Two way communications range of medical alert

We’ve discussed the need for understanding the range you need for panic button operation with your elderly medical alarm. But there’s another distance you need to be aware of.

This is the distance over which your two way communication works.

The big difference here is between systems that communicate only through a speaker and microphone in the base station and systems that have two way communication through the pendant or panic button.

Speaker and microphone medical alarms

Many medical alarms are designed with a base station that contains a powerful speaker and microphone. The medical alarm systems are designed so that you can talk to the people on the other end, whether that’s a professional monitoring center in the case of a monitored medical alarm system or one of your friends and family in the case of a no-fee medical alarm device.

If you are considering a unit that uses a speaker and microphone in the base station, then you’ll want to think carefully about how you plan to use the system.

The speakers and microphones in the base stations are powerful. In a quiet house they have good range for two-way communication.

But if your house is not generally quiet, or if you are hard of hearing, this setup may not work well for you.

The same is true if your house is large. Or if you get hurt when you are outside.

You may not be able to hear the person on the other end of the phone with the speakerphone. And they may not be able to hear you with the built-in microphone.

This can significantly complicate your attempts to get help. Or they can bring help when you pressed the button by accident and don’t really need anyone to come.

Imagine the situation: maybe you have been using the alarm system regularly when you need minor non-emergency help, such as you’ve slipped out of your chair and can’t stand up again and need the neighbor to come help. Then one day you need urgent help because you cut yourself and you’re bleeding. If you’ve “trained” your friends and family to respond promptly but not urgently, they might not react quickly enough, especially if you can’t tell them how serious your problem is.

Or the situation could be the reverse, where you have accidentally pressed the button and the person on the other end can’t hear you, so they think you’ve had a heart attack or stroke and then they send the ambulance.

The way around this problem if you live in a large house or spend time outdoors is to get a two-way pendant.

Get more info:

Standard speakerphone medical alerts

The MediPendant, which has two-way communication through the pendant.

For no-fee systems, click here.

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