INSIGHTS FROM INDUSTRY
WHAT DOES SAFETY AND SECURITY LOOK LIKE AT YOUR RETIREMENT VILLAGE? SEVEN TIPS FOR IMPROVEMENT
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hen asked the key reasons for moving into a retirement village, survey results for older Australians consistently identify an improved level of ‘safety and security’. That means the 24/7 Emergency Call System or Personal Emergency Response System installed within a community is of utmost importance. Fulfilling a promise to provide ‘Safety & Security’ weighs heavily on the minds of operational managers who seek to ensure quality systems that can be relied upon by residents to work when it counts. A good rule of thumb is to install or upgrade a new device fleet every three to five years. When you find yourself needing to assess your system, either due to a natural end of life or as a result of the impending 3G network shutdown, then there are some key features you should consider.
1. Easy to install
Installing a medical alarm can be difficult, especially if the system is hard-wired, and will require an electrician. Drawn out or complicated installations are unsettling for residents who don’t need the unnecessary intrusion in their homes. Features to look out for are ‘Plug and Play’ or ‘Ready to Use’, which should mean that the device comes pre-configured and may be installed by the village maintenance team.
2. Backup battery
Backup batteries provide the reliability of a system if a power outage occurs, and given some of the natural disasters of the last 18 months, it’s an important feature to consider. A medical alarm should have a backup battery, which works for at least 40 hours, and this is an AS4607 standard. It’s also important to consider that the device notifies care staff (SMS or email) whenever an offline event occurs.
3. Remote fleet management
A reliable medical alarm system nowadays should have the ability to be remotely managed. That means viewing device health, connectivity, and troubleshooting issues within the fleet all from one dashboard or app screen. To provide this level of information, these systems will need to be cloud-based and operate over data to transmit real-time or on-demand information.
4. Fast response times
When evaluating a new system, it’s worth considering the response times promised by the supplier. AS4607 Personal Emergency Response standards require a response time of 95 percent of calls answered in 120 seconds or less for Personal Emergency Response systems; however, some suppliers offer faster response times of 60 seconds or less. In the event of a real emergency, every second counts.
5. Dashboard and app integration
Purpose-built dashboards and apps can make working with a fleet of medical alarms much easier to manage over the long term. These dashboards provide an improved level of reporting which can save time and help you provide better support to residents with higher needs.
6. Cellular based
Cellular connection is a reliable feature of a medical alarm. In a power outage, landlines can be disconnected, meaning medical alarms that are not SIM-enabled will no longer work. A 4G VoLTE device provides a cellular connection, where systems will operate even if an outage occurs. It has an improved connectivity and voice quality than a 4G LTE line, Continued on page 68
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