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Sunday, February 9th
Life Alert was founded in 1987 and thanks to their commercials with the tagline, "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!” their name came to life and made them one of the most well-recognized medical alert systems. In fact, this slogan is so well-known that it ranked #1 on USA Today's most memorable ad campaigns. Life Alert handles over 2 million calls per year and says that on average they save at least one life from a potential catastrophic outcome every 11 minutes.
Gives confidence to live alone
Life Alert owns and operates their own emergency dispatch center with an emergency staff size that is 200% greater than a traditional security company (based on self-reported information from their website). Back in 2004, a study conducted by ACNielsen showed that 87% of Life Alert members said that their protection service was a big factor in why they felt comfortable choosing to continue living at home alone.
Call to buy
We noticed that throughout the website, Life Alert really pushes people to either call them for information or a free brochure. This seems like a slightly outdated way to gather details on a company since most people want to see everything online. However, Life Alert takes a less ideal approach to their sales and makes you call for pricing and even to purchase their medical alert systems. You can't do it from their website, which is a massive deterrent for us and we're sure for many others too. But, our research indicates that you should expect to pay a monthly fee of $49.95 to $98.85 per month, an activation fee of about $200, and potentially a three-year contract. No wonder Life Alert doesn't tell you that upfront.
Pendant with 1,000 feet of range
Although you can't purchase a medical alert system online from Life Alert, they do provide some information on their three products. The first is their micro voice pendant. It's fully waterproof with a 2-way speaker. The pendant can be worn around the neck and has 1,000 feet of range from the base station. The batteries never need to be charged and last up to 10 years. Other than that, no other specific details on this device are provided unless you call the company for more.
Get out of a slippery situation
Next up we looked into the fully waterproof HELP button. This big red button is ideal for a shower, next to a bathtub, by a toilet, or on the nightstand. It never needs to be charged and allows users to talk directly to a dispatcher when it is pressed.
For when you're away
The third product from Life Alert is their HELP on-the-go + GPS system. This is a pendant with a single button on it that will connect you directly to dispatchers when pressed. The batteries never need charging and it has nationwide coverage with the GPS system.
Lacking transparency
We would like to know more about what is required for the three Life Alert products as far as cell service or landlines, warranty information, or how to cancel a plan, but they only include the bare bones here so that you have to get clarification from one of their team members by phone. This seems gimmicky and is an older way of operating a company. We want full transparency without having to jump through hoops to learn about a service like this. The only information that even remotely ties back to pricing is the offer on Life Alert's home page saying that if you order now, you'll get 1 month free plus a free gift, a free month of service, free use of equipment, and free ground shipping. Definitely mention this if you call to make sure you get as many deals as possible.
Incredibly high reviews
Despite their outdated website and annoying way of operating their sales service, Life Alert has commendable reviews from customers. They have an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau with hundreds of reviews praising them for their excellent service. It's reported that the setup for the systems and subscription plans is seamless and that customer service is excellent. Their team members seem really knowledgeable and are willing to take plenty of time answering questions (and even conference calling other family members so everyone is on the same page). It was actually hard to find noteworthy complaints about Life Alert, so you can color us both surprised and impressed by this.
Worth the extra effort
Life Alert has a solid history in the medical alert system industry. They've made themselves memorable and based on customer feedback, they live up to the hype they've created around themselves. This still isn't enough for us to dismiss our annoyance with the lack of information about each of their products on the website and the fact that they don't list pricing. However, this company is the exception when it comes to it being worth it to go out of your way and call a representative over the phone to set up an account. We trust that you're in good hands with Life Alert, so they've earned one of our top ratings.
Medical alert systems bring an added sense of safety to the wearer and give peace of mind to their loved ones. For elderly or disabled individuals who live independently, it's important to have a quick means of communication to alert someone in case of an emergency. This could be a fall, the onset of a heart attack, or some other medical crisis. Medical alert systems contact emergency services to provide urgent care to the wearer.
You might think, "Why not just use a cell phone to call for help”? Well, sometimes the time it takes to dial a phone number or look up a phone contact will take too long. Also, it's likely that if someone fell out of their car or even around the house, they may not have their phone in hand. Plus, some patients who show signs of dementia may get confused and not know who to call when it comes down to it - or not have the dexterity to dial.
Medical alert systems can be worn as a bracelet or necklace, so they stay out of the way, but are conveniently accessible at all times. Some companies have shower-mounted devices that can withstand heat and moisture. No matter how you wear your device or where it is, the point is that they're as easy as clicking a single button to connect to an operator and ask for help. A neat feature available with some medical alert systems is the ability for the device to detect a fall before the person even calls for help. This could be life-saving if someone was unable to speak or move due to their fall.
There are quite a few companies that offer medical alert services. Some have a long-established history and tons of feedback from customers. Others are newly entering the industry, so it's important to do a lot of research about each one to find a company that will be responsive to the wearer, keep up-to-date with latest technologies, and be around for a long time. Look for a company that's really transparent with their pricing so you won't be overpaying or confused about what the price will be month-to-month.
We've thoroughly explored many of the companies that sell medical alert systems. They each offer a slightly different variety of features and pricing plans, so you'll need to go with the one that will be the best solution for yourself or your loved one. We've highlighted a few things that we recommend you look for specifically as you shop around:
To give you the best, most reliable experience with a medical safety device, the experts at Top Consumer Reviews have vetted multiple companies and done plenty of research on the pros and cons of each. We hope this information proves valuable guidance to help you find a medical device company that gives you an added sense of safety!
Select any 2 Medical Alert Systems to compare them head to head