Frequently Asked Questions

Who Installs Lifeline?

What is Lifeline's 24 hour monitoring service?

What is the purpose of the speakerphone in the Lifeline Communicator?

What is meant by appropriate help?

Who answers when I call?

Can a physically challenged person use Lifeline?

How much does Lifeline Service cost and how long is the contract?

Who installs Lifeline?
A Lifeline installer will come out and connect you to Lifeline. The installer will train you on how to use Lifeline and install the Lifeline. The Lifeline communicator is installed by plugging it into the subscriber's telephone line (requires a standard modular telephone jack, and available power outlet). The installation and training takes no more than an hour to complete and Lifeline is on the job protecting your loved ones.

What is Lifeline's 24-hour monitoring service?
With Lifeline, you can be sure you'll receive help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most often the help comes from a neighbor or friend who is sent over by Lifeline; sometimes it's an emergency service like the police, fire or ambulance. Lifeline staff are hired for their innate empathy with subscribers and caregivers, and they undergo rigorous training to guarantee that calls are handled efficiently and in a caring manner. We frequently receive letters attesting to the warmth and friendliness of our Lifeline monitoring professionals.

Lifeline professionals who speak Spanish and French are always on staff and additional language needs are met through the use of AT&T's language line service which allows Lifeline to access over 140 additional languages.

What is the purpose of the speakerphone in the Lifeline Communicator?
When a subscriber activates Lifeline Basic, it immediately dials the Lifeline Response Center and Lifeline staff speak with the subscriber over the built-in speakerphone inside the communicator. The speakerphone enables Lifeline staff to speak with the subscriber even if the subscriber cannot get to the telephone. Lifeline can then determine what type of assistance the subscriber needs.

If the subscriber is out of range of the speakerphone, Lifeline staff immediately dial a contact person who has been pre-designated by the subscriber. Usually this is a friend or neighbor, but can also be emergency services, such as police, fire or ambulance.

What is meant by appropriate help?
Unlike most other response services, Lifeline has an important feature called "closed loop" that ensures help arrives at the home. When your contact person is called by Lifeline staff, they are instructed to go to the subscriber's home and press a button on the Lifeline unit. If for any reason your contact person is unable to reach the home or fails to respond within 30 minutes, a second message is sent to Lifeline indicating that help has not arrived. The Lifeline staff would then follow up with the subscriber and send another contact person as necessary.

When your contact person arrives, they press a button on the Lifeline unit and a signal is sent to Lifeline. Lifeline staff then contact the subscriber's home and ask if additional assistance is needed. Often Lifeline can assist by calling an ambulance, police, or relatives, if that is necessary.

Who answers when I call?
Lifeline staff are trained and hired based on their innate caring characteristics. They are trained to be empathetic to your needs. In fact, Lifeline staff receive letters praising them on the quality and warmth of the service and the ongoing reassurance that they provide.

Can a physically challenged person use Lifeline?
Lifeline Access is a special option for subscribers who are unable to press the traditional Lifeline button. This brings the benefits of Lifeline to subscribers who may be quadriplegic, severely arthritic, or otherwise physically challenged.

With Lifeline Access, the subscriber can not only call for help by pressing a special switch, they can answer any incoming phone call and talk with the caller using the built-in speakerphone. This enhanced communication has changed the lives of many physically challenged individuals.

Switches can be purchased from the local Lifeline Provider or directly from Lifeline systems. Some of the choices include a sip/puff switch, pillow switch, wobble switch, p-switch and rocking lever switch.

How much does Lifeline Service cost and how long is the contract?
One of the biggest benefits of the Lifeline service is that there is nothing to buy and only a three-month minimum required. Lifeline service is provided for a monthly fee of about a dollar a day or slightly more, depending upon the type of equipment you select for the home. The service is billed on a monthly basis with only a three-month minimum requirement.

There is a one time activation and enrollment fee of $65 plus a handling fee of $17.95.

It costs just $39.75 per month for Lifeline Basic, or $45 per month for Lifeline with Reminders telephone unit that offers big button dialing and many other enhanced features that make daily telephone communications easier for people with visual and hearing limitations. In both cases, all monitoring costs are included in these monthly fees.