A careline alarm is simply a set of equipment that lets you easily call for help when you need it – for example when you become hurt and need emergency care.
The first part of a careline alarm is the pendant – an SOS button that you can press in an emergency. The pendant is small, lightweight, and is usually worn on your wrist or on a lanyard around your neck. Some alarms can automatically detect when you take a fall and raise the alert for you – these are known as fall alarms.
The other part is the base unit. This monitors your pendant and then calls for help. Depending on the type of careline alarm that you choose, your alarm can either notify a carer or loved one – or it can contact a care team who have access to the emergency services if needed.
Simply put, a careline service provides you with the assurance that you can get help whenever you need it – instead of relying on a carer, friend, or loved one.
Taking out a plan with a careline service (such as Telecare24) means that when you press the button or take a fall, a professional care team will answer your call and get you the help that you need as quickly as possible.
Careline alarms are ideal for vulnerable people who want to retain their independence both at home and outdoors.
While the vast majority of careline users are older, these devices are used by people of all age groups in various situations, including:
Not all careline alarms need a telephone line in order to work. GSM careline alarms are the modern-day equivalent of the traditional careline alarm system.
These clever devices use SIM card technology and the mobile phone network, meaning that you can use them anywhere – at home, in the garden, or out walking the dog.
Be sure to check the mobile signal reception in your home and local area before buying a GSM alarm.
Simply press the button on your pendant alarm or press the button on the base unit to call for help.
If you fall over and you are wearing a fall alarm, the device will automatically raise the alert for you.
A few moments later, our care team will begin speaking to you through the loudspeaker on the base unit.
If you have a Buddi GPS alarm, instead of a base unit, you will have a small clip with a built-in microphone and loudspeaker.
We will then assess your situation to determine what kind of help you need. We can either notify one of your approved contacts, or we can contact the emergency services.
If for any reason we cannot make contact with you to check that you are okay, we will call the emergency services right away.
Whenever possible, our team will continue speaking to you until help arrives, keeping you calm and reducing the risk of further injury.
Once we know you are in safe hands and are being taken care of, we will end the call.
Most careline alarms should work up to a range of 100-200 metres from the base unit, depending on the equipment that you choose. That’s usually enough for most homes and gardens.
If you need a careline alarm that reaches even further, you’ll need a mobile careline alarm like the Buddi, available exclusively from Telecare24.
In short, a GSM alarm has a SIM card inside and uses the mobile phone network to function, while an IP careline alarm uses the broadband connection in your home. Neither of these needs a landline telephone in order to work.
With the development of new technology and the wide availability of broadband, the UK telephone network will eventually move from analogue to digital. What that means for the careline industry is that, by then, all careline alarm units will need to work either using GSM or IP or both.
We’re confident that this change is several years away, so we’re still offering regular landline alarms to our customers. For now, we’re continuing to monitor the situation and are rigorously testing new products to make sure that whatever we offer our customers in the future meets our high standards.
In our case, they all mean the same thing!
Careline alarms have been given many different names over the years. Among the most common are personal alarms, telecare alarms, and lifeline alarms. Others names include SOS buttons, help alarms, panic buttons, and alert devices.
On top of that, the actual monitoring can be referred to as a careline service, a lifeline service, a telecare service, or even just ‘telecare’.
The simple answer is no, as everything is included in your plan. We do not charge you any extra if you activate your alarm.
The following information may be helpful concerning call costs:
If you press your pendant, the careline alarm will contact our control centre using an 0844 number via your telephone line. These numbers are recommended by OFCOM for contacting organisations such as Telecare24. Your telephone service provider may charge you for these calls. Please check your phone providers tariff or visit OFCOM for further details. We do not apply any levy on these call costs.
If you select the Standard or Fall plan, the pendant supplied activates the Careline Alarm base unit. Even though you cannot speak through the pendant, the powerful microphone in the base unit is extremely sensitive and will enable you to converse normally with our Operator.
Our careline information pack outlines all the important details you need to know. We also include an easy application form and a freepost envelope so you have the option of either ordering online or through the post.
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