PERS Devices Only Work When Your Parent Is at Home

If your parent travels or is frequently out and about, a personal emergency response system (PERS) won't help during an emergency. These devices are designed to work exclusively from a home telephone line, not on wireless cell phone lines. When the emergency button is pushed, the PERS console automatically connects with the response center via the telephone landline. This lets the responder know instantly where the call is coming from -- your parent's street address pops up on the company's computer, as it would on a 911 system.

So, if you have an active parent, cell phones are best for handling emergencies outside your parent's home -- as long as your parent or another responder can tell dispatchers where he's located. While some cell phone services have global positioning system (GPS) capabilities that locate the phone user, they're expensive and the technology is still evolving.

Another helpful option for the on-the-go parent is a product called MedicAlert, which is a personalized medical bracelet printed with a unique phone number. If your parent needs emergency assistance, the responders (medics, police, firefighters) call the number and immediately get detailed information about your parent, such as his medical history, home address, and family contacts. Because this system is international, it works in many different countries. However, it still depends on a real person to tell dispatchers where your parent is located if he can't do it himself.

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Definition of Emergency Alert System

Available from many different service providers, an emergency alert system -- or personal emergency response system (PERS) -- enables your parent to immediately contact a monitoring service in an emergency.

See Also

1. Emergency Alert System Related Content
2. Daily Care
3. Heart
4. Independent Living