COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 08, 2010

QUESTION NO.5

QUESTION: Councillor C. Keane

To ask the Manager for a report on the provision/availability of personal alarms for the elderly?

REPLY:

The Council has three types of alarms in our housing units.  The basic type is the community care alarm, which comes in two forms i.e. a ceiling pull cord with and without a remote panic button.  The remote panic button is a personal pendant, which should be carried by the person at all times when they are in the house.   The advantage of this personal pendant is that the person can press the button if they fall and alert help

These alarms have an over door indicator light and an external siren, which alerts local neighbours.  This particular type is fitted in most of the one bed units and in particular where this unit is occupied by a senior citizen. 

The third type is the monitored alarms system.  Currently 4 complexes are monitored.  All of these are designated senior citizens' units.  In this case the call goes to a monitored station where the tenant describes their problem.  The monitor station has a store of three names per tenant.  The station refers the call on to the first name on the list and if there is no reply to any of the three on the list, they alert the emergency services.  They also go directly to the emergency services if the call in the first instance is not coherent.  There is a yearly cost for monitoring this service. 

In the case of extensions or new builds for special needs, the pull cord system with pendant is fitted for alerting local neighbours in the event of an accident.