Assistive technology
Contents
- Assistive technology
- Lifeline
Lifeline
Lifeline is a personal alarm service designed to help people of all ages and abilities to live a more independent life.
Whether you are unsteady on your feet, are prone to fainting or have a care need or disability that makes it harder for you to live at home, when you subscribe to our Lifeline service you can relax knowing someone is always available if you need help.
How it works
The alarm is raised if you feel unwell, have fallen, or need other emergency help.
A Lifeline operator responds within seconds through a loudspeaker in your home.
They will assess the situation and take appropriate action to make sure you get the help you need.
Who can use our service
You can use our service if you:
- are aged 18 or over
- live independently at home
- are a resident of West Northants Council
You may find it useful if you are older or frail, or you have:
- a physical and/or learning disability
- mental health issues, memory problems or dementia
- a sensory impairment
- a long-term health condition
- poor mobility and/or are at risk of falling
How to subscribe
What’s included in your standard Lifeline subscription
From just £4 per week, our standard subscription will give you everything you need to start using Lifeline.
This includes an alarm pendant that you use to raise the alert when you need help, and the base unit that a Lifeline operator uses to talk to you and check that you are okay.
Additional devices you can add
Our extensive range of equipment means that you can tailor your standard Lifeline subscription to support your needs and improve your independence at home.
Request a free assessment
If you think our Lifeline service may be right for you, the next step is to request your free, personal assessment.
The assessment helps us to advise on the service that's right for you.
You won't have to make any payments until your chosen products are installed at your home.
Equipment installation
Installation of all our equipment is free. We’ll also demonstrate how each piece of equipment works.
Free maintenance of Lifeline equipment
Once your Lifeline equipment is installed - you’re covered. You can rest knowing there's always someone on hand if you need help.
Each piece of equipment comes with free maintenance, so all you need to do is contact us if something isn’t working as expected.
Standard Lifeline Service
When you subscribe to our standard Lifeline service, you'll receive everything you need to get started, including:
- a personal assessment of your Lifeline needs
- a base unit and an alarm pendant - the equipment you'll use to contact us
- immediate assistance from our highly trained and experienced Lifeline operators - no matter what time of day or night the alarm is raised
- free installation of your equipment
Get a free trial of the equipment for 6 weeks while your Direct Debit is set up.
Base unit
The base unit is a small, stylish box that connects to mains electric and a telephone line or the internet.
It contains a loudspeaker and a microphone. This enables you to speak to a lifeline operator whenever you have activated the alarm.
The alarm can be activated using a button on the base unit, the alarm pendant or from any of our equipment add-ons.
If you are using a hearing aid, or you are not able to communicate via loudspeaker, we will add to your notes to your records to make sure our lifeline operators call you by an alternative method, such as a landline or mobile phone.
Alarm pendant
This is a small, oval shaped, waterproof device with a red button. It is powered by a non-replaceable battery that lasts up to 7 years.
You can wear this pendant around your wrist as a watch, clipped to clothing, attached to a belt, around your neck on a string.
How to raise the alarm
If you feel unusually unwell, have fallen or need any other emergency help, you can press the button on the pendant to raise the alarm. There is also a button on the base unit you can press.
Other equipment is also available for you to add to your Lifeline subscription. This includes products that can help you in other situations, such as if you experience a seizure while you are sleeping or if you are prone to unexpected wandering away from your home environment.
Your connection to our Lifeline operators
Your alarm pendant will send a signal to a small box called a base unit. This is connected to your landline telephone. The base unit will send an alert to our Lifeline operators.
A Lifeline operator will respond to your alarm call immediately by talking to you through the base unit. There is a loudspeaker within the base unit - this means it’s loud enough for you to hear it, even if you are in another room.
How will we help you
The Lifeline operator will assess the situation and take appropriate action.
They may:
- alert one or more of the emergency services to attend
- call your chosen contacts and advise them on the situation so they can respond
The Lifeline operator stays on the line with you until they know you are safe and have the help you need.
Emergency contacts
Emergency contacts are usually family members, close friends, or neighbours.
They must:
- be available at any time, day, or night, to answer any calls we make to them
- live less than 45 minutes from your home
- attend to you at home following our call, or arrange for someone else to visit in their place
- arrange any immediate or ongoing care that you need
You can have as many emergency contacts as you like - you must provide at least 2 contacts for our standard subscription.
During your assessment we will confirm:
- payment terms for your subscription
- payment method
How pricing works
All Lifeline subscriptions start with the fee of our standard Lifeline service.
Then you’ll pay an extra amount on top of this for any products you choose in addition to the standard lifeline service for your care needs.
Payments are made monthly - 12 payments in a year. Payments are made in arrears.
For example, if you decided to add a fall detector to your subscription, your monthly subscription fee would be calculated as follows:
Standard Lifeline service (£17.33 per month) + Fall detector (£10.83 per month)
Total subscription every month = £28.16
How to pay
Direct Debit
The safest and most convenient way to pay your Lifeline subscription is by Direct Debit.
If you decide to pay by Direct Debit, we'll ask you to complete a Direct Debit mandate (and provide your bank account details) at the end of your installation appointment.
If you are interested in subscribing to Lifeline and would like a free personal assessment, please contact us with your:
- name
- telephone numbers
- email address (if you have one)
You can get in touch by either of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01604 362397
What happens next
We'll contact you to arrange your assessment. We may also ask some initial questions about you, your living situation, and your needs.
This is so we can provide an assessment that is tailored to you. We'll also be able to preselect the products that we feel would benefit you the most, so we have the information ready to discuss with you at your assessment.
Once you have agreed to have a lifeline subscription, we will call you to arrange a suitable date for installation. There are no hidden charges up front charges or costs for the installation.
Before we install
When we arrive and before we start to install your products, we’ll:
- show you all the equipment you have chosen
- explain how we plan to install it in your home and tell you if we need to use any screw fixings
You'll then be asked:
- about any questions you may have
- to confirm that you want to go ahead with your installation
If at this point you have any concerns, or decide that Lifeline is not for you, you may cancel it before we carry out the installation. Our installation team will leave your property and you will not be charged.
Installation
If you are happy to go ahead with the installation of your products, we’ll:
- complete the set up on your base unit and any other equipment
- explain how each piece of your equipment works
- demonstrate the base unit with a test call to our response team - this will also confirm everything is working correctly
- confirm your payment method and help you complete a Direct Debit mandate (if required)
Cancelling an accidental alarm call
If you accidentally raise an alarm call, to cancel it:
- wait 5 seconds
- press the Cancel button on your base unit
If you are unable to cancel the call on time and a Lifeline operator calls you, just explain that you pressed the button by accident.
Free maintenance on all equipment
We carry out free maintenance to make sure the equipment that we have supplied to you stays in good working condition.
Report an issue
Your Lifeline subscription includes free repairs on all the products we supply.
If you are having an issue with your Lifeline service or any equipment we have supplied, please get in touch. Our Lifeline operators can provide advice, and if required, arrange for the item to be repaired.
Cancel your subscription
Let us know that you no longer require the lifeline service. We require one month's notice to cancel your subscription. There is no charge to cancel.
You can get in touch by either:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 01604 362397
How to return your equipment
Once you have advised us that you wish to cancel, we’ll make an appointment with you to uninstall any equipment.
Change in your needs
We understand that from time to time your needs may change and you may need to update your lifeline subscription with different products to reflect this.
If you'd like to make a change, you can get in touch by either:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 01604 362397
We will talk to you about how your needs have changed and can recommend changes to your products to make sure you can achieve the best outcomes to enable you to live your best life.
Last updated 13 November 2023