Emergency pull cord a waste!
By ctryhnny
@ctryhnny (3460)
United States
January 28, 2013 6:19am CST
I live in a Sr. Citizens building that I love very much. There are emergency pull cords in my bedroom and bathroom. I've lived here 4 years and all this time I have felt a small bit safe knowing if anything happened to me I could get help by pulling the cord. I recently found out that when you pull that string it doesn't alert anyone except the people in the bldg. Someone would come to your apartment to see what's wrong and if needed call 911. I seen other alerts go off and if it's in the day the office girl will answer it and shut it off. When I learned this I decided to get one of those safety links where you wear a bracelet or necklace that goes to a dispatcher to call 911 right away. So my thought is what the heck is the reasoning behind that? It could take forever to get to you and it could be too late by the time they call 911! I feel like it's only good if you take a fall and need help getting up. What do you think...are the pull cords a waste?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
28 Jan 13
They couldn't possibly have these cords attached to 911 because they would probably be going off all the time. People slip, yank the cord by accident, and children visiting would probably do the same thing. The emergency department would be going crazy, and people might be pulling them for non-emergency cases.
I think the emergency cord is a good idea for people who fall. It certainly beats laying there for hours or even days without any help. Getting out of bed is one factor of falling easily and so is the bathtub. And if it's worse than falling, at least someone is available to CALL 911 for you.
Something like this is better than nothing at all...just my opinion.
1 person likes this
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
29 Jan 13
It does nobody any good if the person on the clock in the building just shuts it off without going and checking on the tenant. If they need to hire someone FOR the senior building just to be there in case so the regular person doesn't have to leave the office every time a cord is pulled, I'd think they'd have the means to do that.
I know it would irritate me, knowing that an older relative of mine lived in a senior building equipped with emergency cords and the person on duty was simply shutting off the beeper or alarm without even making sure the tenant wasn't lying on the floor hurt, passed out, choking, etc.
1 person likes this
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
29 Jan 13
They shut it off but someone does go and check to see what is wrong. They don't just shut it off and ignore the problem.
When the office crew goes home, there is someone who is in charge for after hours when the office is closed.
My mother lived in one of these retirement communities and someone was always on call in case of emergency's. This place would be sued if no one responded to a call.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
29 Jan 13
I have only known about the ones that are like Kash is talking about and monitored 24/7. That is part of why those buildings can get the rates they charge. I hope they are monitored for the one in this discussion.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
28 Jan 13
Of course, it is only to alert the people in the building. Those cords are so common that I just assumed that everyone knew how that worked.
If you are really feeling unsafe in your seniors-only apartment building, it may be a good idea to start looking at an assisted living facility. You could find one that is a bit more tailored to your needs than a mere apartment building is; the right one may even help to encourage you to be more active and engaged.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
29 Jan 13
the ones I have known about have been monitored, but if you feel better with a "life alert" type device, be sure to get one as well. Be aware, though, that sometimes those things can be triggered accidentally and they start charging you for unneeded calls if it happens very often. I think you need to talk to the management where you live and find out what the exact procedure is supposed to be for the pull cords and if they are monitored at night as well.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
29 Jan 13
The emergency pull cords are useful in case you fall down and need to call someone else in the building to help you get up. A mobile phone would have to call 911 if you needed it. It is better than having no way of alerting someone that you need urgent assistance.
My little boy is disabled and we live in England. I feel very uncomfortable ringing 999 if I believe he might have a shunt malfunction. If he did he would have to be taken to Frenchay Hospital. There are nearer hospitals but they don't have the specialists we need. A couple of months ago he had a bad headaches, a high temperate and vomiting. It was a very scary and upsetting time.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Jul 16
here they do summon a caregiverand if you have fallen and cannot get uip they will help you and if y ou are really ill they wll call an ambulance
@mommyboo (13174)
• United States
29 Jan 13
I think it's a waste if there is not a person on duty 24/7 which would alert 911 or come immediately to the unit where the cord was pulled to see if emergency needed to be called. I don't feel it is fair or reasonable to give tenants in the building the false sense of security that if they pull the cord, emergency help or a person will arrive immediately to assess the situation if that isn't in fact true.
It seems like a much better idea that you got one of those safety link necklaces. I don't know what level of care you have in your building, is it like assisted living or more like a regular apartment complex which is just all rented only to seniors? If it's the latter and there's only one attendant on duty, I probably wouldn't expect much in the way of help from them.
