We've received a referral for a client who will be moving into a bungalow.
There will be a carer in the bungalow 24hrs a day. The client can operate a
head switch but cannot vocalise.
There will be one other resident in addition to the carer
We feel that we need a client-operated alarm system that is more secure than
a basic pager.
Is there anything out there which addresses the following:
1) Be switch operated to trigger an alarm in the carers room and possibly
elsewhere in the bungalow the carer may be. This could be a couple of
strategically placed wall mounted alarms and perhaps a pager that the carer
wears.
2) Normally closed connection on input so that the alarm triggers if the
switch becomes disconnected.
3) If the system is wireless there will have to be regular communication
between units to ascertain that they are still linked.
4) Battery failure indication.
5) The alarm should be sufficient to alert the carer but hopefully not
disturb the other resident, particularly at night.
6) This may be too much to ask, but the client may be unable to operate the
switch due to angina or heart attack. Therefore, may need monitoring so that
if pulse and oxygen level reduces significantly this will also trigger the
alarm as soon as possible. Should this scenario occur the alarm should
probably route straight through to the emergency services rather than the
carer alone. Even if technically feasible I'm not sue if the emergency
services would permit this method.
At present this appears to me to require a combination of nurse call system
and if viable heart rate/oxygen level monitoring.
The client is adamant that they want to live in the bungalow instead of
hospital.
Marcus.
Marcus Friday
Barnsley District General Hospital
Medical Physics Department
Gawber Road
Barnsley
S75 2EP
Tel: 01226 730000 x2159
|