Personal Alert AssistanceSA (PAASA): Getting Started and What You Should Know
Not in South Australia? This article might be more relevant for you: Government Funded Personal Alarms in Australia: a Complete Guide
With Tunstall's monitoring solutions and services now available to eligible South Australians through Personal Alert AssistanceSA (PAASA), you may be wondering how to apply for the PAASA subsidy, whether you're eligible, which devices are available, and how you can get started. All these questions answered below.
In this article:
● What is Personal Alert AssistanceSA?
● Who can get a personal alarm through PAASA?
● What types of devices are available through PAASA?
● Which Tunstall Healthcare personal alarm devices are available through PAASA?
● What do I need so I can get a Tunstall personal alarm through PAASA?
● How do I apply for personal alert and monitoring devices through PAASA?
Getting a Tunstall Personal Alert and Monitoring Device Through Personal Alert AssistanceSA
What is Personal Alert AssistanceSA
The Personal Alert AssistanceSA, also known as PAASA, is a South Australian Government-funded project with the aim of improving access to personal alert and monitoring devices for South Australians.
DEFINITION: Personal alert and monitoring devices are simple-to-operate apparatuses, often in the shape of a pendant, that allow people to call for help in accidents or emergencies. Personal emergency alarms are used by many Australians and enable people to live independently and safely in a place of their choosing.
Who can get a personal alarm through PAASA?
To apply for a personal alert or monitoring device through PAASA, you must satisfy these requirements:
Be a permanent resident of South Australia,
Be over the age of 75,
Have a Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Pensioner Concession card,
Have been assessed by My Aged Care as approved for one of the following:
A Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
A level 1 Home Care Package (HCP)
assessed as not eligible for an HCP.
In addition to the criteria above, you must also meet these clinical, functional, and social criteria:
What types of devices are available through PAASA?
PAASA carefully screens the devices included in their scheme. As such, any device you'll be eligible to get from PAASA will have a fall detection function and 24/7 monitoring (with non-monitored options available). They also only approve devices with SIM cards (additional costs apply if monitoring is not provided by the supplier) and that are 4G compatible.
Which Tunstall Healthcare personal alarm devices are available through PAASA?
Tunstall Healthcare is a world-leading provider of Connected Care and Connected Health solutions with over 60 years of experience empowering people to live independently. We are proud to be a PAASA service provider. Tunstall can provide South Australians with two different types of personal alert and monitoring devices through PAASA:
Tunstall Gem4: 4G GPS Pendant
The Tunstall Gem4 is a mobile personal emergency response system (mPERS) that's worn around the neck. It features an SOS button that, when pressed, allows you to alert our 24/7 Customer Care Centre. Our representative will receive your call, assess your situation, identify your location, and send carers or the necessary emergency services your way.
The Tunstall Gem4 also has two-way communication that allows you to speak directly with our Care Consultant, who will stay on the line with you until help arrives.
Other key features of the Tunstall Gem4 are:
An easy-to-use SOS button
GPS location
Connection to Tunstall's 24/7 Customer Care Centre
Automatic fall detection alert (if enabled)
Open voice communication
USB-powered charging dock
4G compatible
Water-resistant
Has lost and flight mode
Tunstall SmartLink Medi Guardian 4G: 4G Base Unit and Pendant
We designed the Tunstall SmartLink Guardian 4G to be a home-based alarm that can be unobtrusively installed anywhere in your house and, at the same time, accessible when you need help.
When you find yourself needing help, simply press the device's ‘Help’ button. The SmartLink Guardian 4G will then connect you to our 24/7 Customer Care Centre who will send help right away. If you experience a fall, or are otherwise unable to reach the ‘Help’ button, you can use the paired Smartfall Blue falls pendant:
As long as you wear the pendant, any alarm call you make or fall that is detected, whether inside or outside your home, will link back to the SmartLink Medi Guardian 4G and allow you to call for help. This ensures that you're ready for any emergency and gives you the freedom to enjoy life at all times.
How do I apply for personal alert and monitoring devices through PAASA?
There are five simple steps to follow if you want to get a personal alert and monitoring device through PAASA:
Fill out the application form: Download, print, and fill out the 8-page Personal AlertSA form here.
Contact My Aged Care: Get yourself assessed and cleared for aged care services.
Have your form signed by a registered health professional: Set a consultation with your GP or occupational therapist who will certify Section G of the application form.
Gather all the required papers: Make sure you have your Centrelink Customer Reference Number or DVA file number and your My Aged Care (AC ID).
Send your application to PAASA: You can either email your application to paasa@sa.gov.au or send it by post (no postage stamp required) to Personal Alert AssistanceSA with address at Reply Paid 292, Adelaide SA 5001.
Tunstall Healthcare: Now Available Through PAASA
Tunstall Healthcare is a leading provider of Connected Care and Connected Health solutions. Our many years of experience have allowed us to deliver personal alert and monitoring solutions that play a crucial role in helping older and vulnerable people, including those with long term health conditions, live their lives as freely and independently as possible.
We're proud to be an approved PAASA provider and enable greater accessibility to our personal monitoring solutions for South Australians. These include our line of 4G mobile and in-home alarms, each connected to our 24/7 Customer Care Centre.
Next Steps
To learn more about our personal alarms, monitoring solutions and our PAASA offering, please visit our dedicated Personal AlertSA page. You can also learn more about PAASA at the SA Government's website via this link.
Want to know more about our solutions? Or have questions about our PAASA-approved personal alarms and how we can support your safety and independence? Don't hesitate to contact us today.
Related Reading:
Check our our full guide to Government Funded Personal Alarms which also has info on CHSP, HCP, NDIS and DVA funding options available to eligible participants.
