Medical alert systems offer peace of mind to older adults and their caregivers alike. The devices connect users to a monitoring center that can send help or dispatch emergency services when necessary, as well as features designed to empower caregivers play an active role in caregiving. Although expensive, senior and family budgets often struggle to afford monthly subscription fees. Luckily, however, quality medical alert systems offer multiple payment plans including prepaid plans that enable consumers to purchase systems at lower costs. Medical alert systems typically consist of a base station equipped with a help button and two-way speaker, as well as a wearable help pendant or bracelet with which a user can signal emergencies. When pressing the help button, users will be connected with a live operator who will determine whether an emergency exists before dispatching family members, neighbors, or first responders as necessary. Furthermore, the best medical alert systems also feature battery backup functionality so the device continues to operate during power outages. Medical alert systems that we evaluated include both at-home and portable devices, providing users with options tailored specifically to their lifestyles. We evaluated each equipment and feature, taking note of how easy they were to set up, use, maintain, extend the battery life and range as well as any add-ons such as extra help buttons or lock boxes that further extend safety nets such as medication reminders. st johns medical alarm Relying on an agent for timely response time is the cornerstone of any medical alert system, according to our research. More than 70% of respondents ranked fast response time as their top criteria when selecting their provider; of those rated top medical alert companies (Medical Guardian, Bay Alarm Medical and MobileHelp) boast 24/7 call centers that typically contact users within one to 25 seconds when pressing help buttons or activating fall detection compared with brands such as ADT and Unaliwear which typically had longer response times. An effective medical alert system offers additional advantages, such as GPS for pinpointing an individual's location, calling and texting capabilities, programmed reminders to take medications or have health screenings, and mobile apps that enable caregivers to keep an eye on loved ones' activities. If you're seeking an economical option, unmonitored medical alert systems that sync up with your existing smartphone could be the way to go. Companies such as Medical Alert, Alert1 SMARTSafe and GetSafe all provide devices that connect via Bluetooth to iPhones, enabling SOS calls from Apple Watch Series 8 when necessary. Note however that these systems require separate expenses in terms of cell data plan subscription fees and independent phone numbers, which must also be managed accordingly.
