HELP AT YOUR FINGERTIPS 24 HOURS A DAY . . .

LIFELINE helps people live independently. During a medical emergency, one touch of a button will summon assistance within minutes.

LIFELINE protection comes in two forms: a lightweight, waterproof button, which can be worn around your neck or on your wrist; and a base unit, with its own help button. The base unit is connected to your phone line and an electrical outlet and is preprogrammed to dial the Response Center within the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System when you press either the portable button or the help button on the base unit.

When your signal for help is received at the Response Center, we call your home. The base unit has a built-in speaker. After three rings of the phone, the speaker is automatically activated. This allows two-way communication between you and the Response Center without picking up the phone. Because of the range of the speaker, you can even be in another part of the house and still be heard. If you do not answer “OK” when we call, we will contact people you have chosen (Responders) to check on you. If no Responder is available, we will call 911.

Responders should live no more that 10 to 15 minutes from you and have a key to access your home. Responders do not provide first aid, but act as your liaison. Statistically, 911 service is only needed about 15% of the time.

Therefore, we rely on your friends and family to act as your health care link for LIFELINE and reserve 911 for use when a Responder is not available.

When we dispatch your Responder or 911, they are instructed to press a reset bar on your base unit. This sends a message to the Response Center and lets them know that help has arrived. They are also given the Response Center phone number in the event they have questions or if further assistance is needed.

LIFELINE has an optional timer feature. An internal clock in the base unit can be set for 24 hours. If you decide to use this feature, you must manually press the reset bar on your base unit at least once every 24 hours. For example, if you press the reset bar at 7 a.m. today, you must press it by 7 a.m. tomorrow or it will automatically flash and beep for five minutes until the timer is reset. Otherwise, it will send an alarm to the Response Center. If you will be away from home for more than 24 hours, you can set the timer on “away.” If you would prefer not to use this feature, it can be deactivated. Please note, the timer has no bearing on your ability to signal for help.

LIFELINE is a service of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System and is supported by Auxiliary volunteers. Utilizing their services enables us to provide LIFELINE for a moderate installation cost and monthly fee.

LIFELINE offers peace of mind and independence for you and provides reassurance to your family, friends and caregivers. Please note, units without the speaker feature are also available.

LIFELINE
Phone: 941-917-7416