Media Contact: Sandra Van or Roberta Nichols
Highlights: September is Healthy Aging(tm) Month. With the "graying" of America comes the realization that quality of life is just as important as an extended length of life. As Americans live longer, it is increasingly important to provide seniors with a continuum of care, emergency assistance, peace of mind, and the ability to maintain their dignity through independence. The Lifeline(tm) program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center provides senior citizens with much more than just emergency help -- it provides them with independence, dignity, an emergency "safety net," and peace of mind.
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HOW MANY INDEPENDENT 102-YEAR-OLDS DO YOU KNOW? LIFELINE(tm) AT CEDARS-SINAI ENABLEs SENIORS TO LIVE AT HOME
LOS ANGELES (Sept.11, 1998) - "Help -- I've fallen and I can't get up." The line has become a cliche. But to employees of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Lifeline program, it's a part of the job. Lifeline provides senior citizens with more than just emergency help -- it provides them with independence, dignity, an emergency "safety net," and peace of mind.
"We have more than 140 seniors between the ages of 90 and 102 in the program," says Beverly Freed, coordinator of the medical center's 12-year-old Lifeline program. "It's a simple concept," says Freed. "We place a small in-home communicator and a Personal Help Button in the home. When the button -- worn as a waterproof pendant or wristband -- is activated, the communicator calls for help. Within seconds, the call will be answered by one of the caring operators, highly trained to respond quickly and appropriately to each situation."
Does the system work? Ask Evelyn Crow, age 98. "I've been in the program a couple of years," says Mrs. Crow. "I never had to use it in all that time -- until last May. I had a fall. I was using a walker and lost my balance--that was the first time I had reason to use Lifeline. It worked wonderfully -- they got in touch with my family. I went to the hospital and that was that. The one time I needed it, it certainly served it's purpose. It was worth everything."
Lifeline works in another way for Rose Bolitin, age 102. "Right now I haven't had any experience with the program -- except to know that it's there if I need it," she says. "Even with all this heat I haven't had reason to call them. I spoke to them to let them know I'm still alive, but that's it." Mrs. Bolitin, who lives on her own, first became a subscriber after she fell in her kitchen. Paramedics took her to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where she subsequently had surgery and was advised by her physician to subscribe to the service. "I've only had it about a month," she says. "I had heard about it, but really didn't know too much about it. Then I fell two months ago and my doctor said, 'You'd better get it.' So I did."
"It doesn't matter if a person lives in their own apartment, a senior residence or any other type of living arrangement. Once the door is closed, it is sometimes difficult to get help quickly if one is unable to reach a telephone or pull cord, usually placed on the wall. The Lifeline Program provides a connectedness to the outside," says Freed. "It provides a continuum of care, peace of mind to the subscriber as well as the caregiver, or family member. It allows individuals to remain in their own homes with dignity and a sense of independence. They are a button push away from help."
"Our goal is to touch peoples' lives with kindness by giving them the confidence to continue to live independently in their own home-doing things for themselves." says Freed. "We provide early intervention, peace of mind, assurance and reassurance." Lifeline provides a safety net, so to speak. Like highwire artists who seldom ever need the net stretched below them, most Lifeline subscribers -- like Rose Bolitin -- never need to call for emergency medical care, but the program provides them something invaluable every day -- the dignity of choosing how and where they will live their lives.
Lifeline is a nationwide program, and is the oldest and most advanced Emergency Response System covering the United States and Canada. Started nationally nearly 25 years ago, Lifeline has been a part of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's outreach program for the past 13 years. Begun as the brain-child of Director of Volunteers Aggie Garell and medical center President Tom Priselac, it serves the entire Los Angeles community and the San Fernando Valley.
SIDEBAR:
LIFELINE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT CEDARS-SINAI
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is seeking volunteers to help set up and maintain Lifeline equipment in subscribers' homes. "There's immense satisfaction in knowing that by volunteering a few hours a week you've made it possible for someone to stay independent in their own home, rather than having to go to a nursing home," says Aggie Garell, director of Volunteer Services and one of the people responsible for bringing Lifeline to Cedars-Sinai.
If you enjoy working with the elderly and disabled, are able to drive (mileage is reimbursed), and can spend at least four hours per week in setting up and checking on Lifeline equipment, you should consider being a Lifeline volunteer.
Applicants are screened and interviewed, and are provided with orientation and training before working with Lifeline clients. For more information and an application, call Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Volunteer Office at (310) 855-5231.
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AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS: Rose Bolitin, age 102, lives on her own Evelyn Crow, age 98, lives on her own Beverly Freed, Lifeline Coordinator, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
To arrange an interview, please call 1-800-396-1002.
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