PERS Program Coordinator presented with National Award
From left to right: Philips Lifeline territory managers Seth Smiley and Kathy Andrle; PERS Coordinator Kathy Merrill and SNHS Program Operations Director Deborah Gosselin.
Kathy Merrill , coordinator of SNHS Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), was recently presented with a National Recognition Award by Philips Lifeline for exceptional work on behalf of local seniors. Philips Lifeline is a medical alert service which provides access to emergency help at the push of a button. Presenting the Award were Philips Lifeline territory managers Seth Smiley and Kathy Andrle.
According to Smiley, this award recognized SNHS and Merrill’s leadership in several areas in 2010, including:
- Subscriber growth- SNHS grew by 17% or 42 subscribers in 2010.
- Dedication and service to seniors and people in need- SNHS provides excellen
t service and understands their clients - Partnership with Philips Lifeline– SNHS and Philips work together to engage local referral sources, seniors, and caregivers. )
- Understanding of healthcare, geographic and economic climate, plus current and future trends
A significant element enabling frail seniors to live independently in their own homes is the capacity to deal with medical emergencies. PERS fills this need, providing immediate twenty-four hour access to community medical and emergency services. The system uses a communicator at home and a portable “HELP” button to send an electronic message to an emergency response center where trained personnel initiate emergency response procedures. In 2010, PERS served 363 eligible seniors in Hillsborough County.
For more information on PERS, contact Kathy Merrill at 603.668.8010 Ext. 6024 and at kathym@snhs.org.
