Alberni Lifeline Monitoring has been bringing security to seniors in their homes for 31 years. Now, they are offering another level of comfort.
Lifeline is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week service, that in Port Alberni is owned and operated by the West Coast General Hospital Foundation. While it has traditionally been promoted as a program for people who may find themselves in medical distress or suffering from a fall, coordinator Dodi Clark said Lifeline offers so much more.
“We’re not just a medical alarm system anymore. We’re a personal emergency response system,” she said.
“Our subscribers have been known to use their Lifeline button to deter home invaders. When they push their button they’re going to hear (an operator) say ‘Help call in progress. Your call has been connected. Someone will be right with you.’ That can deter someone who is in a home because those units are very loud.”
One subscriber heard someone in her kitchen so she pushed her Lifeline button and it was enough to scare the person away before the police arrived, Clark related.
Lifelines come as a pendant or wristband, and they move with the client, offering an auto alert button. “They can be used if someone is fearful of a home invasion, if someone is on their property, or if they feel frightened by someone in their home.”
Another feature is called Go Safe, which has all the same features as the Home Safe detectors, but have a longer range than the typical 300 metres. “Go Safe works all around the community, all across Canada, as long as there is cellular service,” Clark explained. They also include GPS technology to help find a subscriber who may have wandered away from home.
Alberni Lifeline has grown to include nearly 400 subscribers, including 30 in Bamfield, Ucluelet and Tofino. Lifeline is always looking for volunteers to assist with installation and maintenance of the systems. Training is provided.
For more information on Alberni Lifeline Monitoring, find them on Facebook, online through www.wcghfoundation.com or phone Clark at 250-731-1370 ext. 48147.
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Play Lifeline bingo at Echo Centre
Alberni Lifeline Monitoring and the WCGH Foundation are putting on an afternoon of bingo Monday, June 3 at Echo Centre as part of Seniors’ Week in the Alberni Valley.
Join the fun in the Dogwood Room at Echo from 1–3 p.m. This is a fun and interactive game for seniors that explains and educates participants on the benefits of Lifeline. Pick up your free ticket for this event at Echo Centre.