Frequently Asked Questions

How does it work?

Safe Guard works with any domestic ‘phone line. When you press the button on the unit or the trigger on your pendant, the unit automatically puts a call through to our Control Centre.

Our highly trained staff team are on duty 24 hrs a day to answer your call and to make sure that you get the assistance that you need.

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How quickly do you answer?

Out target is to answer 90% of all emergency calls within 30 seconds of them being received at the Centre and 100% within 1 minute. We consistently meet these targets.

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How will they know it's me?

When your call is answered at the Centre, it opens up a computer screen that contains all the information that we will have asked you for when you sign up. This is the information that will identify you and enable us to help you.

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What will you ask me?

In addition to your normal personal details, we will ask for the name, address and telephone number of your GP, the identity of the person(s) you would want us to contact in an emergency, any relevant medical details and anything else that you feel that we need to know.

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Can I still use my phone normally?

Yes, Safe Guard doesn’t interfere with the way you normally use your ‘phone. You may actually think it’s better – you can answer calls simply by pressing the pendant and speaking from wherever you are in the room, to end the call you simply press the pendant again.

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What if I'm feeling ill and I'm already using the phone?

Simply press the call button or your pendant trigger. An emergency call will override any other call.

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What if I fall and I'm nowhere near the phone?

Don’t worry. Just press the pendant trigger. The call will still come through to us and we’ll still be able to hear you. The unit has a powerful microphone. We can hear you even through a closed door.

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What if I press the button by accident?

There is a ‘Cancel’ button on the unit but don’t rush to press it. We receive a lot of accidental calls. It’s no problem, we don’t mind at all.

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I’m going into hospital soon. I'd like to have Safe Guard for a couple of weeks when I come out but I won't want to keep it. Can I do that?

Yes you can. We do provide a short term service. This can be valuable for people like you who are recuperating or as extra support if, for example, your family are away on holiday. However we do charge extra for this.

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I’m not very good with gadgets. Will someone show me how it works?

Yes of course. When you sign up for the service, a member of the Vitaline team will come to your home, fit the unit, show you how to use it and answer any questions that you may have.

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Can I only use it in an absolute emergency?

No, we’re here to help you. You can call us with any problem that you may have. We’ll always do our best to assist you.

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How do I know that my personal information is safe with you?

All information about you is stored in a secure environment both in hard copy and on computer. Our control centre is manned 24 hours a day and we have controlled access both to the building and to the control room. No unauthorised person is allowed on the premises and all our staff are cleared with the Criminal Advice Bureau before they start work for us.

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Do I need to let you know if I'm going away?

Yes, we need to know if you're going away so that we can suspend any extra services that you may have from us e.g. 'pop in' telephone calls. If we don't know that you're away and we can't confirm it with your relatives/friends we may enter your property - we could even alert the emergency services if we're concerned about your absence. You also need to tell us when you get back.

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How can this help to keep me out of hospital?

Changes in your routine or forgetting to do things on a regular basis may indicate that you have a health problem. Getting help early can prevent it from becoming serious.

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How do I know the sensors are working correctly?

Telecare technology is self checking and automatically tests every sensor installed in your home roughly 4 times a day. If a fault is detected a report is automatically sent to Vitaline's control centre where staff will call an engineer to investigate.

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Do I unplug the unit when I'm going away? Can I unplug it before I go to bed?

No. The unit must never be unplugged from either the telephone socket or the electric plug and the electric plug must always be switched on.

If the unit is not connected to a telephone socket it can't make an emergency call and if the electricity supply is disconnected it will alarm through to the Centre and tell us that it has no supply - in which case if we can't contact you we will have to send a mobile responder out to your address. The unit does have a back up battery which will work for several hours but eventually it will run down and emergency calls will not get through.

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What do I do if I think the unit is faulty?

The units are very sturdy and we have very few faults but if yours does develop a fault just call us in 01253 477678 and we'll send someone out to you.

There may be times when we need to come out and change/update your equipment, we will always make an appointment with you to do this and it's important that you give us access.

All Vitaline staff wear an ID badge showing their name, there's always a photograph on the badge too. For your safety you should never let anyone into your home without checking their identity.

What we do ask is that you test both our pendant and the button on the unit every month. Just press the pendant and when we answer tell the operator that you're making a test call then do the same again with the button on the unit. We keep a record of all test calls - this way we're both happy that all is well.

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I believe you have a key holding service. How do I know that my key's safe with you?

We do have a key holding service. Many people find it comforting to know that we can gain access to their home if there’s an emergency. We hold all keys securely within our Centre. All of them are identified solely by a code number on the key tag. It would be impossible for any unauthorised person to match your key to your address.

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If I don't want you to have a key and there is an emergency what will you do?

In any emergency you are our first priority. If we have reason to believe that you may be in trouble and for whatever reason we’re unable to confirm with you that all is well with you, we will call the emergency services and gain access to your home. You can of course sign to state that you don’t want us to do this.

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I need more than a basic service. What more can I have?

Through Safe Guard, Vitaline can provide you with a service that ranges from the most basic to the most sophisticated. We can, for example, arrange for a Vitaline Assistant to contact you regularly to make sure that all is well with you, remind you to take your medication, fit an intruder alarm into your home, fit sensors that will tell us if there’s a gas leak or a flood in your home, help you to gain access to other community based services and much, much more.

This all works through a range of unobtrusive, radio controlled sensors, which if activated, send a signal to the Safe Guard unit. The unit in turn, sends a call through to the Vitaline Control Centre and alerts the operator. The operator will know exactly which sensor has activated the alarm and what the problem is. He/she will then take action to get help to the client as quickly as possible.

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That all sounds very expensive. What if I can't afford it?

It’s not as expensive as you may think. Our most basic service will cost you less than 36p a day. If you do need more than this the cost will rise accordingly but it may be that you can receive the service free of charge, depending on your needs and circumstances. When you contact us we will go through a simple assessment process with you to determine if you would qualify for a free service.

Some people prefer to pay privately for everything and we understand that too. If this is the case for you then there’s no problem, just contact us, we’ll talk through your requirements with you and arrange to start the service.

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Most of the time I'm OK. Am I being watched all the time?

Actually you’re not being watched at all. The sensors are programmed individually to fit into your lifestyle. The only time that they activate is, in the case of the basic service, if you press the pendant or in the case of the sensors if they sense a potential problem. The rest of the time you just carry on as normal in complete privacy.

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If I pay privately how do I pay?

We have a range of payment options. Most people prefer Direct Debit but you can pay by post using a cheque or postal order or over the ‘phone by debit or credit card.

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Is there anything else that you can do for me?

Yes, we can signpost you to most other community based services that may be of benefit to you e.g. we can arrange for a social care assessment to determine what other support might be available to you, we can put you in touch with Benefits Agency for information on any benefits that you may be entitled to and may want to claim.

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