My 87-year-old MIL can't speak due to cancer surgery ten years ago. Her current alert company has no provision for her to respond when her alert accidentally goes off. She is alone through the day and has had the ambulance show up when her necklace sent an alert. The company calls her, even though they have it in their records she can’t speak, and when she doesn't vocally respond, an ambulance is sent. She does answer the phone, but they can't understand her.
I hope this helps. I understand all too well how much worry and concern one feels for a loved one, especially when s/he cannot communicate. Good luck to you.
Lots of good information in previous answers. We also use life alert. My husband is deaf and can't respond to the dispatcher if the alert is activated either accidently or due to an emergency. We have it set up that BEFORE they send the EMT/Fire Dept/Police they call me or my daughter (who luckily lives down the street). We have a keypad on the garage door so emergency help can gain entrance if for some reason one of us isn't available. We live in a small town, so I don't mind giving the EMTs/Police/Fire Dep. the code to keep in their records. I hope you can find something that works for her (and you).
On Tuesday I tested a couple's smoke alarm, a routine part of our assessments. Oh boy. Ten minutes later their neighbour hammers on the door to say don't panic don't panic the fire brigade are on their way - ! The couple had either forgotten or at least had forgotten to mention that their smoke alarm is linked in to some fantastically sophisticated (= paranoid) multiple hazard protocol that silently sets off an emergency escalation. And which we had no way of stopping once it started.
The firemen were very nice about it. And the couple are letting their contract lapse.
There are special devices for people with aphasia, too, you can do a web search for those. They are basically small tablets with keyboards that do the same thing as a translation service. Your MIL's insurance may even help with the cost. Our state has a 'lending library' of assistive devices for people with disabilities that I used to provide technical support for as needed so know such devices exist.
Another possibility is that If MIL can operate a phone or tablet but finds the translation service a bit too much someone can prerecord a message and put it on the device so all she has to do it open it and let it play for the medic alert company (you could even use an old school tape recorder and do the same thing). It could include anything you want it to say including a number for them to call someone (you, neighbor, friends, etc.) so they can check on her without sending an ambulance. The problem with this is that if the medic alert company starts asking questions, she won't be able to answer (might want to state that in the recorded message).
For your MIL's needs it doesn't look like there is any solution that isn't going to involve some kind of technology, so I hope you find a solution for her. Good luck.
maybe sos) if she need help or yes/no
maybe they could call her handicap phone ? I believe she can type in a message ?
my brother got one free.
I was looking for something like that in my 30s and I’ll soon be 60. The closest I’ve come, is having an Apple Watch, that will detect a fall — maybe. I used to work for Apple. So, they’ve been able to move into this market a bit.
Perhaps like the rest of the tech market, they’re looking at the youth geographic and trying to make whatever’s cool, forgetting that a lot of people who grew up with tech are getting older, live alone and can’t afford in-home healthcare, let alone a nursing home. If they even have children, those children are often working 2+ jobs and are not going to be providing eldercare, when they can’t even afford to save for their own retirement and eldercare.
So this might be a win/win, for both home automation companies and families. But there has remained a crevasse in this market, even with neighbors who need help, medical care, and eldercare going after their neighbors, to force them into service. Trust me, I know. I have such a neighbor. She retired early and her family lives in-state, but she feels entitled to my life and has smeared me to others, to get me to comply with what she wants.
May The Lord give you comfort, peace and strength for this new season in life.
Do the newer ones still need a landline? If a cell can be used then she can text she is ok. Call your County Disabilities Dept and see if they can help.
Another solution would be to use some kind of prerecorded message that she could play for the call centre.