Choosing the best medical alert system is no easy task, whether you're buying one for yourself or an elderly loved one. While the best medical alerts for the elderly are an invaluable safety net, they can be expensive, especially on a fixed budget. As such, finding the best value for your finances medical alert system is essential to helping you or your loved one age comfortably. And aging in place has never been more important. While it's no secret that most seniors want to live independently, the pandemic has made that even more critical. With the virus wreaking havoc on healthcare facilities and retirement communities, you need the best medical alert system for the safety of your own home. With that in mind, we've researched, talked to experts, tested multiple medical alert systems, and evaluated each provider's services to find you the best life alert systems for your budget.
What is a medical alert system and how does it work?
The purpose of a medical alert system is to provide you or your loved one with a lifeline to assist you in an emergency. Through a variety of connected devices, such as a smart watch, emergency button or other wearable device, a person in need of medical attention can request emergency services with the push of a button. Some devices will even work automatically, activating in the event of a fall. Devices or services can notify family members when an activation occurs, giving them peace of mind as well. As such, it's important to find a medical alert system that fits your or your loved one's specific needs. It's not overly dramatic, but it can make the difference between life and death. When considering a medical alert system, there are a few distinctions to keep in mind: Company is a Service: In most cases, the company you buy your medical alert system from does not manufacture or design the PERS (Medic Alert System) devices. emergency response personnel) and does not own or operate the call center. These companies are, in general, sellers of a service. This is not a bad thing. It's just an industry reality. The may have The call center is probably independent - medical whistleblowers don't really advertise it, but the call center responsible for answering emergency calls is usually not owned or operated by them. That being said, some companies have partnered with call centers to maintain quality control. The PERS device was made by another company: either a home medical alert system or a mobile system, the device is rented or purchased from a manufacturer. And when you cancel your service, the device is typically returned, refurbished, and shipped to a new subscriber. The exception to this rule is MobileHelp, which makes its own devices and even rents the devices to other medical alert services.How much does a medical alert system cost?
Typically the cheapest medical alert systems are fixed home systems. The average cost is around €30 per month, but many services have lowered their prices in recent years. Bay Alarm Medical, for example, offers a fixed home system for €20 a month. Home cellular systems, which connect to a wireless service provider's cellular network rather than a landline, cost around $35 per month. But again, many services have lower prices, like MobileHelp, which is around $25 per month. Mobile medical alert systems range from $35 to $60 per month, depending on whether or not you want fall detection and GPS functionality. However, you can get one of the best mobile medical alert systems for €25 a month with GreatCall. And RescueTouch offers a mobile medical alert system for €20 per month, though you call 911 directly instead of a monitoring center. Fall detection is a relatively new product and typically costs between $5 per month and up to $20 per month, depending on the company. On average, a fall detection pendant adds $10 per month to your regular subscription to the medical alert system. You cannot get a fall detection sensor without having a medical alert subscription. Most services also offer other plugins. Some, like additional wall buttons or pendants, cost around €2 per month. And some are one-time costs, like a safe for your keys. You should never feel pressured to get a supplement. Our advice is to consider your budget and stick to it. These add-ons are often unnecessary and can easily double the monthly cost of your medical alert system if you can't say no. The following table compares the prices of the five major medical alert systems.Compare medical alert systems
Here's how our recommended medical alert systems stack up head-to-head in four crucial categories. You can read a short review of each one below. Business Lowest Monthly Cost Fall Detection Cost (per month) Emergency Response Level Audio Quality Big Call €24,99 €39,99 YY Guardian Medical €29,95 €10 YY Mobile Help €24,99 €10 CARescueTouch €19,99 €29 CC Bay Medic Alarm €19,99 €10 BB Go to Our Medic Alert System Review Method section to see how we arrived at these evaluations.
Explanation of the characteristics of the medical alert system
These are the features that will give you the peace of mind and your loved one the security they need later in life. A good medical alert system must be robust in all of these areas.
Emergency Response Time This is the time between when you press the help button and when an operator responds. According to most services, the industry average is around 55 seconds, which is in line with our testing.
