Personal AlertSA (PASA): 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 AlertSA (PASA), you may be wondering how to apply for the PASA 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 AlertSA?
● Who can get a personal alarm through PASA?
● What types of devices are available through PASA?
● Which Tunstall Healthcare personal alarm devices are available through PASA?
● What do I need so I can get a Tunstall personal alarm through PASA?
● How do I apply for personal alert and monitoring devices through PASA?
Getting a Tunstall Personal Alert and Monitoring Device Through Personal AlertSA
What is Personal AlertSA?
The Personal AlertSA, also known as PASA, 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 PASA?
To apply for a personal alert or monitoring device through PASA, 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)
A level 2-4 HCP and not assigned an interim 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 PASA?
PASA carefully screens the devices included in their scheme. As such, any device you'll be eligible to get from PASA 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 PASA?
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 PASA service provider. Tunstall can provide South Australians with two different types of personal alert and monitoring devices through PASA:
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 PASA?
There are five simple steps to follow if you want to get a personal alert and monitoring device through PASA:
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 Centerlink Customer Reference Number or DVA file number and your My Aged Care (AC ID).
Send your application to PASA: You can either email your application to pasa@sa.gov.au or send it by post (no postage stamp required) to Personal AlertSA with address at Reply Paid 292, Adelaide SA 5001.
Tunstall Healthcare: Now Available Through PASA
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 PASA 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 PASA offering, please visit our dedicated Personal AlertSA page. You can also learn more about PASA at the SA Government's website via this link.
Want to know more about our solutions? Or have questions about our PASA-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.
