FAQs

Northwood

FAQs

Billing, Payment & Other

In order to give you the best service, we collect any pertinent information that might be required during an emergency. We keep on file medical history, conditions, medication, allergies and important contact people. Your privacy is of the utmost of importance to us. We only share information when necessary to ensure client privacy.

Most equipment is rent only. There is a purchase option for the stove sensor and the medication dispenser. Call us to find out which option may be best for your needs.

The real benefit to having this service is that it is monitored. By renting the equipment, monitoring comes with the service, you may make changes at any time if your situation requires it. If your needs change, you can add or remove products or services as required.

  • We are not-for-profit so there are no taxes; prices listed below are what you pay.
  • Total monthly cost for the two-way communicator and basic pendant is $43.00. Total monthly cost for the two-way communicator and upgraded iVi Fall Pendant that has the added benefit of detecting falls is $55.00.
  • Additional pendants are available for a second person in the home for only $5/month for a basic pendant and $12 for an additional Fall Pendant.
  • We offer subsidy options for subscribers who may have difficulties in paying for the service and who qualify. We will also link subscribers with other available funding sources if needed.
  • Other options such as buying the equipment outright or renting the equipment without having it monitored is also available.

No.  We do not tie you to a contract.  Our service is billed monthly and you are free to cancel anytime.

Your equipment is fully covered by your monthly fees. If something requires servicing or a battery needs replacing you’re covered!  There are no extra or surprise fees.

If you are moving within Nova Scotia, you are able to take your equipment with you, however you MUST notify the office with your new address and responders so we know where to direct help if required.

An extra basic button is $5/month

An extra automatic fall alert button is $12/month

We currently offer Pre Authorized Payment, cash or cheque.

Because every private medical insurance plan is different, we always suggest reaching out to your provider to double check. In our experience, we have found very few clients have this type of coverage.

Just give us a call at our office 1-800-461-3346.  Our staff will then direct you on how to return the equipment.

Basic Service & Fall Pendant

  • A two-way base unit plugged into your existing phone line.
  • small waterproof help button that can be worn around the neck, wrist or clipped on a piece of clothing.
  • 24-hour Local Response Centre offering emergency or technical help.
  • Unlimited use of the service.
  • Daily check-in monitoring (if requested).
  • Hands-free capability to answer incoming phone calls. No rushing to get the phone, no carrying a cordless with you.
  • Reminder feature – allows subscribers, family and caregivers to program up to six different reminder messages that will play when specified. This feature reminds subscribers to take their medications, check blood sugars, keep appointments etc.
  • Service calls are always free.
  • Newsletters twice a year to keep you up to date of any changes, special offers. For more information please check out our news and updates page. 

All other sensors can be added to this basic service.

Don’t worry, our operators will answer the call, ask if you’re okay and reset the system. We are always relieved to hear that you’re okay. There is never a charge for any call through to the operator; whether accidental or emergency.

Yes, we have a number of sensors that can call for help without you having to push a button. We can customize our sensors to meet your needs and situation. Whether you’re up at night and want us to check on you if you’re out of bed for a certain time or if you want an automatic call for help if you’ve fallen, we can help. We also have special equipment that can suit any user’s needs such as a sip/puff switch, pillow switch, wobble switch, p-switch and rocking lever switch.

Northwood has been providing emergency response for over 30 years. The equipment we use is made by a company with over 50 years of experience in the industry and is the largest provider of emergency response equipment in the world. The Northwood Intouch service consists of sophisticated sensors and a device with a built-in speaker phone that connects the subscriber’s residence with our local Response Centre. Each unit is equipped with a 20 hour battery back up should a power outage occur. The personal help buttons are 100% waterproof and include batteries with a 3-year lifespan. When the personal help button battery is low it automatically sends a signal to the Response Centre for service. We continually monitor our equipment to ensure the service is going to work when it’s needed!

Emergency Response Service (Personal Alert)
When pressed, the help button activates the in-home communicator. A signal is sent over the phone line directly to Northwood’s local 24-hour Response Centre. Our response centre staff will try to speak with the client through a two way speaker to determine the nature of the call and send appropriate help. If the subscriber cannot respond, Response Centre staff will take immediate steps to ensure a responder is sent to the subscriber’s home as quickly as possible and check on the situation.

Live-at-home technology (medication dispensers, fall, flood and stove sensors, and much more…)
Each sensor or detector is connected wirelessly to the in-home communicator; depending on the type of sensor certain protocols are followed. Our 24-hour Response Centre can respond as described above or have a caregiver check in, dispatch police in the event of an invasion, alert you of hazardous home conditions (flood or extreme temperatures) and much more. Live-at-home technology is customizable to your personal situation and an assessment is done with our staff to ensure the solutions are best suited to your individual needs.

No.  We have equipment that works with traditional landlines as well as cellular, so whatever your situation, we have an option.

The button is 100% water proof and we encourage users to wear it in the shower or place it next to the tub if their in the bath. 

No.  You are able to use your phone as you regularly do.  

Our equipment is designed to cover the area within your home, where you would be most at risk of being alone and no one seeing you in need of help.  The equipment works on radio frequency (RF)

It is not necessary, however we do recommend it.  Our equipment is continually testing itself behind the scenes, but we do encourage our clients to press their button once a month (or as often as they would like) to feel a level of comfort that it is working and know how it works.

Your button will send us a signal when the battery is getting low and needs to be replaced.  We’ll send you a replacement and even come and do it for you if you’d like. There is no fee for this.

No.  The microphone for the equipment is in the base unit that connects to your telephone jack.  It is very sensitive and the operator is able to increase the sensitivity as required.  In the worst case scenario where the operators are unable to hear you on the other end, they will try you on the phone and then call one of your Responders to check and see if you are ok.

Product Information & General Questions

If you’re shopping around, use our checklist to see how we compare with other medical alarm companies:

  • We are non-profit 
  • Locally owned and operated 
  • Basic cost (no tax) 
  • No contract required 
  • Local response centre based in the Maritimes 
  • Over 30 years of experience 
  • Actively engages with community by having volunteers help with the installations. As well, our installation fees are donated to the club that helped with the install. 
  • Northwood as a whole has been serving seniors for over 50 years. 

Due to Covid-19 currently all our installations are self installs. We will return to our regular procedures when it is safe to do so. 

Before Covid-19: Because our installers live in the community where you live, we are able to install the service quickly. Most installations happen within 2 business days. We also accommodate emergency or rush requests and provide evening, weekend and weekday appointments at your preferred time.

In order to give you the best service, we collect any pertinent information that might be required during an emergency. We keep on file medical history, conditions, medication, allergies and important contact people. Your privacy is of the utmost of importance to us. We only share information when necessary to ensure client privacy.

Our equipment has a back up battery that is good for 24-48 hours depending on the type of equipment you are using.  The battery is rechargeable and will recharge when the power comes back on.

We are a group of caring individuals who want to help you. We are here to listen, provide support and offer solutions to your situation. This may be through our organization or through services offered through our community partners. 

Between visits and phone calls, an accidental fall or flare up of an existing medical condition could occur at any time, anywhere in the home. Day or night, Northwood’s personal emergency response service is there 24 hours a day, every day to get our subscribers the help they need, when they need it.

We work with a team of volunteers all across Nova Scotia who assist us in setting up our equipment in our client’s homes. 

During COVID, we have chosen to go with a self installation process in an effort to protect you and our volunteers.  Your equipment will be couriered directly to you at no charge.  Easy to follow, written instructions come with the equipment and we are here to offer assistance over the phone should you need the extra support.

When you need help from the ambulance, our Response Centre Operators can have one of your Responders meet them to let them in or we can direct them to a hidden key location in a lock box or other location of your choice.  We keep this info on file and only give out to paramedics in an emergency situation.

Yes!  Our equipment allows for multiple buttons and sensors to be programmed to a single base unit.  That means that a couple could each have their own button and one base unit to share.