Personal emergency response system (PERS) alarms may induce insecurity feelings

Boström, Martina; Kjellström, Sofia; Malmberg, Bo; Björklund, Anita

doi:10.4017/gt.2011.10.3.001.00

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The present study holds many similarities to prior qualitative research on PERS [ 10 – 12 , 17 , 18 ]. Porter’s [ 12 ] phenomenological study of eight frail women living alone explored the experience of having a PERS and found one of the key components of the context of living with a PERS was “being certain that they can get help quickly” while living alone.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Purchasing and Using Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS): how decisions are made by community-dwelling seniors in Canada

et al. 2015

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BackgroundAs the demographic of older people continues to grow, health services that support independence among community-dwelling seniors have become increasingly important. Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) are medical alert systems, designed to serve as a safety net for seniors living alone. Health care professionals often recommend that seniors in danger of falls or other medical emergencies obtain a PERS. The purpose of the study was to investigate the experience of seniors living with and using a PERS in their daily lives, using a qualitative grounded theory approach.MethodsFive focus groups and 10 semi-structured interviews, with a total of 30 participants, were completed using a grounded theory approach. All participants were PERS subscribers over the age of 80, living alone in a naturally occurring retirement community (NORC) with high health service utilization in a major urban centre in Ontario. Constant comparative analysis was used to develop themes and ultimately a model of why and how seniors obtain and use the PERS.ResultsTwo core themes, unpredictability and decision-making around PERS activation, emerged as major features of the theoretical model. Being able to get help and the psychological value of PERS informed the context of living with a PERS.ConclusionsA number of theoretical conclusions related to unpredictability and the decision-making process around activating PERS were generated.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Purchasing and Using Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS): how decisions are made by community-dwelling seniors in Canada

et al. 2015

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“…The articles found that many end users were satisfied with the PERS overall, since it enabled them to summon help if necessary, and that staff were patient despite false or repeated alarms [ 9 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 38 , 42 - 44 ]. The studies reported success stories involving activation of the alarm [ 33 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite satisfaction with the service, the studies found challenging experiences for the alarm users as well. One study describes fear and insecurity regarding whether the PERS would function when needed, especially at nighttime [ 42 ]. The PERS was found to increase ability to live independently [ 43 ], and having the alarm was of importance in maintaining end users’ lifestyles.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Personal Emergency Response System as a Technology Innovation in Primary Health Care Services: An Integrative Review

Stokke¹

2016

J Med Internet Res

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BackgroundMost western countries are experiencing greater pressure on community care services due to increased life expectancy and changes in policy toward prioritizing independent living. This has led to a demand for change and innovation in caring practices with an expected increased use of technology. Despite numerous attempts, it has proven surprisingly difficult to implement and adopt technological innovations. The main established technological innovation in home care services for older people is the personal emergency response system (PERS), which is widely adopted and used throughout most western countries aiming to support “aging safely in place.”ObjectiveThis integrative review examines how research literature describes use of the PERS focusing on the users’ perspective, thus exploring how different actors experience the technology in use and how it affects the complex interactions between multiple actors in caring practices.MethodsThe review presents an overview of the body of research on this well-established telecare solution, indicating what is important for different actors in regard to accepting and using this technology in community care services. An integrative review, recognized by a systematic search in major databases followed by a review process, was conducted.ResultsThe search resulted in 33 included studies describing different actors’ experiences with the PERS in use. The overall focus was on the end users’ experiences and the consequences of having and using the alarm, and how the technology changes caring practices and interactions between the actors.ConclusionsThe PERS contributes to safety and independent living for users of the alarm, but there are also unforeseen consequences and possible improvements in the device and the integrated service. This rather simple and well-established telecare technology in use interacts with the actors involved, creating changes in daily living and even affecting their identities. This review argues for an approach to telecare in which the complexity of practice is accounted for and shows how the plug-and-play expectations producers tend to generate is a simplification of the reality. This calls for a recognition that place and actors matter, as does a sensitivity to technology as an integrated part of complex caring practices.

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“…Found et al [35] similarly found that despite use of security alarms in PH, older persons did not feel fully secure. In a qualitative study based on focus groups with older persons (aged 67 -97 years) living in senior housing, security alarms seemed to limit rather than liberate older persons [24]. The security alarms have been used in Sweden since 1974 to reduce feelings of insecurity for older persons [38], but there are reasons to believe that it has not succeeded.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Perceived health related to security has shown that the better the older person experiences their health status, the more secure they feel [22,23]. Finally, a qualitative study concerning PERS and older persons showed that the personal alarms induced feelings of insecurity in older persons rather than of security [24].…”

Section: Independent Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting sense of security in old-age care

Boström¹,

Bravell²,

Lundgren³

et al. 2013

Health

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Purpose: The concept of security is related to the experience of health but has ever so often been argued from a risk perspective rather than from a promotional perspective. The experience of older persons’ sense of security in private homes and in nursing homes seems to be missing when it comes to promote aging well throughout the life span. This study aimed to describe and analyze factors related to the sense of security of older persons receiving care in nursing homes in Sweden. Design and Methods: The study was based on a questionnaire from a total of 495 persons aged ≥ 65 in private homes (n = 350) or nursing homes (n = 145) in Sweden. Results: Secure relationships, sense of control, and perceived health were significantly related to the subjects’ sense of security. No significant relationships were found between sense of security and having a personal emergency response alarm. Implications: Experience of sense of security from the older person perspective differs depending on the context. To promote the sense of security within the care of older persons, methods on how to establish secure relations as well as the sense of control and knowledge need to be further tested, developed and analyzed together with older persons.

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Personal emergency response system (PERS) alarms may induce insecurity feelings

Cited by 10 publications

References 12 publications

Purchasing and Using Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS): how decisions are made by community-dwelling seniors in Canada

Purchasing and Using Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS): how decisions are made by community-dwelling seniors in Canada

The Personal Emergency Response System as a Technology Innovation in Primary Health Care Services: An Integrative Review

Promoting sense of security in old-age care

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