How To Choose a Medical Alert System Company

There are countless companies offering medical alert & medical alarm services. Wading through the information and making numerous calls can be a daunting task. Searching for the best price is often top-of-mind but selecting the right service for your personal needs is most important.

When it comes to choosing a medical alert system, it"s important to review the basics. First and foremost, people often don"t feel it"s necessary but it"s the children or other relatives in the family that want it for their loved one.
Yet, did you know…..?

• One out of three adults age 65 and older falls each year, but less than half talk to their healthcare providers about it.
• Among older adults (those 65 or older), falls are the leading cause of injury death. They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.
• In 2010, the direct medical costs of falls, adjusted for inflation, was $30.0 billion.
• Many of us don"t think about it but the bathroom is actually one of the areas in the home where trip and fall accidents happen. LifeFone"s medical alert button is waterproof so it can be worn in the shower where falls occur and phones are rarely available.

A LifeFone Medical Alert System helps to provide peace of mind for everyone. The ability to obtain fast help after a fall reduces the risk of hospitalization. Reducing the risk of a fall is a very valuable step. View our brochure Fall Prevention Checklist.

Falls are not the only concerns as we age. Many, if not most, seniors are on some kind of medication or have some illness or disease. Even if conditions are kept under control with medication, health emergencies do happen and that"s when a medical alert system is such a valuable part of the home.

So how does a Medical Alert System work?

A medical alert system is a two way communication device. The system is very easy to install and use.

Installation:

Setup is much like installing a voice recording/message system (back in the old days). You simply unplug the telephone from the wall, plug the phone into the base unit and plug the base unit into the phone jack on the wall. Done.

If you have Magic Jack or other phone services, one of our customer care agents can help you with the installation (which is also very easy to do).

The Equipment:

• The system comes with a base unit and a wristlet or pendant that is mean to be worn on the body.
• In the event of an emergency, simple push the button on the wristlet or pendant and a LifeFone Care Agent will speak (loudly) via the base unit. You, the user, simply reply to the Care Agent to indicate the nature of the emergency and help is on its way. If the Care Agent is not able to get a reply, emergency personnel are dispatched. Each person has a customized plan indicating who to call if an emergency arises.
• We encourage every person who uses the LifeFone Medical Alert system to test the system every month by simply pushing the button. This helps the wearer of the pendant or wristlet to become familiar with the use of the system so that when a true emergency occurs, it will be a natural response to hit the button.
• The system itself has a battery back-up system that provides peace of mind in the event of a power outage. This battery is self-alerting in that LifeFone receives a signal well before the battery life expires.
• Are you a snow-bird? Not to worry! The LifeFone Medical Alert system can travel with you! Simply let our Care Agents know where you"ve moved for the season and you"re system will work in your new area.
• Traveling on shorter trips? When you subscribe to LifeFone you automatically receive a LifeFone Emergency Response Card. This card is engraved with your name and personal identification number and allows quick retrieval of key information needed in an emergency. Now you can travel with confidence.

Monitoring Station

• One of the most important parts of the system is the monitoring. LifeFone owns and operates monitoring stations with English-speaking Care Agents, based in the United States. Each Care Agent undergoes rigorous training to ensure they are best equipped to handle each and every call.
• The station is dedicated to handling ONLY medical alert calls, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! Some medical alert providers are home alarm companies that also happen to monitor medical issues.

Contracts

As we said earlier, searching for the best price is often top-of-mind but selecting the right service for your personal needs is most important. Signing up for a medical alert service through LifeFone is easy and simple.

• There are no contracts. Period! You simply choose a pricing package that best fits your budget paying either annually, quarterly or monthly.
• We provide a full refund for the unused portion of any prepaid plan in the event you need to cancel.
• Your price is guaranteed for the full length of time you use the medical alert service. You know what you"ll pay every year and don"t have to anticipate an unexpected increase.

LifeFone offers three pricing packages:

For the best savings, you can pay annually for the greatest discount ($299.40), pay quarterly for a slightly lower discount ($83.85) or pay monthly at $29.95 each month. All plans offer the same great service. Remember, there is no cancellation fee so paying for a full year up front is truly a safe and cost effective plan if it falls within your budget. We offer three payment options to best suit your needs.

References

• Hausdorff JM, Rios DA, Edelber HK. Gait variability and fall risk in community – living older adults: a 1-year prospective study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2001;82(8):1050-6.
• Hornbrook MC, Stevens VJ, Wingfield DJ, Hollis JF, Greenlick MR, Ory MG. Preventing falls among community-dwelling older persons: results from a randomized trial. The Gerontologist 1994:34(1):16-23.
• Stevens JA. Fatalities and injuries from falls among older adults – United States, 1993-2003 and 2001-2005. MMWR 2006a;55(45).