Bay Alarm Medical Review with Videos

What’s on this page:

• Overview of the Bay Alarm Medical system
• 7 short videos demonstrating the system
• A list of other systems that are similar
• An explanation of systems that are different
• Price comparison of Bay Alarm to LifeStation, a competitor
• Pro and Con list
• Where to get more info

Overview of the Bay Alarm Medical system

This system is a monitored medical alert system. It uses a base station to call professional responders when you activate the lightweight button you wear on your wrist or around your neck. You talk with the responders through a speakerphone. You can activate the system from about 400 feet away, or up to 1,000 feet if you upgrade the panic button. It works with all standard phone lines, cable providers including Comcast, Time Warner and Cox and most VOIP solutions including AT&T and Verizon.

Videos

I borrowed a system from Bay Alarm and made some videos with it to show you exactly how it works.

First off, a quick introduction to the video series:

Next, what you get when you open the box:

An overview of the equipment:

Basic setup of the equipment (it’s easy!):

How to use the system to call for help:

Watch a live test call:

The importance of picking the right location:

Similar systems

As a standard speakerphone medical alert, the Bay Alarm system is very similar to most of the systems on the market. For example, it’s basically the same as the systems from LifeStation, ConnectAmerica, Alert1, and probably dozens of other brands.

What are the differences between these companies? Mostly it comes down to pricing. They all use good quality equipment from the same handful of manufacturers. They all have good monitoring centers. You could put all the companies on a dartboard and throw a dart; you’d end up with a pretty good system no matter which one you hit. But with Bay Alarm you’ll save a lot of money over the long term. For an analysis of this, see the price breakdown further down the page.

Comparison to different types of systems

There are two significantly different types of systems you should know about.

The first is a talk-through-the-pendant style unit. The advantages of Bay Alarm compared to this type of system are the small button/pendant size and the price. The disadvantage is that with Bay Alarm you’re talking to the responder through the speakerphone, not through the mini cordless phone in the pendant.

The second system type is a cellular medical alert. These work inside and outside your home, and even when you’re away from home, as long as there’s a good cell signal. Great if you’re highly mobile, but the big issue with these systems is that you have to recharge your unit all the time. In contrast, the Bay Alarm wrist or neck pendant doesn’t ever need charging, and the battery lasts up to 5 years.

Price comparison between Bay Alarm Medical and LifeStation

Here’s a price comparison of two very similar companies. Note that it’s accurate as of the time I did the research, and prices may have changed since then.

I compared the total cost of ownership of the two systems over 3 years, assuming you buy the annual plan from each company, and add a lockbox, 1 extra stationary button for the bathroom, and an extra pendant for your spouse.

Over 3 years the total difference is $524.07.

Jump over to the detailed comparison page if you want to see all the differences and the cost breakdown. (Opens in a new window.)

Pro and Con list

Where to get more info:

Bay Alarm Medical’s website has great information about their equipment, service, accessories, etc. I particularly recommend their “features” page.