TELEPHONIC MONITORING [ back to What's New ]
Following post-acute rehabilitation, some persons with a TBI end up living alone, at least some of the time, out of personal choice (e.g. to assert their independence), for economic reasons or out of necessity. How can worried family members check up on them to make sure they are OK without being irritating? For just $1.00 a day a company called TelAssure has a computer call a designated person twice daily. If she doesn't answer, the computer notifies selected family or friends. Caring Technologies of Bethesda, Maryland, is marketing a new product called iPERS (Intelligent Personal Emergency Response System) which consists of a small device on a strap worn on the chest. If the person falls or stops breathing, the device contacts 911. Such a device could be life saving for someone with post-traumatic epileptic seizures with black outs. Crozer-Keystone Health System of Springfield, PA, has redesigned the web TV box to contain a camera which transmits images of the viewer to family, social workers or health care providers. Medicaid has approved telemedicine hookups of this nature for at-home seniors in some parts of the country. Case managers, physiatrists and TBI advocates should try for approval of the same devices for  persons with a TBI.