Personal emergency response systems: factors associated with use among older persons.

A descriptive survey was conducted to determine factors associated with the use of personal emergency response systems among older community-residing subscribers in the New York City metropolitan area. Subscribers who wore the portable help button when alone in the home were defined as being "compliant." The average length of time the 106 respondents (average age 83 +/- 9) had the system in their possession was 26 +/- 18 months. Less than 50% of the subscribers were found to be fully compliant. Compliance was more common in system users who had obtained the system themselves, had a history of falls, got positive responses to activations, used an assistive mobility device, and received instruction on the system. Compliance was less common in users who had obtained the system at the request of a family member. The data suggest that disuse is a common problem that clinicians should assess regularly to assure the benefit of this intervention.