Medical Alert Systems

Medical Alert Systems Should Not Be Chosen on the Basis of Cost

Medical alert systems should not be bought on the basis of price alone. After all, what is the value of your elderly loved one's life? Your mother or your father or grandparent?

That doesn't mean you have to spend something outrageous. Medical alert systems for the elderly are surprisingly affordable for the peace of mind they can bring you. They're a small price to pay for the assurance that your elderly or disabled loved one will never spend a cold, painful night lying on the floor of their bathroom. I know that's a horrible image, but it's the reality of what can happen. My grandfather did when he had a stroke, and if my aunt hadn't gone over there the next morning, he may have lain there helpless even longer than he did.

Of course you don't want that to happen to anyone in your family, and that's why you're shopping around for a medical alert company now. I'm just saying, don't skimp on features or service just to save a couple of dollars a month.

Look for Medical Alert Systems With Great Call Centers Standing By

Make sure their call monitoring center is certified by the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA). That's a trade group of companies that operate alarm monitoring systems. Their highest award is the Five Diamond, so you may want to make sure the company you go with has that certification. Less than 100 call centers have achieved this level.

You also want to make sure the company you with has an alarm monitoring system based in the United States, not India or another foreign country where the operators -- while just as diligent as Americans -- speak with accents your family member may have trouble understanding. Plus, you want them to be able to call 911 as quickly as possible if case there is a problem. You don't want your loved one's emergency service to be at the mercy of international satellite connections and traffic volume.

You also want your loved one to feel free to call the service even if there's not an actual problem. Maybe they're hearing noises outside late at night. Maybe they're going for the mail and there's snow and ice outside. The service call stay on the line with them or arrange to call back in five minutes to make sure the elderly person is okay.

You want to make sure the range of the push button control is large enough for your family member's house and yard. You don't want them stranded if they fall while taking out the garbage but can't get help because their button is too far away from the base station unit.

(They operate without any wires. Once your loved one pushes the button because of a problem, the unit -- usually hooked up to the main telephone line -- calls the monitoring center.

They wear the push button unit around their neck or wrist (their preference) at all times, including while bathing, so it must be waterproof.

You must also be sure their call monitor support center has enough operators standing by, especially at night when most problems happen. You don't want your loved one to have a problem because all operators are busy helping others. They obviously should always get a live operator, not an answering machine.

Additional services or equipment you may need -- depending on your loved one and their residence -- is installing buttons in rooms or hallways, especially accident prone areas. Not all elderly or disabled people wear their buttons around the clock as they're told to do. (My mother sometimes left hers lying around.)

For the same reason, if their house is large enough, you can install voice extenders, so they can communicate with the base unit even if they've fallen upstairs.

And you can get key lock boxes -- similar to those used by real estate agents to enable other agents to show houses -- with an extra key inside that can be accessed by emergency responders so they don't have to break the door down. (The medical alert system gives them the combination.)

Obviously, that service right there can be worth a lot of money. What is the cost to replace a new front door?

My mother fell several times. She was not hurt, but also could not get herself up. But if I hadn't been there, the EMTs could still have gotten inside because my sister had such a keybox installed.

This Company has Overcome the Weakness of Other Medical Alert Systems

One company now sells an "auto-alert" pushbutton pendant or wristband. This sends a signal to the base unit when it detects a fall, even if the person wearing it doesn't push the button.

It's obviously a more sophisticated device. It continuously monitors the person's movements and speed as they go about their daily routine. If it detects a fast downward movement consistent with a fall, it gives the person thirty seconds to get up or push the button on their own. If neither happens, it sends a signal to the base unit to call the monitoring system.

I'm glad this service is available now. That's because I've always realized that the biggest weakness of ordinary medical alert systems is they don't work when the person is unable to push the button.