I’m wondering if I could get a practice version of the buzzer, one that’s not connected but has the button. Then I could work with my mother to have it become muscle memory for her to push the button. I used to teach self-defense. I would have them practice over and over until they wouldn’t think twice if grabbed or attacked.

I have a little bit of experience running a local medical alert system program. A few things I learned were: when a unit is installed, have the installer and the individual, if possible, do a voice test. In other words, when the unit is installed, and while you are connected to the monitoring center, walk to various areas of the home and see if the client and the monitoring center can be heard; another thing, stress to the client that the button be worn at all times, especially in the bathroom and shower. I had experience with clients who told loved ones they only wore the button when they needed it, which is laughable and scary at the same time. Encourage the client to press it when they feel like testing it. If a monitoring center ever says you're pressing your button too much, change systems. That type of attitude should not be part of any system.

My mom has dementia. I got her the life alert necklace with the button and the monitor where thou can push the button also. So far, at first she left it on. Now I have to go search out the necklace. Sometimes it's in the bathroom. It is waterproof to wear in the shower. This does not seem to be working out for us. Even if she has it on, I'm not sure if she would even remember to push the button. The automatic fall button....the lady told me it really has to be a sideways fall. If your loved one is a "sinker",and just slides down, it won't automatically go off. Maybe not for Alzheimer's.

We researched these for my mother. So, learned a couple things. We finally decided on the #1 rated which had motion detection in and outside of the house. It was a little pricey. Downfall. The thing had to be worn on the outside of any clothing, The battery constantly had to be charged. They said it should be charged at night which was kind of ridiculous because thats when your in bed alone and may need it going to the bathroom or something. Then it would sent texts to my phone in the middle of the night of course I wouldn't get them till the morning. I went through a huge battle getting her out of the contract and refunded all of her money. I think she had it for 15 days.
Like everyone has mentioned here. The person has to be willing to use it. My mom is 95.
I went back to the drawing board and found out our local county offers the first alert system for FREE. You have to have a land line. It comes with a lanyard and a bracelet. She will bring it to the bathroom when taking a shower.
She set it off once by mistake and could not hear the person over the intercom to say she was okay so I think that's why she avoids it. She rolled over on it in bed.
It gives me piece of mind but again if they won't or can't use it, it's not worth the cost. Check with your department of aging.

My wife and I have a hearing loss problem and I was thinking; it would be great if we could purchase a small short range transmitter/receiver that would send a signal to its twin only and it would like a light and beep to inform us that the other needed something. Does a devise like this exist?

Now that I have my first emergency-alert pendant, I have a few points for others to think about.

* Is the neck lanyard adjustable? or did you choose a length that is uncomfortable 24/7 because of where it hangs on my chest?

* How does your device signal that it's operational? Does it make a noise - no matter where I am - to tell everyone around me in church that it wants to be recharged? Does it flash a light every few seconds, visible through my shirt, that actually annoys both me and my seatmate at the movies?

* Can I look at the unit (the way I can look at my cellphone) to see its state of charge so I can plan ahead what time of day to put it in the charging cradle?

Great article.

The buyers guide is impressively explained. The post has helped me a lot in choosing the right medical alert system for my aged mother. I have recently found a site: top5medicalalertsystems where I can compare different medical alert systems.

Thanks a lot for sharing the information. :)

Can we introduce this here in the Philippines

That's true. Only if the patient is able to control the system these systems would work. The other alternative is to hire a caretaker and guide them to use an efficient medical alert system in case of emergencies. While selecting the medical alert system it should be ensured that the service provider has access to the nearest medical centers.

There are various security alarm companies that offer the emergency alert services. It's better to go through some review sites so that you can choose which is more reliable and efficient. Ensure that the equipment works properly and the company has access to the nearest possible places.

Thanks for really explaining the importance of getting one of these panic buttons. My mother is very adamant about staying autonomous and staying in her own house. I can’t help but worry about her, even if she came and lived with me, she would be alone while I was at work. I’ll try to convince her to get one of these things, hopefully she’ll wear it.

Yvon

Rejoice01, it's not that some senior citizens refuses to learn how to use a cellphone, it's because not everyone can use the cell.... the numbers are way too small, the screen is too small, all that rolling up, rolling down, etc. and trying to hear on the cell can be difficult with all that background noise on the caller's side filtering through and the dead zones where the caller is hard to understand.

I have a cell but I use it for emergencies only, and I hate to text even though my cell has a slide out keyboard. The keyboard letters are very small and older clumsy fingers make for some rather odd looking sentences :P

I will keep my ever dependable, never need to charge, old fashioned landline telephone, thank you :)

Great article, I always get alot out of reading the comments as well; thank you. So now that I know you need a landline phone set up, I'm finding it hard to get an actual landline set up in the house, easy to have a cell phone but an actual landline phone (and one that's setup for hard of hearing) is difficult I think since cell phones are now so popular. But I have an elderly parent who is old school and refuses to learn how to use a cell phone (more less a lifealert device)!

I have found that costs average $29-$49/month. Some bill quarterly or yearly. Most have a GPS type device that is a separate cost. If your loved one has dementia/Alz and you are concerned about wandering, this may not be the best option since they would not realize they are lost and would not press the button for help or take if off and leave it somewhere.

I am going through this process of looking for a system for my MIL. Price should not be your only factor. Also consider if the person is active and goes out on their own shopping or stays home most of the time. Great article!

The article is very helpful. Are there units that work outside the home? My mom has Alzheimers and I worry about her wandering. Are there systems with a GPS built in?

How much are they

This for sure is a great article. RedFlag Notification System offers this kind of emergency notification system.

This is an very good informative article. I like the thought of set up the timetable of emergency alert systems. Thanks for this information.

Ofcourse, medical alarm systems serve situations when immediate help is required. These come in wrist watches, belts, pendants and even in necklaces. Quite easy to operate by just pressing the medical alert button. Thanks for sharing the post. Keep posting more!

Very good article, thank you for writing and sharing. There are many different medical alert companies out there and each one offers different service options. It is important to research before you commit to any company. Good luck.

I want to know more about systems that work through an existing phone system, NOT just the base. I remember seeing SOMEthing about a system that turns every wireless phone/base into an intercom with two-way communication when the client presses the button. Anyone remember this? Anyone have experience with it?

I have been very happy with life line from philips they call once a month to check it and when my husband passed a way I was very easily able to put it in my name and ours can be used outside our house on most of our property-our son tested it before we set it up and he is happy I have it it is an extra protection since I am alone now.

Additionally you should make sure that the unit is compatible with your phone line. Traditional medical alert units (PERS) were designed to work with plain old telephone service and do not always work correctly when connected to a digital/VoIP phone line because the signal can be disrupted.

We have life line since it is connected to our hospital, however, we are moving to a 55 and over community and it is offered as part of the system and has no extra cost. Just remember, when the phone line is busy, it does not work. You need to get a dedicated line. Our phone company will give you one at no expense if your DR. orders it.

My husband had a phillips lifeline and after he passed I kept it for myself which made my son happy and they do check it monthy and the monthy charge is resonable and I have been happy with it and it does work outside our house.

An emergency alert system does not work well if the person is cognitively impaired. In other cases it can be valuable to let the caregiver go to the store or if the caregiver needs help to get the impaired person up from a fall.

jimbaer,
you hit the nail on the head. All of these Personal Emergency Response Systems assume two things about the User that may not be true for many potential users: 1) that the person is conscious and cognizant when the emergency event occurs 2) that the person is fully committed to using the device when an emergency event occurs. My personal experience is that most family caregivers view this as an essential device "for other people" but "my mom is still active and very independent" So they are willing to gamble until an event catches them unprepared. Then they insist that mom get the device "for my peace of mind" Of course, mom is now too embarrassed to press the button even if she can because she senses that it will send her family into a tizzy if she has to go to the hospital again. The scenario is even more disconcerting for early-onset dementia patients. While the device can be useful at the onset of the disease, there comes a day when mom loses the ability to comprehend what it is for, and she refuses to wear the pendant. This becomes a bone of contention for the family and it upsets mom even more. Regarding your suggestion about a tracking device for wandering patients, check the Alzheimer's Foundation web site. There is an organization that offers this service. Also, there is an ongoing research grant offered called "Everyday Technology for Alzheimer's Care". Such technology is affordable and immediately available. Only obstacle seems to be gaining acceptance by the vast majority of folks who have no experience dealing with Alzheimer's patients or have no use for technology.

The Emergency Response System consists of more than monthly fee companies. You can purchase a system for under $200, avoid the monthly fee, and have the system contact the caregiver, family members, or friends directly. Also, it is important to know how capable the pendant user is and for what reasons they will use it.