Nursing insurance helps with the costs

Costs, benefits, extra services

Home emergency call: A little lifesaver at the push of a button

The home emergency number offers people in need quick help in an emergency. The technology is simple, the benefits are great. Financial support is also available.

Help comes at the touch of a button: As physical problems increase, many people feel unsafe at home in old age. However, they still want to live in their own four walls for as long as possible. Home emergency call systems can provide additional security for older, sick or people at risk of falling. At the same time, their relatives are also relieved.

According to the Federal Association of Home Emergency Calls, 1.2 million people in this country already use the home emergency call. 11,000 emergency calls are answered every day. But how does it work, who is it useful for and what costs does the nursing care insurance cover?

The home emergency call is an electronic reporting system. It consists of three components:

In the event of health problems, a fall or another problematic situation, the user presses an emergency call button that they wear around their neck, as a bracelet or on their body. The push of a button activates the so-called base station, which automatically contacts the emergency call center via landline or mobile network. This then contacts the person seeking help, for example via the hands-free device of the home emergency call system.

The home emergency call center has detailed information about the user. These include:

From the conversation with the person seeking help, the employees at the emergency call center can identify the type of emergency and initiate appropriate measures. Depending on the emergency, relatives, the rescue service or the emergency doctor are informed.

Home emergency call systems are particularly suitable for people who want to maintain their independence at home, but are no longer able to reach the telephone in time in an emergency due to disabilities, chronic illnesses or age-related limitations. A home emergency call system can be particularly useful for seniors who are often alone at home. The following questions provide guidance when assessing the meaningfulness:

If you can answer one or more questions in the affirmative, it is worth thinking about purchasing a home emergency call system.

However, home emergency call devices are often not an option for people with dementia. They often do not recognize when real help is needed and press the emergency button uncontrollably or too often.

The home emergency call is a so-called nursing aid. Statutory nursing care insurance can cover the costs for this – but only under certain conditions. These include: