best way to get audio upstairs from lifeline unit

ih8stress

My parents have just got a lifeline plus unit with the council for emergencies. The master phone socket is downstairs.

Problem is there are no phone sockets upstairs. They can 'communicate' alright with the unit via a pendant but cannot actually hear anyone talking from the unit when they are upstairs.

Is there any way of getting the sound from the unit upstairs eg. baby monitor? Or is getting a phone line upstairs the only option.

Obviously need to be fairly cheap, this being MSE after all:D

Thanks

jamesperrett

I would have thought that an extension cable would be the most effective option. Many hardware/diy/electrical shops will sell kits that just plug in to the master socket.

googler

I would have thought that it's the council's responsibility to install the unit in the manner that's best for the patient.... if you feel it's not installed the best way, speak to them....

Besides which, if you go fiddling with it, and it then doesn't work as it should, you'll not only annoy the council, who'll have to come and fix it, but you'll be putting the patient in danger, surely...?

ih8stress

jamesperret: Yes, I have thought of an extension cable but the master socket is at the rear of the house, the bedroom is at the front - so alot of awkward doorways to go around

googler: it has to be connected to a phoneline, so the council were only able to put it near the master socket. Don't worry, I have no intention of messing with the unit - which is why I wondered if a baby monitor would work, to carry the sound upstairs?

Thanks

tyllwyd

So how does the lifeline unit interact with a phone? Would a cordless telephone phone with more than one handset work with it? If so, you could have the base unit downstairs and the additional handsets wherever you want in the house.

Edited to say - it looks as if the lifeline unit doesn't directly work though the phone, so I guess they couldn't speak directly to the operator unless the operator calls back on the landline (which is what I think they would usually do before sending someone out?). I think a cordless telephone with multiple handsets would be a good idea anyway for your parents, so they can keep in touch more easily.

ih8stress

tyllwyd: The unit works with a 'pendant' which the user wears - I presume this has some sort of microphone and it enables the council to hear, when it is pressed.

My parents do actually have a cordless phone with two handsets and you are correct in thinking that the council would call them on this if unable to talk through the unit.

Thanks

neilwoods

Either a phone line extension or something similar to home plugs, RTX wireless phone jack, allows you to use main wiring as an extension cable.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/RTX-WIRELESS-PHONEJACK-Wireless-Phone/dp/B000NJQHL4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377115445&sr=8-1&keywords=phone+line+over+mains

Only trouble is though, what happens if something happens when they are downstairs. If memory served me right, if the operator is unable to hear anyone, don't they call someone or emergency service.

tyllwyd

If they can communicate with the unit through the pendant, why are you worrying so much about them hearing someone talking through the unit when they are upstairs? If its an emergency and they don't respond to the operator, then the operator will escalate the response which is what you would want them to do. If they do a follow up call, and your parents have a phone handset upstairs, then if it is a false alarm they can tell them, and if it is an emergency then the operator can take the next action.

Mojisola

ih8stress wrote: »

tyllwyd: The unit works with a 'pendant' which the user wears - I presume this has some sort of microphone and it enables the council to hear, when it is pressed.

Are you sure it works like this? My Dad's pendant was an alarm button but it didn't allow him to communicate with the operator. It sent a signal to the main unit which phoned through to the operator at the call centre. The main unit then broadcast the operator's voice - if there was no reply from the oldies, they called my number and/or the paramedics.

FreddieM

I hope this helps. I install these units for a local HA. You can move the unit upstairs BUT you must use a quality extension cable, many get the cheapest bit of wire they can obtain THESE ARE LIFELINE UNITS and are so called for a reason. Why move the unit upstairs anyway?? unless the service user is confined there.
The principle of this is if you press your pendant I as an operator know the address where the call has come from. I try to communicate with you through the main unit (downstairs in this instance) The unit has a fairly sensitive mic on it 20-30' is quite normal subject to the hearing of the service user. We also have the ability to turn the volume up on the unit. If we don't communicate with you, we automatically call you back on your landline. (A phone near the bed either a cordless 2nd phone that only requires an electric point) or a standard telephone connected via an extension lead. If we don't make communication with the service user you will be familiar with the term key contacts. We call them in the priority they are listed until we contact one of them. If no contacts respond to our calls we call the police as an absolute last resort. Can I also urge that you do not allow the service user to wear the pendant in bed for two good reasons: 1. It's attached to a cord and could choke the user. 2. Many calls come through during the small hours when people roll over and press them without realising it. They can't hear us talking to them, we call contacts who get miffed being called when there is no reason HTH

ih8stress

Thank you to everyone for their input - and clarifying how the pendant and unit works.

My parents have a cordless phone upstairs, so the council would ring them on this if need be.

I have taken on board everyone's suggestions, thanks