Re: Geezer Tracker

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Robert L. Bass" <robertlbass@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3MOdnSGrzb91KUTfRVn-sg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hi Robert,
>
> There's a company called Planet Mobility that may have just what you're
> looking for in a phone.  It's called a "Liberty Bell"  cell phone.  It's
> voice activated.  Here's the URL:
> http://www.planetmobility.com/store/phones

$2,885!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:-)

A little out of my project budget by about $2800!

> There are hundreds of other suppliers in the assistive technology (AT)
> marketplace.  This company is one I've heard of but I have not done
business
> with them so no endorsement one way or the other.

Thanks.  Planet M. turned out to be a great place to buy a scooter cover.
Not so sure about spending that kind of money for a voice-activated phone
when Dad's last crisis involved not being able to speak!

> Best of luck.  My Dad is 84 and he's starting to have problems.  The other
> day he fell down next to the pool and hurt his knee.  He couldn't get up
and
> my mom couldn't hear him.  He was stuck outside in 90+ weather -- pretty
> scary until she finally heard him.  It's worrying me since I'm scheduled
to
> be out of the country soon for a couple of months.

Mom broke her hip going out for the mail.  They live in a condo with those
new birdhouse cluster mailboxes.  Anyone know if the disabled elderly can
get the USPS to deliver directly to their house?  I know they leave
important mail sitting in the box for days on end when neither mom nor dad
want to brave the elements.  <sigh>  This getting old stuff is a bitch!

> I decided to order a PERS system from one of my suppliers.  There's a
> wireless button he can carry or wear on his wrist.  If he falls or if he
> presses the button it signals a base station in the house which in turn
> notifies our central station.  They then call the house and if they don't
> get an answer they send help.
>
> I don't know if that sort of thing would help your dad.  If you're
> interested in getting one let me know and I'll put you in touch with the
> supplier.

Yes - I've seen these sort of things and will be implementing something
similar to it, probably with another HAI Omni or an Elk that's got a dialer
that can react to a wireless pendant push.

More likely, I'll look into a tracking GPS phone that Dave talked about so
it's something he can have with him all the time.  The problem with that is
that there's spotty reception in the basement where he's already fallen down
the stairs (miraculously with nothing more than a few bruises).  I'm going
to have to sit down and do some old-fashioned requirements analysis before I
figure out how to go about implementing some of these suggestions.

Thanks for the pointer,

--
Bobby G.