Friends

13 July 2019

CALLING FOR HELP


I have a system which enables me to call for help when or if needed. It is run by AGE CONCERN and  works like this:

I am supplied with a push-button that I wear all the time and if I have a serious problem, I can press the button to call for help. 

The connection is with the house phone via a small loudspeaker. Periodically I am contacted by those who use the switchboard I am connected to. In return I am expected to test the button at least once a month which is nice because I get to chat with the operator at the other end. The contact is to ascertain my state of mind or health. 

For 3 years everything has worked to plan but two days ago my landline died. Oh boy did I panic!  I had the mobile but that was no good if I wanted to contact Age Concern. The whole system was geared to house phone only. Talk about panic!

First priority was to get the house phone sorted. Fortunately, Age Concern could contact me over the loudspeaker, the panic was because I couldn’t contact them or anyone else.

Four days, I was told. Four days of being out of contact with the outside world. Four days in which to avoid needing help.  HELP! I could feel tears forming and tried very hard to fight them. Four days out of contact wasn’t ideal. I mean, what if I had an accident or something, who would even know?

But I need not have worried. That very day I had this email……
Your service should be up and
running again         
Hello, 

We're sorry you've had problems with your phone service. Everything should be working okay now. If you set up call diversion, you can cancel it by dialling #21# from your landline.

If you've got broadband, you might need to restart your hub and wait up to three days for the speed to get back to normal. 
I
I was grateful, but I wasn't going to ask why I was told I must wait four days before I got the line working.

22 comments:

  1. I've never heard of Age Concern but - from what you've indicated - it sounds like a good, reliable company. I'm so glad your phone is working again. Four days can seem like an eternity.

    I am always worried now that I live out here in the Tennessee wilderness. My old cell phone worked perfectly when I first moved here, but it's now obsolete. I recently tried two new cell phones and neither of them can pick up a signal in my rural area. Fortunately I still have a landline phone - but it's really not enough to appease my anxiety.

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    1. Hi Jon, life has been better for me since Age Concern started checking up on me. Not that they do that, exactly, but they are there. I mean, if I have a fall and can't get to a phone all I have to do is press the button and help is on its way. I have to pay for the privilege but it's not too much and is worth it for peace of mind. May there is something similar in your country.

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  2. That must have been very frightening. It might be that because of your age they sorted out a way around the problem for you. Since you have a mobile, perhaps it would be an idea to add Age Concern's number so that if your landline dies again, you'll still be able to call. Have you asked them about it?

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    1. Yes I did ask, Jenny. I don't think they wanted to deviate from their system. Mobile phones might well be okay at some point in the future, though. I agree with you in that I think age had a part to play, after all it's not everyone who is looked after by Age Concern.

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  3. Valerie, I think it's not only awesome that you have this service, but also very smart because living alone you never know when you might need immediate assistance. And although you felt panic (as would anyone), at least they were able to get you up and running that same day. I bet you had a big sigh of relief.

    One thing though, I surprised this service is not able to connect to your cell phone (as a backup) because most everyone uses a cell phone for every thing. However, I still have landline service as well. I need it for my internet connection. Yet, I rarely use the phone.

    Glad everything worked out, dear friend!

    Have a super weekend!
    X to you and Charlie

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    1. Ron, I am going to query the matter of phones and their numbers. I rarely use my landline phone, I only keep it for Age Concern. If I ever got rid of the latter I would be tempted to say goodbye to the flipping phone but not the internet connection. I'm not quite ready for that loss.

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  4. Hi Valerie. Just a thought. Have you thought about getting a home help who would visit you every day and you would have a mobile contact if you need help? It works for my brother.

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    1. Hi Dave, I have thought about it often but when I look into it I am horrified by the cost. They don't come free and my bills are astronomic! I thought I would wait until I was really past it; by then my interest in IT would also have waned.

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  5. I didn't know home care was costly. I thought it was free. I think a neighbour or friends mobile number would suffice.

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  6. If you are with BT they always say 4 days to cover themselves. I find it usually takes 3, but we have been without a landline for a month, and this was when my mother was living at home but not coping very well. It was a nightmare.

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    1. I was lucky, then, getting it sorted the same day. It was probably the tears that did it, plus my connection with Age Concern.

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  7. All's well that ends well! Must be a great relief to be in the land of the living even if technology let's us down from time to time.

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    1. It is the first time I've had to deal with this sort of thing... just call me useless!!

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  8. I found you over at the Penguinn blog. Like what I see so I am going to follow you and look forward to many more visits.

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    1. Welcome. I look forward to your visits as well.

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  9. I'm happy for you Valerie, so glad it was taken care of quickly.

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    1. I'm getting too old for upsets, Denise, but all's well that ends well, eh?

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  10. I would have been upset with the lack of outside contact as well, Valerie. We have a landline through our internet service provider and that's the number we give to all "outsiders." But if the internet goes down, then so does the phone.

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    1. We have become so reliant on internet and telephone usage. I wish I could remember what it was like before the they were invented.

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  11. Grenville (Pat) thanks you for the birthday wishes.

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  12. My Mom has the same type of system and her landline goes out often because of where she lives. Whenever I call to report it, they tell me several days. All I have to tell them is that she has Life Line on her phone and they put her repair on an emergency basis. She gets pretty scared about it too.

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    1. The sudden change of attitude must have been down to the mention of Age Concern, which is another name for Life Line. I wish I'd known what to do before I needed it!! If it happens again it won't be such a worry because I will know what to do.

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