Andrew S. Dibner, PhD, is considered the Father of Personal Response Systems (PRS) in the United States. He first created the “lifeline” concept in 1972 while on sabbatical at Duke University and has since devoted his career to the development of this service. In 1974, Dr. Dibner and his wife Susan, a sociologist, founded Lifeline Systems, Inc., the leading company in PRS in the world. He has performed numerous studies of the system’s effectiveness and has promoted its acceptance by government and health care providers nationally and internationally. Dr. Dibner’s background is in clinical psychology and as a professor at Boston University, he specialized in the psychology of aging.

• Contents ForewordIntroduction I. Canada Emergency Response Systems--The Canadian Perspective Product Design and Social Implications in a Personal Response Program II. Denmark Services for the Danish Elderly: The Role of Technical Aids General and Specific Aspects of Emergency Response Systems in Denmark III. Germany Structure, Aims, and Prospectives of PRS in Germany IV. Israel Emergency Response Systems in Israel V. Japan Recent Trends of ERS in Japan VI. The Netherlands Organizing and Financing PRS by a Health Insurance Fund From Alarm Systems to Smart Houses VII. New Zealand Mid-Range Technology: A New-Zealand Perspective VIII. Sweden The Swedish Model of Social Alarm Systems for the Care of the Elderly IX. Scotland Community Alarm Systems in Scotland X. Wales Local Authority and Housing Association Perspectives on ERS in the United States XI. England Alarms and Telephones in Emergency Response--Research From the United Kingdom Community Alarm Systems XII. United States Personal Response Systems in the United States Public Financing for Personal Response Systems: A Federal Viewpoint ERS as a Community Outreach Service From a Nursing Home XIII. Summary and Discussion Personal Response Services Present and Future Reference Notes Included Index

Andrew S. Dibner, PhD, is considered the Father of Personal Response Systems (PRS) in the United States. He first created the “lifeline” concept in 1972 while on sabbatical at Duke University and has since devoted his career to the development of this service. In 1974, Dr. Dibner and his wife Susan, a sociologist, founded Lifeline Systems, Inc., the leading company in PRS in the world. He has performed numerous studies of the system’s effectiveness and has promoted its acceptance by government and health care providers nationally and internationally. Dr. Dibner’s background is in clinical psychology and as a professor at Boston University, he specialized in the psychology of aging.

• Contents ForewordIntroduction I. Canada Emergency Response Systems--The Canadian Perspective Product Design and Social Implications in a Personal Response Program II. Denmark Services for the Danish Elderly: The Role of Technical Aids General and Specific Aspects of Emergency Response Systems in Denmark III. Germany Structure, Aims, and Prospectives of PRS in Germany IV. Israel Emergency Response Systems in Israel V. Japan Recent Trends of ERS in Japan VI. The Netherlands Organizing and Financing PRS by a Health Insurance Fund From Alarm Systems to Smart Houses VII. New Zealand Mid-Range Technology: A New-Zealand Perspective VIII. Sweden The Swedish Model of Social Alarm Systems for the Care of the Elderly IX. Scotland Community Alarm Systems in Scotland X. Wales Local Authority and Housing Association Perspectives on ERS in the United States XI. England Alarms and Telephones in Emergency Response--Research From the United Kingdom Community Alarm Systems XII. United States Personal Response Systems in the United States Public Financing for Personal Response Systems: A Federal Viewpoint ERS as a Community Outreach Service From a Nursing Home XIII. Summary and Discussion Personal Response Services Present and Future Reference Notes Included Index