 12 months, and pay monthly by Direct Debit. The cost for this option includes any repairs necessary to the equipment, and if you are chronically sick or disabled * the payments will be exempt from VAT. Cost if you choose to rent Saga SOS: Saga SOS Standard 14.95 per month (VAT exempt) ( 17.94 with VAT) Saga SOS Plus 30.95 per month (VAT exempt) ( 37.14 with VAT) The purchase option Alternatively, you can buy the equipment and just pay an annual service charge for the monitoring service. Payment can be made by credit or debit card, or by annual Direct Debit. Cost if you choose to buy Saga SOS: Saga SOS Standard 274.99 for the first year, then 100 per year (VAT exempt) ( 329.99 for the first year, then 120 per year, with VAT) Saga SOS Plus 549.99 for the first year, then 200 per year (VAT exempt) ( 659.99 for the first year, then 240 per year, with VAT) Installation Saga SOS is easy to install, however an installation service is available if needed. Saga SOS Standard 84 (VAT exempt) ( 100.80 with VAT) Saga SOS Plus 100 (VAT exempt) ( 120 with VAT) Extra alarm triggers Additional press-button alarms are available at 40.00 each if you require more than one. *VAT Exemption If you are chronically sick or disabled, and can declare yourself as such, please ask for a VAT Exemption Form. Chronically ill means that you have an illness that is likely to last for a long time, such as arthritis. Disabled means a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and longterm effect on your ability to carry out normal activities. You do not need to be registered disabled to claim relief from VAT, but you must specify your disability. 7
Saga SOS in action... Anyone can have a mishap in the home or garden, Saga SOS will give you, and those close to you, the reassurance of immediate assistance as the following customers found out... Mrs Lammas and her son Unable to get to the phone following a fall, Mrs Lammas pressed her SOS button and the control centre quickly summoned her son and the paramedics. While she waited for them, she was in constant contact with the control centre and now feels reassured that there is always someone there to help. Mrs West always wears her alarm around her neck, and had to press the button on three different occasions having fallen over a particular mat. The control centre contacted her neighbours and they were there to help within minutes. Thankfully she wasn t injured and the offending mat has since been banished. Mrs West When Mr Ladds suddenly collapsed, his wife Mrs Ladds immediately contacted her son Steve Stubbings and pressed the button on her Saga SOS alarm. This contacted the control centre who answered and spoke to Mrs Ladds. They took charge and called the paramedics who arrived at the house just before Steve. The paramedics realised Mr Ladds was having a stroke and took him straight to hospital. 8
Your questions answered How easy is it to install Saga SOS? Saga SOS works with most telephone lines and connecting it is straightforward. A set of step-bystep instructions is supplied, but you can always ask us to arrange installation for you. If you change your mind about Saga SOS, simply return the unit within 14 days to obtain a refund. What if I have impaired hearing or sight? When the unit is first set up, our response centre will make a test call and set the volume control at the level that suits you. If the trigger button has been pressed, the unit will flash, indicating that assistance has been requested. 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 homecare unit 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. If we cannot contact your keyholder, we will automatically get an ambulance to you. In an emergency, who will be sent to help and what happens if you cannot contact them? You can nominate a keyholder (a friend, neighbour, relative or someone you trust) who lives within 30 minutes of you and can be contacted in an emergency. If we are unable to contact your keyholder, or they are unable to assist, we will send the emergency services as appropriate. What if I press the button in error and trigger a false alarm? Our response centre will check with you that everything is okay and, when we are satisfied that you are safe, we will end the call and reset the alarm. I have a coded keysafe. Can I still use Saga SOS? Yes. If we need to call the emergency services on your behalf, we will tell them the code to your keysafe and where it is located, enabling them to enter your home without having to use force. How does the bogus caller unit work? This is located near your front door for you to press if someone you are not sure about asks to come in. When this alarm is raised in our response centre it has a specific signal to alert us that someone is at your door. Through your closed door you should ask them for details. If you request us to, we will contact the organisation they claim to represent to verify their identity. What if I need more than Saga SOS to stay independent at home? Saga SOS can provide reassurance, but if you need extra help at home, our home care service Saga Independent Living could be the answer. Whether you need help getting up in the morning, assistance with meals or medication, someone to take you shopping or even 24-hour live-in care, we can provide a service that s as individual as you are. For more details please see page 11. 9
How to order your Saga SOS Once you have decided which SOS option is right for you, it s easy to order. Our SOS team can take all your details over the phone, including the contact details of your nominated keyholder or information about your keysafe and they will then send you a pre-completed application form. Simply fill in any shaded areas, then sign and return it in the envelope provided, together with a completed payment form. Once your application has been processed, your Saga SOS will be delivered to your door within a few days. If you need any help to make your decision or have any queries, please call. For more information or to order call 0800 068 5059 and our SOS team will be pleased to assist. 10
Saga Independent Living providing quality care at home If you need support in your own home to remain independent, our new home care service Saga Independent Living can help you by providing either day-to-day care or 24-hour live-in care. Our carers are trained to the highest standard and given any specialised training necessary to meet your specific needs. Saga Independent Living is available in parts of the South of England, and is currently expanding nationwide. Day-to-day care We can offer a flexible day-to-day care service and improve your everyday life by helping with household tasks and personal care. You can choose how often carers come to visit you, from daily half-hour visits to just once a week or for several hours at different times of the day it s up to you. 24 hour live-in care We can provide 24-hour live-in care, housekeeping and companionship. This gives you the peace of mind of knowing there is someone you can call on at any time of day or night. We try to match carers to your needs and interests so that you have the opportunity to establish a genuine one-to-one relationship with your carer. We can provide assistance with... Getting up or going to bed Bathing and showering Shaving Oral care Dressing Feeding Medication Toileting Emptying commode Continence care Making and changing a bed Preparing a shopping list Shopping Laundry Ironing Preparing and cooking meals General cleaning and much more... Saga Care Funding Advice Service Many people with assets over 23,250 will have to pay for their own care. If this applies to you or a relative, and you are not sure how to fund care now or in the future the Saga Care Funding Advice Service (provided by Saga Personal Finance) can guide you through the options. They can create a tailor-made plan to help ensure care fees are met for as long as required, providing security of payment and peace of mind. 11 For more details on Saga Independent Living or the Saga Care Funding Advice Service, please call 0800 068 8583 quoting XS1115
Saga SOS saved my life! An accident in the home or garden can happen to anyone, says Sue Bones. However, my sister and I have become increasingly worried about our mum as she grows older. We both work during the day and travel a lot. So we can t always be contacted easily or guarantee to reach mum quickly in an emergency. Sue ordered a Saga SOS personal alarm and was impressed by how easy it was to install and use. What Sue hadn t anticipated was how soon Saga SOS would prove its worth. Late one night when her mum, Mrs Welman, was putting out her wheelie bin, she fell over in her garden and broke her hip. Luckily she was able to get help by simply pressing the Saga SOS button on a special wristband. This alerted staff at a 24-hour control centre who immediately summoned her daughter. Having made a full recovery, Mrs Welman said: Without my personal alarm, I would have been left out in the cold and in a lot of pain until I was found which might not have been until the next morning. I believe Saga SOS saved my life. We have tried to answer the main questions you may have about Saga SOS, but if you want to talk about it without obligation, our SOS team will be pleased to help. CSSL9169 To order Saga SOS or for more information call 0800 068 5059 Lines are open 9am-5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am-1pm Saturday. SA/BR/QT/A5/111