Use These Tips To Choose the Right Medical Alert System for Seniors
Many seniors opt for aging in place instead of moving to an assisted-living facility. While staying at home offers countless benefits for seniors, it heightens worry for loved ones. A common source of concern is emergency response, which is why many seniors and their families rely on a medical alert system for peace of mind. With so many options in the marketplace, how do you choose?
5 Considerations When Choosing a Medical Alert System
Not all medical alert systems are created equal. The best approach is to choose the system that best aligns with the needs of your specific senior without overcommitting on features you don’t need. Here are five considerations to evaluate:
- Ease of Use: Ensure that the medical alert system is user-friendly for your senior. If they cannot easily operate it under normal conditions, they may struggle to get help in emergency situations.
- 24/7 Monitoring: An emergency system won’t help if responders are not available both day and night.
- Living Space Coverage: Some medical alert systems are limited by the radius they cover. Ensure that the system can provide coverage no matter where the senior is in the home or yard.
- Advanced Features: You can get more out of the medical alert system if it also offers advanced features like medication reminders, GPS tracking and fall detection.
- Budget Considerations: Compare prices to evaluate plans and contracts, especially if the benefits are similar. While it may not be worth choosing a cheaper plan if you lose benefits, why not save on fees if two plans equally meet your requirements and have good reviews?
Medical Alert System Considerations
To get started, check out these three highly rated medical alert systems to begin your exploration for one that best fits the needs of your senior.
Bay Alarm Medical: This in-home medical alert system uses an existing landline and is premium-priced but has been named the best overall provider by Consumer Reports, Forbes Health, The SeniorList and more.
Lifeline: As the medical alert system pioneer, Lifeline boasts a 45-year history serving over 7.5 million people -- more than any other provider. Is the pioneer the best? That’s up to you to determine.
Medical Guardian: Provides a mix of at-home and on-the-go medical alert systems that are rated the best wearable options across multiple third-party review sites.
An Ounce of Prevention
As Ben Franklin quipped, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Medical alert systems are necessary for emergency response, but you can also reduce risk and anxiety about your senior aging in place by installing proven safety-related products like Hold-Tight Handrails in their home. With 1 in 4 seniors in place falling every year (according to the CDC), wouldn’t this ounce of prevention be worthwhile?
Sources:
https://www.medicalalertbuyersguide.org/best-medical-alert-systems/ https://www.safewise.com/blog/how-to-choose-a-medical-alert-system/ https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/home-care/info-2017/medic-alert-systems- opons.html https://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-alert-systems/how-to-choose- a-medical-alert-system-a1228040748/ hps://www.safehome.org/medical-alert-systems/choose/