The Best Medical Alert System - 2018

Essentially, even the best medical alert system is a simple setup that has a help button you wear or carry around. Furthermore, the button click is used to dial an emergency response center when pressed. This establishes a connection to a live agent who guides you through your emergency and sends help as fast as possible. However, you must note that there are several important things to consider when selecting a med-alert system.

You can choose in-home systems and GPS-based devices. The first ones consist of a base unit and a portable help button for homebound people while the latter present GPS-based mobile medical alert devices for more active people. Additional features include automatic fall detection, a check-in service, multi-person monitoring, and other useful features. However, not all systems on our list have additional features which will be discussed both below and in the individual reviews.

Lastly, seeing as most people who opt for these devices are seniors on a fixed income, we’ve also taken prices of these services into serious consideration. In addition to our guide that contains an in-depth analysis of every important aspect of medical alert systems, we’ve also revealed how we tested and ranked the systems in our extensive buyer’s guide.

Who Should Buy a Medical Alert System?

Seniors, especially those who live alone, who want to retain their independence and not go to a nursing home, can benefit the most from a medical alert system. A lot of illnesses and emergencies associated with old age such as heart attacks and strokes require urgent medical attention – every second counts in those situations. Other nasty incidents dreaded by the elderly are falls. A fall can leave an old person laying on the floor helpless for a long time. A med alert for seniors is a great solution because it can give them a peace of mind that help is one press of a button away.

Old people are not the only ones suffering from serious illnesses, unfortunately. An alert system can be just as life-saving for younger people who live alone. If you’re a person who’s extra concerned with safety, it can come in handy even in events such as fires and burglaries. As you can see, there are numerous uses for alert systems. The most important thing to remember is that they are only helpful if you dedicate yourself to wearing them at all times.

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Why Not Just Use a Cell Phone Instead?

You may wonder, why opt for a medical alert service when you can use a regular cell phone, a smartphone, or any other device capable of communicating your problem? Nearly everyone carries them around today. However, they’re not quite the same thing as it may seem. First of all, we have to remember that we’re mostly dealing with older people who are not so tech-savvy. They can also have conditions like dementia and other impairments where the simplest solution like a help button is the best. In those cases, senior alert systems beat out even regular visits by relatives.

Secondly, alert systems have many other advantages over your phones. Not every phone is water-resistant, and they are not as dependable and reachable when you have to use them in the shower. They also don’t have automatic fall detection, they don’t share your location by default, and their batteries last significantly shorter. Also, in non-emergencies, when you can’t call 911, you’d have to depend on the people you’re calling to pick up and be able to help you whereas help centers are available to you 24/7. Still, if you can’t afford to make monthly payments, it’s better to have a phone around than nothing at all.

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What Equipment Is Required?

• Base Units

The simplest and the best medical alert system with advanced features operate similarly. The most basic in-home setup consists of a base unit that uses a telephone line to establish a connection and a help button you wear on yourself that has a certain range. They are very simple to install – connect the phone and the base unit (which looks something like an answering machine) using a phone cord and plug in the power cord. There’s usually a green indicator telling you that you’re good to go, but it’s also recommended to run a test. When you connect to a live agent, tell them you’re conducting a test. They won’t mind; on the contrary, most companies encourage this.

The base unit of all the models we’ve reviewed also doubles as a speakerphone, and there’s usually an emergency button on it as well as a reset button. Pressing the emergency button does the same thing as pressing the help button on the pendant. Pressing the reset button can either cancel the call or silence the beeping sound. You’ll still have to talk to the agent and explain to them it was an accidental call. This is to make sure that you haven’t confused the buttons. All the top medical alert systems also have a built-in backup battery allowing you to use them even during power outages.

• Pendants

The pendant is the second piece of equipment, the device you wear which contains the help button. They are almost always waterproof, and most of them have embedded GPS technology. Some of them feature fall detection, which comes with additional monthly costs. You can wear them as a pendant necklace, like a watch on your wrist, or around your waist.

The ones that are a part of in-home systems have a limited range away from the base unit which is good for distances in and around the house. Though it limits your movement, it’s much more inconspicuous than a mobile system. Mobile systems contain the technology found in base units so that you can speak directly through them.

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Medical Alert System Types

• In-Home Systems

We’ve already explained the basics of home medical alert systems in the previous paragraph. What’s there to add is that they also come with a cellular base station option. You can choose them if you don’t have a landline or if you want to be able to move it around the house. Cellular options cost extra though. An in-home system is ideal for people who hardly ever leave their home. The maximum range you can expect from them is around 1,500 feet. You certainly won’t need a greater range than that because you’ll have to be near the base unit to hear and be heard by the live agents.

• Mobile Systems

Mobile medical alert systems with GPS positioning are great for people who maintain an active lifestyle. They give you complete freedom of movement, and they work wherever there’s a cell signal. Another huge advantage of mobile systems is that you can talk directly through them whereas you cannot talk through the help button pendant of an in-home system.

Mobile systems come with a few drawbacks though. They are still small enough to be carried around and worn (typically on your belt), but they are heavier and larger than a simple portable help button. Moreover, you’ll need to charge their battery regularly – it’s best to pick up the habit of charging them every day. Finally, they have larger monthly fees than in-home systems. Ultimately, when it comes to additional features, you can get them for mobile systems as well.

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How Do Med-Alert Systems Work?

The way you communicate your emergency to the response center differs greatly on whether you choose an in-home system or a mobile system. As we’ve already explained, the live agents can’t hear you through the help button pendant of an in-home system. Other than that, their modus operandi is the same.

In an emergency, press the help button on your wearable device or on the base unit to call for help. The system will automatically dial up the monitoring center and start beeping loudly to indicate that it is trying to make a connection. The time it takes a live agent to answer is rarely the same, but it’s always under one minute. The average response we got during testing for our medical alert system reviews was around 20 – 40 seconds.

The agent will ask you what your emergency is and whether you need help. If you’re unable to talk to the agent, they will call the people on your emergency contact list. If the agents can’t reach them, they’ll call 911 and dispatch them to your location. Most of the services require you to provide medical information in advance that goes into your database. This usually includes pre-existing conditions, the medication you take, your physician contacts, allergies, and so on.

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Pricing

If you’re looking for a deal on a medical alert system, Consumer Reports and other sources confirm that you can bargain with certain medical alert companies to bring the price down a bit. The general rule is the more freedom you get, the more you’ll have to pay for its monthly subscription. The majority of companies don’t force you to sign a multiyear contract but look for those that offer discounts if you do sign it. Also, most companies have no activation and cancellation fees. And some even offer free equipment delivery.

Unmonitored medical alert systems come with no monthly fees, but they are rarely offered. Basic in-home landline systems cost $25–$35 per month. Cellular in-home systems are a bit pricier and cost $35–$45 per month. Mobile systems are not only the most expensive, costing as much as $65 per month, but they may also require you to pay for the device upfront. However, opting for a mobile system eliminates the need for you to get some of the following additional features. Each selected additional feature will add to your monthly payments.

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Additional Features

• Fall Detection

Of all the useful additional features, we find that the inclusion of fall detection technology is the most important. According to the National Council for Aging Care, 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls. Medical alert systems with fall detection are more or less accurate in detecting falls that can lead to serious consequences. Breaking a hip is a life-threatening condition in old age. The sooner you get help, the better. Devices equipped with this technology will automatically initiate a call when they detect a fall.

• GPS

This feature comes by default with mobile systems since your location needs to be known at all times for you to get help. Some companies also offer relatively inexpensive bundling of GPS-enabled mobile devices with an in-home system. Having this additional feature can be very useful if you wander too far away from the base unit.

• Multi-Person Monitoring

Usually, for a small additional fee, you can extend the protection of an in-home system to your spouse, or any other person in the household. This is a great option for senior couples who won’t need to pay for an entirely new system, but only a few dollars more for an additional help button pendant.

• Wall-Mounted Button

Speaking of additional help buttons, you can get wall-mounted buttons as well. You can then position them strategically around the house in places where you are likely to take off your pendant, such as the shower. An elderly medical alert is most needed in the bathroom because researches have shown that the majority of serious accidents happen there.

• Voice Extension

Voice extenders can be a very useful feature, especially if you live in large houses. In-home systems depend on the ability to communicate through the base unit. Though they do have sensitive microphones and loudspeakers, you won’t always be close enough to hear each other. A voice extender is like a miniature base unit you place around the house. This feature allows you to talk to the live agent just like you would through a base unit.

• Check-In Service

While most companies charge extra for this feature, some offer a wellness check-in service for free. The agents call you periodically to ensure you’re OK, and that the equipment is working properly. Similarly, some companies offer the option of calling you every day at a certain time to remind you to take your medication.

• Fire & Smoke Monitoring

Some of the best medical alert systems also have fire and smoke detection technologies built inside their base unit or offer this as an upgrade. Of course, for an additional cost, you can also get CO monitoring (carbon monoxide is an odorless lethal gas).

• Lockbox

One more practical add-on is the ability to buy a lockbox you place outside your front door. It contains a spare key so that when you call for help, but can’t open the door, the responders can get in without having to knock down your door. The service will give them a code needed to open the lockbox when you call for help.

1. Compliance

A medical alert system only works if you wear it or keep it close to you at all times. That is why the willingness to use it is the most important aspect of an alert system. Well-designed, light, and unobtrusive devices are much more likely to be used day-to-day. Ease of setup and use also helped systems score higher on our list. Truthfully, all of the items on our list are easy to use.

2. Monitoring Center Evaluation

Response time is essential. We spent a lot of time test-calling and talking to live agents of all monitoring centers. We evaluated their response time and their competence in helping us in every imaginable scenario. These findings also massively influenced our medical alert systems ratings. Furthermore, we awarded bonus points to call centers capable of providing help in languages other than English. The best ones could communicate in over 200 languages.

3. Pendant Range/GPS Accuracy

Next, for in-home systems, we focused on diligently testing their indoor and real-life outdoor ranges. They mostly proved to be as advertised or better than expected. As for mobile systems, we tested their GPS accuracy. If you’ve ever used GPS in the Maps app of your phone, you know that its accuracy can vary greatly. Unfortunately, that was the case with accuracy of the GPS tech in the devices we tested in our medical alert system reviews.

4. Battery Life

Battery life of mobile systems differed vastly from model to model ranging from a single day to over a week. This is an important feature but seeing as we recommend you to charge your device every day, it did not sway our decision as much. The claim that a short battery life is not a dealbreaker is particularly true if we talk about the battery life of the base units of in-home systems. The average battery life is over 24 hours, which is more than enough to bypass a typical power outage.

5. Contract & Fees

In the end, when you compare medical alert systems and find most of them to be identical, the only thing that sets them apart might be their price. Expenses truly matter because they accumulate easily through monthly fees and additional features you opt for. And although you don’t want to be stingy on an important issue such as this, you also don’t need to pay unnecessarily large amounts of money on things like cancellation fees.

The other thing we were adamant about were long-term contracts. Aging is so unpredictable, and we avoided companies that require multi-year contracts and have strict cancellation and refund policies. Most companies are not so prohibitive, and this is also important if you want to try out various systems to figure out which one is the best medical alert system for you.

In fact, one of the oldest and most famous companies – Life Alert, scored so poorly because they require a minimum of three years of commitment. People can only cancel their contract by moving in permanently to a nursing home or by dying. On top of that, they have additional fees that are included in their competitors’ offer, such as a fee for a technician to set up the device in your home. All of this made them finish last in our medical alert system reviews.