For seniors who live alone or without the assistance of around-the-clock care, a medical alert system may be the key to a renewed sense of independence and increased levels of activity and mobility. Each year, 25 percent of individuals aged 65 and over take a fall, which makes it the number one cause of injury-related deaths among the senior population. Additionally, seniors are three times as prone to hospitalization related to strokes, heart attacks, and pneumonia than their slightly younger counterparts, which means they’re more likely to experience a medical emergency at home.

With aging adults’ ever-increasing health risks, dozens of medical alert companies have developed innovative personal help buttons that provide seniors with quick access to emergency care. These buttons can be worn as a pendant or bracelet or mounted in a user’s home. When pushed, the device connects seniors directly to personal emergency contacts or highly trained dispatch agents at certified 24/7 monitoring centers. Agent response times are frequently within less than 60 seconds, and users can often choose to include upgraded features, such as GPS tracking, automatic fall detection, and apps that give caregivers access to the device’s data.

Reliability

Because many users depend on the efficacy of these potentially life-saving medical alert systems, the product must be reliable. For peace of mind and fail-safe dependability, a system must connect to a reputable 24/7 monitoring center and accommodate an individual’s unique needs. For instance, a memory-impaired senior could easily lose or forget to recharge a device and may require a wearable system with an extra-long battery life and wall-mounted backup.

Automatic fall detection makes it possible for a call center to be immediately alerted in the event of a user’s fall, but it’s important that seniors still have a button available to press manually if they’re able. Systems can also be less than 100 percent reliable if they’re connected to a monitoring center through a cellular service with spotty coverage. Therefore, mobile systems should use the carrier that’s most prevalent in a user’s area, and they should provide optional landline service in the event of a power outage. Durability is also a factor, so users should seek waterproof devices that can safely be worn in the shower and other wet areas where the risk of falls increases.

With so many features from which to choose, it can be a challenge for seniors to find the most reliable medical alert system for their needs. That’s why we’ve put together an overview of four of our favorite reliable systems for seniors and their loved ones seeking increased peace of mind.

The 4 Best Medical Alert Systems for Reliability

Life Alert

One of the longest-standing medical alert systems on the market, Life Alert has over three decades of experience providing seniors with reliable devices and excellent customer service. The company manufactures its own equipment and offers in-home and mobile systems that have exceptionally long battery life. Batteries featured in its bathroom HELP button and on-the-go devices last up to 10 years without recharging.

Life Alert’s products are completely waterproof, so users won’t have to worry about a device malfunctioning in the shower, bath, or garden. Its unique in-the-bathroom package gives seniors a reliable wall-mounted help button designed for the part of the home where falls and injuries are most likely to occur.

Seniors who forget to wear their device away from home may also connect to the monitoring center through their cell phone, on the company’s mobile app, or by dialing the center’s phone number. Additionally, seniors enjoy the comfort of knowing that a monitoring center agent will remain on the line with them throughout the duration of any call until help arrives or the situation is resolved.

Life Alert claims to “save a life from catastrophe” every 11 minutes and has top ratings with the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Affairs.

ResponseNow

ResponseNow offers users an affordable device insurance package called the Care(+) Protection Plan for just $3.95 per month. Especially beneficial for those who don’t want to worry about dropping or misplacing their device, this plan ensures users receive a new unit at no extra charge if theirs is ever damaged or lost. Seniors with this plan can rest easy knowing they’ll receive a replacement quickly and affordably when needed.

The Belle Mobile model has an exceptionally long 30-day battery life that allows seniors to travel freely and go for long stretches without the burden of recharging. This also helps caregivers relax knowing the functioning of a senior’s device won’t be impaired by a lapse in memory.

Seniors can choose from a pendant or wristband, and caregivers with a Belle+ device can text any time to receive the user’s precise location. The in-home landline package includes optional fall detection, and the price-lock feature means that seniors pay the same monthly price as they age without ever worrying about the possibility of a price increase. Additionally, ResponseNow performs maintenance and replaces batteries as needed.

QMedic

QMedic excels in terms of reliability for its unique caregiver compliance and activity monitoring application that tells loved ones whether or not a user is wearing their device. Because a device can only serve its purpose if used, this feature helps caregivers take action if, at any time, a senior stops wearing their device. Available with any of its three plans, this application allows caregivers to track a user’s sleep habits and movements to ensure their loved one isn’t experiencing health or activity changes that need attention.

The company’s at-home systems are available to seniors with and without landlines, and the Mobile with GPS package includes a water-resistant pendant with an impressive 14-day battery life. Its monitoring centers are UL-listed and staffed by trained agents who answer emergency calls within 30 seconds on average.

Medical Guardian

With its large number of customizable options and premium features, including a wearable smartwatch-style device, lockboxes and voice-activated wall-mountable help buttons, Medical Guardian offers its users increased reliability according to their unique needs. These beyond-basic features make it easier for seniors to access the Five Diamond-certified monitoring center in an extenuating circumstance.

Medical Guardian provides six different plans suitable for in-home or mobile use. Each option comes with a free Family Guardian app, which uses motion sensors and GPS tracking to help loved ones track senior’s habits and activity levels. The app even alerts caregivers to unexpected periods of inactivity so they can check on users to make sure they’re safe.

Benefits of a Reliable Medical Alert System

Compared to the price of hiring a full-time caregiver, medical alert systems allow users to access emergency assistance around-the-clock while spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars less per month. A reliable medical alert system offers seniors the ability to live as independently as possible while helping them remain in their personal home and outside of an assisted living facility or other full-time caregiver situation.

Reliable medical alert systems allow aging seniors to continue living life naturally, whether they’re primarily housebound or need a mobile package that gives them constant coverage on the go. With the knowledge that help is always within arm’s reach, users may experience lower stress and increased happiness. Additionally, if desired, loved ones can select a system that includes a caregiver app and GPS tracking to monitor a senior’s device usage, activities, and whereabouts, which are key to increased peace of mind.

Tips for Selecting the Most Reliable System for You

Ultimately, with the high quality of most monitoring centers and devices, a system that’s most easily and consistently used is the most reliable. Therefore, it’s important that loved ones and seniors consider what features make a device attractive to them and match their unique preferences and needs.

Perhaps a senior is more likely to wear a bracelet versus a neck pendant or prefers a device that rarely needs recharging. If housebound, the most reliable system may be one that offers additional wall-mounted help buttons and, if the user doesn’t have a landline, offers a choice of cellular services for a more reliable connection.

Proper assessment of a senior’s habits, desired lifestyle, and health concerns is key to selecting a medical alert system that best fits their needs.