I’m often asked by potential customers about what kind of customer service we provide. Here at American Senior Safety Agency we don’t necessarily do things like the other companies.

Casey, my co-worker from New Orleans, just got off the phone with a daughter from San Francisco, CA inquiring about our medical alarm service for her mother who lives alone 100 miles from her just outside Sacramento. Casey spent almost an hour on the phone with her, detailing step by step the specifics of how our medical alarm system works and answering all of her concerns.

It’s that kind of personal call that we take pride in each and every day when we come to work.

I can’t speak for other companies, but our CEO Jeff Miller spends most of his day on his computer personally answering each and every email sent his way. Whether it is a potential or current customer who is sending him an “Ask Jeff” question from our website, you can hear him chuckle as he answers people with his unique personal touch. I can tell from his big smile after each email that he really is doing something he loves.

This is one of the reasons why I enjoy coming to work everyday. Jeff’s warm, caring personality is contagious.

Noah

I spend a good amount of my time talking to sons and daughters who are worried about the health of one or both of their elderly parents living independently. Sometimes the children live nearby, other times they are thousands of miles away. In either case, there is no way they can always be there to watch over their mom or dad, which is why an elderly medical alarm is a great idea to keep them safe and protected. Of course deciding to get them a medical alarm is sometimes only half the battle. Convincing them to use it can be another hurdle.

I recently spoke to a daughter who lives in Nebraska and her father lives by himself in Ohio. Her father lives in her childhood home by himself his wife recently passed. She told me he is a very proud man, who was having a hard time with the idea that he needs help.

We talked for a while about her situation and I explained to her that yes, we all have pride and, especially as someone gets old, they have a hard time admitting they need help. What he should understand is that using an elderly medical alarm is not a signal that he can’t take care of himself, or that he has become helpless. In actuality, it will help to maintain his independence and give him a better quality of life. And, if nothing else, it will make his daughter stop losing sleep by worrying about him!

She called me back in a few days and thanked me for the advice. Reluctant at first, he agreed to use the alarm. Saying goodbye on the phone, I could tell how relieved she was. I left work that day with a smile on my face.

But then again, I always do I love my job.

Noah

Many of our customers are pet lovers and owners.  For this reason, we can take into consideration important information about household pets in case of an emergency dispatch where necessary.

We at Senior Safety intimately understand the joys of having a pet.  Most of our employees own either a dog or a cat or both!  I have a 75 lb “puppy” and two cats myself.

At times, pet owners are concerned about what will happen if they have an emergency, and push their medical alert bracelet, who will take care of their beloved animals.

We reassure our clients not to worry!  We are willing to note the names of their pets so that we have this information available for emergency responders or neighbors should they need it.

Even information like, “Gizmo, my Yorkie barks a lot, but  he is “all bark and no bite”.  We know this means the world to some of our clients and often helps the first responders.

One client, who is like many seniors, often tells me, “I am less concerned with my own safety, but MORE worried about my dear dog that will become frantic if something happens to me.”

We pay attention to details because we know our pets are cherished companions and part of the family as well. WE need our clients to feel everything will be okay.

We care about you like family,  even your furry family.

Last week I received a call from one of my customers who asked why we used the small beaded necklace as the chain for our emergency pendant.

I explained to her that our necklace pendant chain was chosen for its breakaway capability.

Serious injuries are prevented by our breakaway chain. 

It is vital that if the pendant necklace ever gets entangled with other objects it will breakaway immediately.   

I reassured my customer that anytime her necklace broke, she could call our office and we would mail out free necklace replacements right away.

Even the AARP Bulletin today published an article on October 30, 2009 about the dangers of becoming entangled in pendant cords that do not breakaway.

At the end of our conversation, my customer and I were joking that the chain might not be a “fashion statement”, but it certainly was a “lifesaving” look.

Yesterday I called a customer in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania because we had received a low battery signal from her medical alarm, meaning that the unit was disconnected and needed to be checked.

I spoke to the customers daughter who, while on the phone with me, discovered that the workers who had been in her mothers home had unplugged the unit and left it on the couch, hidden under some pillows. Without our call, she wouldn’t have known that her mother was not protected.

Her gracious and kindhearted thank you for my personal call was much appreciated. Knowing her mother was now safely protected made my day a little more special.

It’s part of what I love most about my job.

Noah

As I start into my new year, I have been reflecting back on highlights that stick out in my mind from 2009.

Each day I field calls from our customers and their families and have multiple opportunities to lend an ear, or help brain storm solutions for the specific concerns that their family has.

In our lives, it is few and far between that someone says to us, “take your time, I have nothing to do right now but give you my undivided attention.”

However, this is something I take pride in saying everyday! 

No matter if it is the customer who needs help plugging in her medical alert system, or the one who would like me to go over his list of responders that we will call in the event of an emergency.

But I must say many of the highlights of my 2009 have been from customer service calls with my customers where I just provide the ear that listens to the story they have to tell.

I’ve heard heartwarming stories of 50^th wedding anniversaries to great-great grandchildren being born.  I have also been blessed with listening to courageous stories from our customer’s plights in WW II- How lucky am I to hear these truly heroic tales of living history.

But truly, even just talking to my customer when her new rescue kitten decided to play with the lights on her medical alarm unit and set it off for a false alarm makes me smile on a daily basis.

In all the jobs I’ve had utilizing my MA in Clinical Psychology, working at American Senior Safety Agency is by far the one I love the most.

I am fortunate to work for a company that allows me to give my undivided attention to each and every person who calls, no matter their need.

These daily calls have been the most cherished part of my 2009.

I look forward to 2010, and all that my customers and their families will teach me as I listen to each and every tale.

There are approximately 11 million Americans over 65, and it is estimated that one in three adults 65 and older fall each year.

The lives of older Americans who prefer to stay at home are improved by being able to receive practical and emotional support from wearing an emergency necklace pendant.

Wearing a “SOS button” gives adult children and their elderly relatives’ peace of mind knowing that help with a fall or medical emergency is a push of a button away.

Since about a third of older folks live alone, the help button allows the security that in case of an emergency within minutes the first responders are alerted without the need to reach a phone.

So often my week is filled with calls from our clients or their families letting me know how comforted they were speaking to our monitoring center in the midst of these emergencies.

Just knowing that the paramedics are in route, and their loved ones have been alerted gives such reassurance in what is a very frightening time.

It warms my heart to hear each story, and to know that we have helped another one of our customer’s fulfill the wish of growing older in the comfort of their own homes.

The emergency necklace pendant has paved the way for this lifestyle revolution, making living independently as a senior not only a wish but a reality.

It’s interesting how many new clients order during the holiday season.

Sometimes it’s quite a shock to see how mom or dad have changed since you last visited. Some of us live further than we would care to from our parents.

Holidays visits are often your first alert to the fact that mom or dad are now losing their balance or sometimes having falling issues. It may be time for a good medical alert service to give you and them peace of mind.

Take the time when visiting to think like a caregiver. Ask them how they are doing, sometimes mom or dad don’t want to bother you…dig into how things are going a little more carefully if you can.

As we head into the holiday season the probability of winter storms increase all across the country.  Growing up in Orange, Connecticut I remember waking up in the winter months and looking outside at a fresh blanket of snow on the ground.  Sometimes the storm would be harsh enough to knock out the electrical power for hours.  Those who use  medical alarm systems may be concerned about a storm related power outage interrupting service.

Our alarm systems are designed to work even in such a circumstance.  Each system has a built in backup battery that lasts for around twenty hours after the loss of power.  Once the power is cut off and the battery kicks in, we will receive a signal in our monitoring center and contact you to ensure the system is plugged in properly and working.  I spend a good part of my work day calling customers across the country to make sure there medical alarms are connected.

It’s always a pleasure to talk to gratified customers who truly appreciate the personal service…we take pride in the quality of our service to the elderly…and I truly smile at how surprised our clients are when they receive our calls.

It’s the best part of my day.

Noah

The first alert that you should notice that a senior or elderly person needs an elderly medical alert system is their very 1st fall. After this first fall the elderly begin to lose confidence.

By the second fall, your dearly loved elderly relative is beginning to lose far more confidence than you can imagine…indeed you have already missed the very first alert that could keep them living a much longer and better quality life.

It pays to be alert to that very 1st incident that will alert you to your loved ones needs.