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Help at home and response systems
Elder Services’ Information and Referral (I & R) department receives many calls each month with problems or issues individuals are unable to solve on their own. Below is a sample of these calls.
Q: My elderly uncle lives in Connecticut. He is in need of help at home. Is there an Elder Services in Connecticut that can help him?
A: Yes. There are Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) everywhere in the United States. Elder Services has a complete listing to help guide you to the right location. For the correct phone number, call Elder Services at 413-499-0524 or 800-544-5242.
Q: A woman recently called and asked, “What are those buttons that you wear around your neck that can call for help?”
A: Those “buttons” are called Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS). These are communication systems that alert a monitoring center that an emergency is occurring in an individual’s home. PERS can also be used for routine reassurance and “check-in” service as well as for medication reminders. The individual generally wears the button on a wristband or a necklace and can push the button when help is needed. The monitoring center will respond to the call for help in different ways, including: calling the person at home; calling a family member, friend or neighbor; or calling for emergency medical assistance.
Some of the companies that provide PERS services to Berkshire County residents include: Companion Call Light 413-583-3340; Lifeline Systems Inc. 800-328-8824; Link to Life 413-442-6363 or 800- 338-4176; and Organization for Enhanced Capability 877- 441-0777. Alarms of Berkshire County 413- 445-4030 has a unique lifeline system called Intellinet. The Intellinet signal is sent over radio waves and does not depend on phone lines to carry the emergency signal.
To contact Elder Services I & R Department, call 800-544-5242 or 413-499-0524.