I've fallen and I can't get up. This notorious phrase from a 1990 television commercial for "panic button" devices created a fallout of jokes, T-shirts, and fodder for late-night comedians. It also transformed the sleepy market for personal emergency response systems (PERS) into a booming business. Although the ads were ridiculed by many, they dealt with a topic that is deadly serious. What happens when someone is sick or injured at home and can't reach the phone to call for help? As hospital stays shrink and the cost of long-term care insurance balloons, the idea of renting a PERS has become increasingly attractive to older people who are recovering from operations or coping with chronic health problems. The devices also help family members worry a little less, knowing that their loved ones can call for help in an emergency. As the American population ages, more and more seniors are choosing to live alone, rather than in nursing homes or with younger family members. Along with the independence seniors are gaining, they, and their families, are living with the fear that in the event of an emergency, no one will be there to help. One response to this concern has been the development of personal emergency response systems (PERS), various signaling devices that call for help in an emergency. These products have been promoted as the answer to the need for both security and independence for older Americans and the disabled. Yet, as with many products that target older consumers, some unscrupulous sellers and manufacturers have chosen to prey upon unsuspecting and vulnerable consumers, offering overpriced, inferior products. To help caregivers understand what personal emergency response systems are we've developed a special section that explains what they do and who the best companies are out there.