BOLZANO. The certainty that someone will come to help in an emergency is essential for a self-determined and active life in old age. With its telephone emergency call systems, the White Cross has been alongside people who want to remain self-reliant but, at the same time, feel protected for 30 years. almost 10,000 men and women have been using this support service for the last three decades. And the trend is continuously increasing. Living at home while remaining as independent and active as possible, as we age, is no longer so obvious compared to the years of youth.
Illnesses and physical problems increase, as does the risk of accidents. This makes additional systems and services such as Tele-Aid, which the White Cross has been offering for three decades now, even more significant. While initially around 500 people were assisted per year through Tele-Aid, there are currently over 2,300 people in Alto Adige who rely on the White Cross service. Most are between 70 and 100 years old, but even the youngest who need particular protection take advantage of the service provided by the rescue association, carrying with them 24 hours a day a small transmitter device which allows you to call for help at the push of a button – not only at home, but also outside. Last year the White Cross was alerted over 14,000 times, of which in 1,450 cases the intervention of an ambulance was necessary. “A fall in the bathroom, a sudden illness or an accident during a walk in nature can happen quickly. In those moments it is essential to receive immediate help, wherever the person in difficulty is,” he explains Alexander Schmidpresident of the White Cross.
(photo Ansa)