H.E.L.P.
Hospital Emergency Line Program

What am I to do?
Move in with the children?
A nursing home?
Expensive assisted living?

For some, these are reasonable and available options. There is another choice …

North Country Hospital's HELP Program offers an affordable, immediate, local response at the push of a button.

As folks grow older, they and their families become increasingly worried about what will happen if they need help and can't get to a phone. What if they suddenly need medical assistance and can't call for help? And yet, elderly and physically challenged people still value their independence and want to live in their own homes as long as possible.

HELP is a modern home security/alert system for the elderly and others with high-risk medical problems. It uses a simple push-button electronic signaling device that promotes instant communication with North Country Hospital.

Here are a few comments from some people who have used HELP:

" It's my insurance policy!"
" It gives me peace of mind ~ it's like I'm never really alone."
" Now my family doesn't worry about me living alone."
" Thanks to my HELP Unit I can work in my garden whenever I want to."
" My daughter wanted me to live with her, but now I can stay right here."
" When I slipped in the bathroom, I just pushed the button and my neighbor was right there!”

How It Works…
At home, you have a small push-button transmitter you wear around your neck on a pendant. Push a button your electronic "call for help" is transmitted immediately to North Country Hospital.

Then…
The NCH switchboard operator- after matching your personal code number with your on-file information -telephones to insure the signal wasn't sent inadvertently.
If necessary, the next call will be to a Responder - usually a friend or neighbor who agrees to investigate when contacted by North Country Hospital and take whatever action is necessary.
As a last resort safety measure (if no contact is made with the participant or responder) the NCH switchboard operator will alert the appropriate ambulance team. So, within a few minutes help is on the way!

What It Costs…
Installation Charge 
$60.00
Monthly Service Charge
$15.00
National statistics indicate that the average person uses the security/alert system only once every two years.
However, the peace of mind and sense of security derived from knowing you can summon help when you most need it is priceless.

For information about HELP
please call Merrilyn Barry
802-334-5566

The Wellness Center at North Country Hospital
189 Prouty Drive
Newport, VT 05855
www.nchsi.org