St John is an accredited medical alarm supplier in New Zealand which means Government funding may be available for our Home Alarm plan for eligible people.
The most common sources of funding are:
Work and Income ( a service of MSD )
The Disability Allowance is a weekly payment for people who have regular, ongoing costs because of a disability. Costs such as visits to the doctor, medicines and even assistive technology like a medical alarm.
- If you do not currently receive the Disability Allowance and meet the eligibility criteria, you'll need to apply using a Disability Allowance Application form.
- To receive funding specifically for a medical alarm, your health practitioner (eg, your doctor) also needs to complete a Medical Alarm Assessment form. This means you must see your doctor with this paperwork in order for them to sign.
- Finally, provide the signed forms to Work and Income together with proof of installation of a medical alarm by an accredited supplier like St John and we'll take care of the rest on your behalf.
Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)
ACC sometimes covers the cost of home based medical alarm services for patients recovering from accidents. You can discuss this further with your ACC Case Manager.
We can discuss funding more with you during your in-home demonstration of a Home Medical Alarm at the commencement of your free trial period. Alternatively, contact Work and Income or ACC directly to find out more information.
Falls prevention initiative and ACC
Falls are more of an issue as we age (see statistics below) and St John supports the ACC initiatives to minimise falls. That's why once you are a St John Alarm customer we may offer to check your home in order to identify any fall hazards consistent with those outlined in the ACC Home Safety Checklist and provide recommendations to help make your home a safer environment against falls.
Falls statistics
- Of people aged 85+ years, 1 in 4 had at least one ACC claim due to a fall in 2016.
- Nearly 9% of people aged over 85 were admitted to hospital for at least one night as a result of a fall1
- Falls are one of the top 4 reasons for dialling 111 for an ambulance2
Other falls resources
1Standing up to falls: Your guide to preventing falls and protecting your independence
2Stay independent: Are you at risk of falling?
