LIFELINE PROGRAMS CHALLENGED BY TECHNOLOGY

We at the Nanaimo Lifeline Program have always considered ourselves a partner in healthcare. We are here to help you and those you care for, that help takes the form of enabling you to send a call for help when unable to reach your telephone.

We are met with new challenges each day. The most recent is related to technology - many of you are seeing and hearing commercials offering you alternate telephone service that does not use standard telephone lines. This may be an excellent option for many people, however, we want you to be aware of how this may interfere with your Lifeline service. When a phone connection is made through a computer service it is dependent on electricity. If you have alternate phone service, your Lifeline may work under normal conditions but will not work if you lose power to your home. The standard telephone service usually continues to work when electricity is cut off from your home, this is not so with computer service driven systems unless you make a specific effort to have auxiliary battery power available in your home in the event of power failure.

If you have Lifeline services and are considering switching your phone service, please contact us to discuss your options. Also if you are a younger family member who has a Lifeline client living in your home, please consider their safety when choosing the type of telephone service you are planning to use. Whatever the circumstances, if you are changing the type of telephone service you are using, please contact your Lifeline provider to inform them of this change in the technology in your home.