When it comes to getting someone the help they need when you cannot be there or when things start to become more difficult for them, a medical alert system may be an option for consideration. We are not going to review any here; but I do want to share one of my experiences so far and offer up some advice from my considering a medical alert system. If you are looking for reviews, there are plenty of them out there.

Specifically, we are talking about considering medical alert systems (or devices) as additions or alternatives that would potentially make things easier for those in our lives who might be getting older or have physical limitations. Too, with falls becoming more of a possibility, as we get older, it does make some sense to consider looking into these. Based on some advice I received recently, I decided I should investigate, if for no other reason than my own edification.

Where I Started

I started at the most logical place I could think of at that time, which was with the company I bet many of us are likely familiar with. They have advertised on TV for years, getting their start originally in the late ‘80s. You know the one. The one that talks about someone having fallen…

My initial impression was not great when I first looked at their website. I could not find any pricing listed anywhere. A lot of salesy type of content, but clearly ‘hiding’ their pricing. Very odd for this day and age. So I called, which is what this company wants you to do.

The Phone Call

It was a mixed experience. I wound up speaking to a fairly fast talking, slick sales person. They did answer most of my questions and seemed nice enough; but it was not without some sales pitches and comments in the mix. I felt I had mostly learned enough on the call and indicated as much. They mentioned that they would only have my file for about 10 days into the future, a subtle time constraint expressed.

I let them know I understood, and that I would email or call them if I had any more questions, as I was not interested in fielding their inquiries moving forward. In other words, I wanted to follow up with them and not the other way around. Of course, just as soon as I hung up, they immediately sent me a lengthy follow-up text AND an email.

Pricing Quoted

The pricing quoted to me included a sign-up or initiation fee of $248; and then, depending on the final set of equipment I would choose, it would be roughly $110 to $130 PER MONTH in monitoring fees. Now I know why they do not list prices on their site. Sticker shock! I must admit, it rubbed me all wrong. They need those phone calls to try and justify that pricing and sell you on them.

More Questions

As it turns out, I thought of additional questions and began emailing the individual who I had spoken to moments earlier. When I asked about canceling or what would happen if we just did not like the system or just changed our minds. I was told that a doctor would need to get involved and provide reasoning. What? I asked them to explain that to me.

They indicated that a doctor was needed if there was a death or if those using the system had been moved into a nursing home or similar. In other words, what I found out indirectly was they really do not allow a straight-forward cancellation as they supposedly are not able to re-capture their equipment costs until about year three. The salesperson used a comparison to how contracts with cell phones work, especially when new phones were involved, meaning some sort of payment is usually required if a customer opted to cancel. Now I understand, they really do not have an allowance for anyone changing their minds. Why didn’t they just say that to begin with?

A Contract

Turns out they apparently have about a 3-year contract that you enter into that is not so easily exited from. This little detail may or may not bother some. I get it; but it only works if you are OK with it.

Some (Mostly) Good Things

The good news is that they say their equipment is made here in the U.S.; and their call centers are also located stateside. Their devices, like their buttons, necklaces, and bracelets, as examples, all have batteries that last 10 years. The reality is, based on some reviews I read, they actually last anywhere between 6 and 10 years, which was not conveyed to me at any point. They did indicate that if a device died before that time that they do get another one sent out. Additionally, when I asked, they did send me photos of their contract.

Their devices do seem to offer some solid features including GPS, as one example. We will talk more about medical alert system features to consider coming up.

My Decision

There is a little more to the story; but I will end it here. I elected not to work with this particular entity due to the seemingly high costs, the general lack of ability to cancel (with the exception of worse-case scenarios whereby a doctor has to get involved to prove those reasons have occurred), and some of the reviews I found after I talked with them. Plus, I really did not care for their overall sales approach or the way they spoke around some of my questions during my call with them and in our email exchange.

Takeaways

There seems to be lots of ratings and reviews for this particular company. Some are better than others. I recommend you include them in your research as well. I’m not saying this company is a bad company or that you should not consider them for your needs. You may have a better experience with them and find them to be a better fit for you.

Now that I got that story out of the way, I want to share some things I think will help you when and if you start considering medical alert systems.

Tips and Advice

Here are some tips that hopefully will help you during your shopping adventures and any consideration you give to medical alert devices for someone in your life.

Do not fall for any hard sales tactics.

Hold steady and unless you are ready to commit, do not succumb to any high-pressure sales tactics. It happens. If they ever happen to try and pull on your heart strings to try and get you to commit to their stuff, that’s also probably a good time to walk away. Isn’t your mom worth X?…

Be sure to inquire about contract details and equipment warranties.

How fast do they get new equipment sent out if something should happen to fail, or what happens if you get a system and decide it is not right for your situation, for whatever the reason. They may gloss over some of these sorts of details. Keep asking until you get satisfactory answers.

Look for reviews and ratings.

Seek out reviews and ratings during your research. They may not answer all your questions but they tend to give some sense of how a product or brand has done. Be sure to look for whether the reviews have been written by affiliates or those author(s) that have relationships with any company you may be considering. The honest ones will usually have a note in their articles letting you know. Be wary of any paid-for or partnership generated reviews.

Shop around.

The first encounter for me, I talked about above, was just that. I plan to look into others and have already started that process. Spend some time coming up with your questions you want answers to. If you are like me, you will probably come up with more as you go along and learn more. That’s OK. Your due diligence will likely pay off.

Do not let emotions get the best of you.

When you are taking on this endeavor for loved ones, you may find it tough not to get emotional. Stay as logical and rational as you can throughout your research and shopping efforts so you make better, rational decisions.

Consider involving those you are researching for.

If it is possible and they are remotely open to it, consider involving those you are researching or shopping for in the process. They may be more accepting if you do.

Other Important Considerations

Call Response Time – Knowing that at least some of these systems do not work directly with 911 and instead go through call centers, much like some security systems do. Response times need to be a consideration. What is the response time for the area where the system will be utilized? To me, this seems to become even more important should a call center be outside the U.S.

Contract Cancellation – Is death or being moved into a home the ONLY ways out? Let’s hope not. Ask for a copy of any applicable contract and review it beforehand as part of your research. Ask the questions the vendor may work to avoid answering. Keep asking.

Equipment Stops Working – If any non-replaceable or built-in rechargeable batteries die, what is the time (gap) to receive replacement equipment? If a piece of equipment just quits working in general, what is the replacement policy and timeline? It’s good to know what you are going to potentially need to plan around. Will cell phones or landlines need to come back into play? Likely.

Questions to Answer

Ask yourself these sorts of questions when you get started. They will help with your own clarification and prepare you for answering questions you may field when talking to vendors.

Have the people you are shopping or investigating for fallen previously? Are they in a nursing home already or is it nearing time? Do they live alone? Are neighbors or family checking in on them regularly? Is their mobility limited or do they have reduced fine motor skills? Do they still work outside alone sometimes, mow their own lawn, or similar? Do they go on walks alone or similar? If they live with someone, do they all know what to do in case of an emergency and what to say to 911?

Can you think of other similar questions that might be relevant to your situation?

Features to Consider

While likely not an exhaustive list, here are some features that I think are worth considering when investigating and considering medical alert systems. These are in no particular order.

Waterproof – For showers, rain, or maybe even pools or ocean time.

Long Battery Life – How long will permanent batteries last for? How often must rechargeable batteries be recharged? And if batteries happen to need replacing, it is probably a good idea to get a schedule on a calendar for a reminder somewhere.

Battery AND Plug-in Power Capability – Can an equipment run off of battery or plug-in (commercial) power? It’s good to have options, when possible.

GPS – First-responders need to be able to find who they are looking for when arriving on scene.

Range/Reach – The range a system can detect, send, and receive signals is important. A big piece of property could become a challenge. Many systems seem to be able to reach ~ 1000 to 1300 feet. However, some may only have around 500 feet indoors. Will that be enough?

Fall Detection – Apparently, this feature may not have been all that great or reliable at a point. Now though, it likely has improved. Investigate.

Medication Reminders – A nice to have potentially and an option in some cases. I would argue there is still cause to have other, non-technology-reliant options in place as well.

Ability to Tie into an Existing Security System – Does the system tie into any existing security system? Why? Redundancy, if nothing else. Maybe the call center with the security system is faster to respond? Worth asking about.

Testing – Can the system be tested on some regular basis without creating real alerts? Not a bad idea, especially when batteries are involved. You should test your smoke detectors in a similar fashion as well.

Two-way (or Non-Emergency) Talk – Can you just use the equipment for general inquiries or is it strictly for emergencies and getting help? There may be a need or a desire to allow it to be both. Some systems/devices may only send a signal or allow for someone to respond to the signal sent. Will the person using the medical alert system have the ability to speak to the call center person to ask questions or let them know where they are and what has happened, for example?

Conclusion

Of course, like most anything else, research needs to be completed before making any purchasing decisions. We have provided you with some good information and pointers here to support you in your efforts of considering and shopping for medical alert systems.

Additionally, there will be the need to introduce the idea of said medical alert devices to those that have a need for them as well as an effort to get their buy-in and willingness to actually use them. I will not pretend to have all these particular answers for you and your situation.

If you have experiences or tips that might help others, let us know in the comments below. I know it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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