Personal alarms for older people, and how Support at Home can pay

A personal alarm is a small button, worn on a pendant or wristband, that calls for help when pressed. For someone living alone, especially after a fall or a scare, it can be the thing that lets them stay at home with everyone sleeping a bit better.

The main kinds

Home alarms have a base unit that connects to the phone or mobile network, and a button that works anywhere in and around the house. They’re simple and reliable, but they don’t work down the street.

Mobile alarms are a small device with their own SIM card and GPS. They work anywhere with mobile coverage and can tell responders where you are, which suits someone who still walks, drives or gardens away from the house.

Falls detection is an option on many alarms. It senses a hard fall and raises the alarm automatically, which matters if someone is knocked out or too shaken to press the button. It isn’t perfect, so the button still matters.

Monitored or not

A monitored alarm goes to a response centre that answers 24 hours a day, talks to the person, and calls family, a neighbour or an ambulance as needed. It has a monthly fee.

An unmonitored alarm rings a list of family or friends in turn. It’s cheaper, but it only works if someone answers. In a small town where family live far away, that’s worth thinking hard about.

What to check before you buy

• Coverage where the person actually lives and walks. In the country, ask which mobile network the alarm uses and test it at home. Some older alarms stopped working when the 3G networks closed in 2024, so check any older device.
• Battery life and charging. A wearable that needs charging every night is easy to forget.
• Water resistance, so it can be worn in the shower, where many falls happen.
• What happens when it’s pressed: who answers, how fast, and who they call.
• All the costs: the device, installation, the monthly fee, and any contract or cancellation fee.

How Support at Home can pay

Support at Home has a separate pot of money for equipment: the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (AT-HM) scheme. It’s separate from the quarterly budget, so using it doesn’t reduce the hours of care. Assistive technology funding comes in tiers of under $500, up to $2,000, and up to $15,000 or more, and is generally available for 12 months.

Personal alarms and wearable falls detection devices can be funded through AT-HM. In practice, providers usually ask for a written recommendation from a GP or an occupational therapist before they’ll buy one. AT-HM items count as independence services, so a contribution may apply depending on your income and assets. The professional’s assessment or prescription is a clinical support, so there’s no contribution for that part.

Before you sign anything, ask your provider two questions: will AT-HM cover the device, and where will the monthly monitoring fee come from?

In Victoria: Personal Alert Victoria

Victoria has its own free service. Personal Alert Victoria provides a monitored alarm at no cost to eligible frail, isolated older people and people with disability, after an assessment at home. To ask about it, call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422, or the Victorian provider, Peninsula Health MePACS, on 1800 451 300.

If you’d like help working out which option suits, or getting the paperwork through your provider, Colin can help.