Selecting an emergency call system for my site: where should I start?
Licensed or registered assisted living housing, comfort apartments, 2nd homes or a site with a mix of living quarters? Quite a number of sites are currently equipped with an emergency call system or offer buyers the option to implement such a system in the future.
The increasing offer of assisted living housing has only reinforced the demand. As a project developer or managing institute, you will soon find out that there are dozens of systems and that it is rather difficult, or sometimes even impossible to compare them correctly. For instance, there are a number of nurse call systems available, developed specifically for nursing facilities or hospitals, which have no added value for the residential market. The apartment that should give you a warm home feeling, is then suddenly stained with an apparent white or grey appliance with a red/green button and speaker.
It is therefore important to answer the following questions in a timely manner (during concept phase / plan phase):
- Would I like to implement a system covering the complete building (parking and garden included) or only the apartment itself?
- Does the system have to be present from day 1 in all apartments, or is it adequate that buyers (e.g. for comfort apartments) can start using the emergency call system the moment they really need it?
- What if a power failure occurs on site. Should emergency calls still be forwarded for a certain time, or not?
- Which connection do I prefer to envision (care centre, home nursing, healthcare provider, digital concierge, …) and is this connection included in the quote of the supplier or do I, as building manager, have to take care of this myself?
- Is it sufficient to have a speak-listen connection for the emergency calls, or do I also require a message service (push-notifications) on the smart phone of the nursing central operator, family member,…
- Would I mind – as indicated previously – staining the living space by a stigmatizing nurse call system or do I knowingly select an integrated solution?
- Should my emergency call system also communicate with the living environment of the senior citizen? In short: is it important that upon an emergency call the cooker is extinguished, all lighting is switched on, the television and any other sound source is switched off, to enable an optimal speak-listen connection, …?
- Do I select a cabled fixed emergency call button in the bathroom or do I prefer to have the flexibility to install a wireless button in a spot which is easy to reach for the senior citizen, whichever disability he or she might have?
- Finally… would I like to be able to monitor the system remotely to give me peace of mind as a developer, building manger, famility member or senior citizen, …?
As you will observe, selection is a difficult process. IPBuilding supplied already dozens of sites with an integrated non-stigmatizing emergency call system as well as sites in which apartment buyers wish to implement the emergency call system in a later phase. You are welcome to request our assistance to explore the best solution for your site together.
You can contact us via sales@ipbuilding.com or directly on the number: +32 (0)9 279 89 69.
