Improved Vial of Life Program to Help Seniors

Nova Scotia seniors will receive improved medical care due to changes to the Vial of Life program.

Vial of Life is a program that helps emergency personnel locate important medical details in the event of an emergency in the home. A vial containing all important medical information is stored in the refrigerator and a sticker on the fridge door alerts emergency personnel that the vial is inside.

Valerie White, executive director of the Seniors' Secretariat, announced today, May 16, that the program has been standardized provincewide.

Until now, the vials varied by size, colour and logo design, depending on where they were issued in the province. The medical forms they contained also varied. Now, the forms and vials all have the same look and logo. The new standardized design will make the vials easier to identify and locate by paramedics, police and firefighters. This change ensures that vital information is easily recognizable during an emergency which could save precious seconds resulting in saved lives.

"This is a logical change to improve the speed and effectiveness in responding to a medical emergency," said Ms. White. "Quick and easy recognition of the vials helps emergency personnel access medical information so treatment is more rapid and appropriate."

The Vial of Life is a community-based program started by the VON Colchester-East Hants. It has expanded provincewide through initiatives such as the RCMP Seniors' Safety Program. Other sponsors of the program include Capital Health, Lawtons Drugs, HRM Fire and Emergency, Emergency Health Services, Halifax Regional Police, and VON of Greater Halifax.

The vials and forms are available by contacting the Seniors' Secretariat at 1-800-670-0065.