This year the MePACS Monitored Personal Alarm Service is celebrating a major milestone – our 35th birthday! What began as a small, local service has grown into a national leader in monitored personal alarms, supporting thousands of clients across Australia with rapid emergency response.
A legacy of care
MePACS, originally called the Mount Eliza Personal Alarm Care Service, was founded in 1989 and operated from Peninsula Health’s Mount Eliza Centre.
To begin with, we were only available as a Victorian government-funded service, now known as Personal Alert Victoria (PAV), with 30 alarm units allocated to Victorians who were assessed as in need of support.
Due to the success of the service, and an evident need in the community for the service, PAV funding was increased and by 1994, MePACS was supporting 2000 clients.
MePACS began to expand our service to support people who were not eligible for PAV funding by offering a privately funded service. By the year 2000, we had more than 8,500 clients across Victoria.
We are thrilled to have reached so many milestones within the last decade. This includes becoming a national service in 2016, the introduction of our mobile and duress alarm services in 2017, and the launch of the MePACS Solo Watch in 2020.
Our client base has continued to grow as new funding streams have been introduced; we are now an approved service provider for federal funding via Home Care Packages, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme and National Disability Insurance Scheme, and we also are an approved provider for the Personal Alert Assistance SA program in South Australia.
Our emergency response team is now supporting more than 47,000 valued clients across Australia. On any given day, MePACS emergency response operators will answer close to 2000 emergency alarms with more than 60 calls requiring escalation to emergency services.
Despite all the growth and changes we’ve experienced over the past 35 years, one thing remains unchanged – our commitment to care. As a part of the public health network, we are dedicated to providing the highest duty of care to our clients and reinvesting in healthcare research and initiatives.
Responding to community need
Australia’s population is ageing, quickly. By 2026, more than 22 percent of Australians will be aged over 65, with the majority of seniors living independently at home. Additionally, about a quarter of people living with disability live alone.
Through our service, MePACS offers a low-cost and effective solution to help manage our clients’ welfare, enhancing their safety and independence.
Research has indicated that the use of MePACS monitored personal alarms gives our clients confidence to live independently for longer.
Further, research published in the Australian Health Review highlighted the role MePACS monitored personal alarms play in reducing unnecessary ambulance attendance and hospital admissions – helping to alleviate the burden placed on these services.
Personal alarms have been shown to be an effective strategy, when used appropriately, to prevent a ‘long lie’ after a fall. A ‘long lie’ is a term for when a person has fallen and spends a long time on the floor, waiting for assistance. Falls are a leading cause of injury, hospitalisation and death in Australia. About 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 experience a fall each year.
A bright future
As technology continues to advance, MePACS is looking to new ways to enhance our products and services. We listen closely to feedback from our clients and broader community to help guide our future direction and are we are so proud to be a service leader within the monitored personal alarm industry.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has championed MePACS over the past 35 years. We would not be who we are without your support.