I'd like to have a simple alarm. It could be as basic as a motion detector that sets off a loud siren. I think that would scare off the majority of intruders. We come in through the garage, so I would just throw the circuit breaker to turn it off. If anyone knows a product like this, I'd love to hear about it.
Then I started thinking about something a little more elaborate. What if you had a cell phone attached to the motion detector that could be set to dial a number if it were set off? For example, it could dial
911 and play a recorded message saying the house address and there was a burglary in process. Or it could dial my cell phone, and then I could decide if I wanted to dial 911. A Virgin Mobile cell phone works out under $6 a month, much cheaper than a monitoring contract.
Consumer Reports had an extensive article exactly on this subject a month or two ago. You might want to check out the review online or at your public library.
For many years before cell phones I used a system that would call my pager and transmit a code telling me what was happening. It works very well. Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
I used to have a Radio Shack pendant dialer that would dial whatever succession of phone numbers you wanted, play a message, and open up a live microphone link inside the house to the phone line.
IIRC, it cost about $70 ten years ago. Being intended for the elderly, it was activated by a pendant worn around the neck. It could easily be adapted to do what you're thinking of doing. Mine worked fine.
The good part about this solution is that there are no additional monthly charges, assuming you already have a phone.
I think those systems that are designed for the elderly should also have some mechanism to detect movement and alarm if there is no movement for a specified time between particular nominated times, so that if the individual does die or is unconscious, the system will alarm then too.
Obviously the time between detected movements is different at night and day and in the bedroom and the rest of the house etc.
The last place my Dad lived (independent/assisted living) had a switch he had to hit each day. It was a pull chain thing on the wall in the bedroom.
If "on the cheap" is the whole theme of this thread, I can imagine a simple timer circuit (a one shot with a duration of say 30-36 hours). It's "reset" by the person each day (like my dad and the pull chain), but if the timer goes off, the alarm is triggered. There probably needs to be a simple disable, in the event that the person will be gone for a couple days.
timer circuit (a one shot with a duration of say 30-36
but if the timer goes off, the alarm is triggered.
be gone for a couple days.
Altronix makes a Tempo2 (replaces the TT1) 2-stage timer. It could be rigged to trigger a voice/pager dialer such as Paravox 710. If the timer gets no signal for 24 hours (or whatever duration seems appropriate) the dialer starts calling
4 different numbers, repeating until someone responds.
Thing is, a "daily status" is probably good for most folks that are still independent. If not, maybe they shouldn't be independent!
The think I know from my dad, and other people in that age group, is that it's got to be really simple. Pre-warning buzzers and flashing lights will just get them PO'd. Let's say "grandpa" forgot to "push the button".. Worst case, is the kids get a call, and he gets a phone call. Thing is, with a simple timer, it doesn't need to be a "pull chain", but could be a trigger from a motion sensor in the bathroom. If they don't take a pee in 6-24 hours, there's a problem!
It makes more sense to integrate all this stuff into the alarm most choose to have, and do a lot more than just daily status with everyone, particularly those who choose to live alone when its so cheap to add to an alarm.
got to be really
I've never been convinced about that, it actually needs to be quite intelligent instead.
Cant agree with that at all. They are likely to get much more pissed off about the alarm going off and triggering some intervention when they just forget to pull the chain at the right time of day.
And thats why a more intelligent system that works automatically on movement is much better than something simple too, you dont even need to hit the stupid chain daily, or need to pull it when it warns either.
a call, and he gets
Much better to pull the chain when it warns than to have to field that call when its just been forgotten.
I think he means that using it has to be simple. On that I agree.
IME the gentleman is correct. A buzzer or flashing light isn't a problem as long as it's loud enough to be heard but not so loud that it startles. Also, a phone call to check and make sure he's alright can be a welcome event to someone who lives alone.
I had elderly customers whose alarms we used to monitor when I owned an alarm company. Once in a while we'd get a "fail to test" signal at the monitoring station and I'd call to check on them. Elderly people living alone can feel isolated and a phone call, even from an "agency", can be a nice thing.
I think there are folks for whom a manual action such as pushing an "I'm OK" button or pulling a chain next to the bed when they rise can be best. For others an automated system may be more appropriate. We shouldn't assume that one solution is best for all clients.
Not necessarily. During the call he might say, "Yes, I'm here but I'm feeling ill." The central station op could then send help or notify a family member.
bathroom. If they don't take
You can design an elder care system to check for motion, respond to pendant panic transmitters, etc. Sensors can be attached to the medicine cabinet refrigerator door, etc., to make sure the client is up and about, eating regularly and taking his meds on schedule.
There's even a sensor you can place on the toilet seat cover to sense when it's opened or closed. The detector, originally intended to sense glass breakage, is very appropriately named a "Wiz". :)
The problem is that the OP (as another poster reminded me earlier) asked for an inexpensive system.
That isnt clear at all, particularly with his claim about it not being desirable to have a pre alarm warning but to wear the false alarms instead.
And while the chain system is simple, its really too primitive. A completely automatic system based on movement detection and a panic button that the individual carrys at all times is much more useful.
Then it makes no sense to have a system which requires the individual to pull the chain once a day.
Sure, but there is no point in the daily chain pull for those.
daily, or need to
Sure, but thats just as true of his keep it simple claim too.
Using that line, there is no point in the chain system at all.
They'd be better with a daily phone call instead.
could be a trigger from
there's a problem!
Its not necessarily just 'elder care' either, it makes a lot of sense to have some mechanism like this for all those who live alone, integrated into the alarm system.
regularly and taking his
Gets messy tho deciding when to alarm food consumption wise.
an inexpensive
It doesnt necessarily add much at all to the cost of a decent alarm system. Its essentially extra logic rather than extra components with most stuff except the carried panic button. And that is pretty essential to get assistance as quickly as possible after a fall or just not being able to get out of bed or the chair etc.
The main problem is that we could never get our geriatric to wear it. He appeared to decide that it was too much of an admission of how geriatric he had become, although he did get a cellphone on his own initiative which he carried when out on his walks for exercise. I'd love to why one was acceptable and the other wasnt, but it can be quite hard to work that stuff out once they are getting rather nutty. Some of them can be quite remarkably nutty.
I was not responsible for Robert having to "shut down" his monitoring business. That belongs to the great State of Florida. I notice that "Alarm Relay" provides no information about licensing (in some states the central station as well as the staff are required to have licensing). There's more information here:
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Besides the OP was looking for a cheap *local* solution. He's obviously not interested in a security system if he's looking for something he can shut off with a circuit breaker (and that obviously won't work in the absence of power).
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