It's not just people who are sick who are affected by illness

Illness doesn't just affect those diagnosed, but many people living and working around them. It's like a ripple effect!

Imagine an illness as a raindrop, and how that raindrop creates ripples in a puddle. Think of the ripples disturbing the water as the impact of the illness moving outwards to affect many people in lots of different situations. First it may affect close family and friends and then reaching colleagues, neighbours and the wider community. Now imagine many raindrops and their many ripples.

Here in the UK more than one in three people live with a long term medical condition or serious medical concern¹. So how many people do you think might realistically be affected in total? If we assume that for each person living with a condition only one other person is impacted then it’s more than two thirds of the population. It is probably fair to say that there are very few of us who are not feeling the impact of one or more of these ripples.

People affected by an illness can include:

• Immediate and extended family
• Friends
• Colleagues
• Employers
• School friends
• Team/club mates
• Teachers/Schools
• Childminders
• GPs/Paramedics

“My wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year but thankfully her decline has been incredibly slow so she is still able to go about her usual activities. I know one day she will forget how to drive, how to get to the shops, where she lives, me and the family and I live in constant fear about her safety. I want her to retain some independence but I worry every time she goes out ”

This quote was provided by the husband of a new MedicAlert member and it reflects many conversations we have with worried family members.

Illness can also affect the health and wellbeing of those living with people who are unwell

Through contact with the family, friends and carers of our members, we are aware that being affected by one or more of these ripples can have a significant impact on your own life. This can affect your overall wellness and happiness.

• Staying positive

Worrying about your loved ones’ safety, health, and in some cases, the unfortunate decline in their health is at the forefront of your mind which can be a cause of stress. Chronic stress can create symptoms such as headaches, stomach problems, inability to concentrate, feeling overwhelmed and struggling to make decisions. We all know how important security and safety is to our mental health; long-term concern for someone you care about can also have a negative impact on your outlook, ability to ‘look on the bright side of life’ and ultimately your happiness.

• Taking time for you

Being constantly aware of the risk of a loved one experiencing an emergency episode may make people feel less like taking part in social activities. You may also be less inclined to leave them to go to the gym, for a run or walk the dog.

• Your finances may be affected

Always being available in case of an emergency could, regrettably, impact financially in the short and long term. It may be necessary to find a job that is more flexible, enabling more time to care, reduce hours to part-time or give up work entirely.

Most people will not be affected in all of these areas. The health and wellbeing of a loved one is precious and a priority and most people will happily live with the impact of this on their own life. However, anything that can improve confidence and reduce worrying should be a serious consideration.

There is also an impact on the community. With such a high number of people with medical concerns, there is more need for access to specialist services and funding.

As we are all only too aware, the challenges of Covid 19 have only added to the pressures on the NHS and waiting lists for treatments continue to grow.

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How MedicAlert can help support peace of mind for all

So, here at MedicAlert, we constantly ask ourselves how we can reduce the impact of illness on our members, their families and all the people surrounding them to make those ripples easier to live with.

If you live with someone with a medical concern

MedicAlert can help you by improving confidence that your loved one is safe and can do things independently. Should the worst occur, their unique medical requirements will be known by those treating them offering peace of mind.

You know your loved one is safe, so you can feel less concerned and more confident when spending time away from them. You will be able to concentrate on you and your health and reactivate your social and work life. There is a very good reason why you are asked to put your oxygen mask on first in an emergency situation on a plane; the same logic applies here. If you are healthy and happy then you are more able to support others.

You will have more time to be active which means being fitter, stronger and more capable of looking after the person with a condition or allergy.

If you work with someone with a medical concern, knowing they will be safe when at work will no doubt contribute to a more settled and united workplace.

This diagram represents how a MedicAlert membership can support you on your journey to achieving peace of mind. With the peace of mind provided by our medical ID service, you will be more inclined to be physically and socially active which improves mental and physical health leading to improved overall health and wellbeing.

If you live with a medical concern

A MedicAlert membership offers services which support peace of mind to make you feel safe and confident to lead your best life.

You will benefit from:

• Access to all your details

You have online access to all your details to view, change or download when you need to. This ensures you can always keep them up to date.

• Nurses checking your record

Our registered nurses check that the details MedicAlert holds for you are medically sound, prioritising vital details and spotting errors - accuracy saves lives. Our nurses check that your ID jewellery holds the information that will be most relevant in an emergency. This is one of the reasons we are recommended by the NHS.

• Medical details available when they are needed

Your full medical record (medication, pacemaker ID cards, DNR forms, implant details) is available for paramedics to access in case of an emergency. Getting medical details quickly will ensure the right treatment and care is given right from the start. This will ensure mistakes do not occur and speed up recovery time.

• Wearing your Medical ID Jewellery

Paramedics are trained to look for medical IDs on pulse points when they are treating people so that they can administer the correct treatment.

• Details of your most important people available

Contact details for your next of kin, emergency contacts and doctors are immediately available in an emergency to make sure everyone is kept informed.

• Having someone else talk to MedicAlert on your behalf

You can nominate one or more of your most important people to help manage your medical records on your behalf. This is very valuable if the person is young, older or has impaired abilities.

• Freedom to travel

We support our members around the world with our 24/7 emergency helpline number. The language barrier is not a problem, our helpline is available in 100+ languages and dialects. The world is your oyster!

“The peace of mind I get from MedicAlert is beyond price. My family do not need to worry about me and I can spend time out and about with my 3 year old son knowing that were something to happen essential knowledge regarding my medical condition is available”

MedicAlert member with a rare condition

For society as a whole

• Normalising medical conditions

If more people with medical conditions (and remember, there are over 26 million) wore a medical ID, it would become more normal and accepted to have medical conditions. More people would be aware that someone wearing an ID may need specialist help if they are unwell.

• Saving valuable time for the NHS

Identifying a possible medical emergency by simply looking at a medical ID could save the NHS valuable time, especially on the front line, in A&E. MedicAlert supports triage, which is the process of identifying how urgently someone needs to be seen. This ensures that those with the most need are seen first. Statistics show that 41% of people attending A&E do not need to be there².

Here at MedicAlert we strive to reduce the impact of illness on our members, their families and all the people surrounding them. We want to lessen the ripples of concern.

How to become a MedicAlert member

It's simple. You just need to go online and follow a few steps to begin your journey towards peace of mind.

To find out more or to join MedicAlert, please visit our website or if you would like to speak to one of our very helpful membership services advisors, please call 01908 951045.

¹A serious medical concern can include conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, heart conditions, autism, hypertension, dementia, Asthma, COPD, arthritis, rare conditions and allergies .

²https://www.england.nhs.uk/blog/making-the-case-for-the-personalised-approach/ https://psnc.org.uk/services-commissioning/essential-facts-stats-and-quotes-relating-to-long-term-conditions/

https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/time-think-differently/trends-disease-and-disability-long-term-conditions-multi-morbidity/ https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/stress/