Let’s take a moment and define the ideal medical alert system. I’m doing this without reference to any existing system, just so you know.
In my world, an ideal medical alert system would have
a. 24/7 medical alert monitoring at a reasonable cost. I would want to be able to call if I had a non-medical situation and if I had an immediate life-threatening accident. To me, a dollar a day feels entirely reasonable for this.
b. a TWO-WAY pendant for communication. To me this is key. For the people I know, a base station that only works by speakerphone is just too limiting.
c. Pendant range of up to 600 feet. This is a big number, but I feel like this builds in a big margin of error to account for interference or other problems.
d. Waterproof pendant. This means you don’t have to take the pendant off in the shower or bath.
If the cost of 24/7 monitoring was prohibitive, I would recommend a unit that just dials 911.
As noted in the comments (below), it’s hard to find a system that meets all these criteria.
I like the two units by LogicMark. The first is the Guardian 911 that just dials 911. The other is the Freedom Alert that can be programmed to dial family, friends, or 911.
LifeGuardian offers what looks like the LogicMark system but with 24/7 monitoring.
I found your discussion really clarifying. Unfortunately, I have not been able to identify any provider that meets your proposed criteria. I have not found any monitored services with 2-way pendants. Any suggestions? Thanks.
I don’t know of any monitored medical alert services with 2-way pendants. I’m not sure why the companies haven’t been able to come up to speed on this.
Thank you, thank you for this great information. I came across this page while researching options for my mother-in law. I had no prior knowledge of what to even consider. You provided me with a wealth of information that I never thought about. I will continue to research, but if you have any recommendations for the multi-dial units, I would greatly welcome those.
Lots of good information! It will help us to be able to discern what would be the best way to approach our 80 yr-old mother. Thanks so much!
@Monique: My recommendation for the multi-dial unit is the big-brother of the Guardian 911. It’s called the Freedom Alert Personal 911 Emergency Response System
and, like everything else in the world, you can get it through Amazon.
@Patti: I’m so glad I could help. Figuring out how to approach our elderly parents is sometimes the hardest part!
I found your site extremely helpful. My mother does not hear well, and she travels (via a stair lift) between two floors in my house when left alone. Even if I installed two speaker boxes and paid huge monthly fees for a traditional system, I doubt that she would be able to hear the person speaking to her at the call center. The 2-way pendant is something that I did not know about before reading your article, but it appears to be just what we need. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
My dad has no home phone and uses cell phone only. what is available using cell phone or wireless emergency contact
Alan–
I’ve just learned of a system called MobileHelp that has a cellular pendant that works on the AT&T cellular network. It’s about $40 a month but works anywhere you have cell service. http://www.mobilehelpsys.com/ Check it out and let me know what you think. I haven’t gotten around to studying their website yet to see what the system really involves.
I am looking for something appropriate for two elderly persons who live in a rural area in Oregon. They have both become very fragile/have serious medical issues. They spend a great deal of time gardening and caring for animals, so are outdoors during much of each day. Neither is familiar or likely to become so with any technology. Thus, I need something easy to use with as large a range as possible in order for it to be viable. Any suggestions.
Thanks for your question, Linda. My best guess for these two would be a monitored system from LifeGuardian. They use the LogicMark systems with the two-way pendants and the 600 foot range. (At least, they sure look like LogicMark systems, just made in a different color.) If the cost of monitoring is a problem, look to the Freedom Alert (link above) as long as there are friends or neighbors who can assist in an emergency. If the location is truly rural, 911 may not be very fast to respond, but you know that better than I do.
By the way, I’ve updated the last paragraph of the page to reflect this info.
What is your opinion on devices that automatically call when a fall is detected? Do any of them come with dual features of automatic calls and push button call for help without a fall?
The only system I’m aware of with automatic fall detection is the Phillips Lifeline. They are a very reputable company. I don’t have any information about how well the fall detection works, or whether there are false alarms. Their unit also has a pushbutton for when you need help without a fall. Does that help?