Frequently Asked Questions

Care Link Advantage

For all questions relating to the use and operation of the wireless medical alert pendant and the two way voice feature, please see the FAQ’s section for the Care Link PERS (Personal Emergency Response System) unit.  All answers are applicable for both systems. 

What makes the Care Link Advantage system so different or so much better then the PERS unit?

The Care Link PERS unit is a great unit, and is serving tens of thousands of people very well.  But what happens if the person is unable to push the wireless pendant?  The Care Link Advantage system actually reaches out and contacts you if there is a problem.  It does not rely on the user pushing any buttons.  (Although it does have the wireless pendant so if they do have an issue they can push it and it operates just like the Care Link PERS unit.)  You don’t constantly have to be calling or dropping by to check on your loved one.  If there is a problem, you and your other siblings and/or caregivers will instantly receive a notification via e-mail, text message, or voice notification to your home, office, or cell phone.  By way of example:  If Grandma’s door opens at 2:00 a.m. call Jim (son) at home, call Susan (daughter) at home and send a text message to Cindy and Fred (grandchildren).  If Dad is not “up & about” as he normally is by 8:00 a.m. then send an e-mail to Jim’s blackberry, a text message to Susan’s cell phone, and call Cindy on her cell phone. 

How does it work?

• We do an assessment with you and determine what concerns you have for your loved one, and what their unique living environment is. 
• We install the Care Link Advantage system quickly and easily as it is wireless.
• We work with you to program “notifications” around areas of concern you may have such as wandering out of the home, forgetting to take medications, and a failure to be “Up & About” when your loved one should be. 
• We assist you in setting up the list of those to be contacted should the system need to notify you of any events or lack of events. 
• Your loved one does nothing… just continuing to live as they did… in their home. 
• You continue to live your life, knowing that if there is anything wrong, the system will contact you and the other caregivers right away.  (Notifications can be via e-mail to your PDA, text message to your cell phone, or voice messages to any phone.  Notifications are delivered simultaneously to all caregivers via their preferred chosen method of receiving them.)
• Utilize cameras to determine the urgency of any “notifications” or simply to look in and make certain all is well with your loved one. 

How does Care Link Advantage compare to other similar systems?

You won’t find another system that gives you all the features Care Link Advantage can provide.  There are some sensors that track activities and log them… such as motion detectors used to log the amount of times somebody walks into a kitchen.  You can then look at these logs to see if there are any disturbing patterns that you need to assess and possibly address.  But you are looking at these things after the fact.  Care Link Advantage will notify you immediately in real time if your loved one opens the door at 2:00 in the morning (wanders).  We will push you a 15 second video clip of the event so you can know for certain if they have wandered out the door and what they were wearing.  Care Link Advantage will notify you in real time if your loved one is not “up & about” when they are supposed to be.  Or if they have not opened their medication cabinet yet today, even though they were supposed to take their medications before 9:00 a.m.  We even have ways to minitor whether or not they are eating or using the stove. We have teamed up with Alarm.com and GE Security, who together have been specializing in data management and transmission for many years.  They are far beyond any other players in this segment, and are breaking new ground every day to make certain they remain the leader in the years to come. 

Do we have to commit to a minimum term with this service?

We have no minimum contract term for our Care Link Advantage services.  You utilize it for as long as you need it.  We are happy to be able to help out for as long as you feel we are needed. 

What does my loved one have to do for the system to work for us?

Nothing!  Their role is passive. They just continue to live as they always have.  The system is unobtrusive and does not require any learning or action on their part.  (Other than the wireless pendant that they may or may not choose to utilize.)

What do we need at the house to make it work for connectivity?

You need a regular telephone line for the two-way voice portion of the system.  No special telephone jacks are required.  The tracking and notifications portion of the system rely on a cellular GSM radio.  Therefore the installation (premise) must be within the Rogers coverage area.  The cameras require a high-speed internet connection.  We provide the wireless modem for the cameras to work. 

Who has access to Mom’s information and the cameras?

You access all the information and video through a secured password protected web site.  You decide who gets access to the website.  You control this 100%.  The website is very easy to use.  You make changes to users and notification rules as you wish, whenever you wish.  By way of example, you can give full access to certain people (family) and limited access to others (neighbours/friends/caregivers).  You can add users, and you can delete users. 

What happens if the electricity goes out?

The main console has a back up battery so the system’s two way voice functions and notifications will continue to operate for up to 24 hours after an electrical outage.  When power is restored the battery recharges, so it is ready for any additional power outage.  However the cameras used by your Care Link Advantage are plugged into your AC outlet so they will not work during a power outage.

Can I install it myself?

The system components are wireless so no drilling/mounting and running of wires are required.  If you are somewhat handy, or know somebody who is, then self installing the system is certainly an option. 

Can the system be moved from one location to another?

Certainly.  The fact that it is wireless makes moving it all the easier. 

If something should ever go wrong with my Care Link Advantage, how do I get it fixed?

If it is a rental system there is no charge for most repairs. If owned, your Care Link Advantage System is initially covered by our one-year labour, three-year parts warranty. Service is provided by our trained technicians. If you should ever have a problem, simply call your local Care Link Advantage Dealer and they will attempt to troubleshoot the problem with you over the phone.  If for some reason, they cannot resolve the problem over the phone, they will have it addressed by a qualified technician on site.

Can I update and change information after I set up the system?

Certainly! You can make most changes yourself through the secure website. Or, just give us a call letting us know what information you wish to change or update. Unlimited changes and updates are included at no extra cost!

I'm ordering Care Link Advantage for my parents, but I want to be the one billed for it.  Is this possible?

Yes. Simply give us your billing instructions and we would be happy to bill you instead of the person using the system.

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