Red Cross Lifeline Program is One of Most Successful in Northeast
News Release: November 17, 2006
Contact: Janice Osborne, director-Communications and Marketing; (610) 865-4400, ext. 262

After 14 years of providing personal medical alert services for its seniors throughout Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon and Monroe counties, the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Lifeline Program continues to enhance its resources so that subscribers consistently receive the highest quality of care when calling for assistance.

This comes at a time when Lifeline Systems announced recently that it is now serving a half million subscribers throughout the United States and Canada.

“We’re tremendously proud of the difference our program is making in the greater Lehigh Valley and Monroe County areas, and how we are able to help the seniors in our community live safely, with confidence, and with peace of mind,” said Laura Sheehan, manager-Lifeline Program for the Greater Lehigh Valley Red Cross Chapter.

Here's how the Lifeline System works: When a Lifeline subscriber needs help, the individual presses a small, lightweight and waterproof personal help button worn on the wrist or as a pendant. This immediately signals the response center, where trained Lifeline personal response associates determine the problem, its urgency and rapid assistance for the subscriber, if needed. Personal response associates receive intensive training in gerontology, stress management, and various topics on aging before being certified to assist subscribers. While primarily used for medical emergencies, Lifeline can also be used to summon the fire department or the police in the event of other incidents.

“It’s rewarding for us to be able to support the active and independent lifestyles of the elders in our community, and to know that when they need assistance we’re always there for them,” said Sheehan.

“The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley is proud to provide the peace of mind that Lifeline provides to our more than 1,700 subscribers.”

For more information about Lifeline, call the Red Cross at (610) 861-5105 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training; Lifeline, a personal response service for seniors; and emergency relief to more than 23,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents. For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.