Personal Emergency Response Systems: Communication Technology Aids Elderly and Their Families

Abstract

Personal emergency response systems (PRS), electronic technology that can summon help to disabled or frail persons living alone, have achieved rapid acceptance in home health care in the past 10 years. This article summarizes research on user characteristics, emergency rates, psychological effects, and effects on health service use. Typical PRS subscribers average 78 years of age, have multiple physical problems, and live alone. They average .5 emergencies per year, 36% of which require hospitalization. PRS has strong psychological effects, reducing anxiety in subscribers and stress in their families. Several studies show reduced hospital admissions and earlier discharge, delay of nursing home entry, and reduced need for personal-care attendants at home with resulting cost savings.