Best Monitored Medical Alert Systems for 2022

The Top Medical Alert Systems

Monitored Medical Alert Systems are a great way to make sure a senior is always minutes away from help should they need it. These systems keep seniors in touch with caregivers or medical professionals should they fall when no one is around or if they need to monitor their health closely. We’ve put together this review of the best medical alert systems to give you some insight on each system and help you find the best one for you and your situation.

A frequent top choice among medical alert reviews, Medical Guardian offers several different medical alert system packages, but we’ve selected their Family Guardian system as the best the industry has to offer for 2022.

As mobile technology gets more common, more companies are providing lightweight, go-anywhere devices for people who want a medical alert solution that travels with them. The Lifeline GoSafe2 stands out among these devices: it’s a waterproof pendant small enough to wear anywhere, even in the bath or shower.

Mobile technology has its place, but many will want a simpler system, and may in fact only need a setup that works in their homes. For those looking for a simple home based system, we recommend Lifeline HomeSafe, which stands out for its base station, which is specially designed to allow two-way voice communication throughout a house. And at about $30/month, it’s competitive with a wide range of home-based systems.

Medical Guardian shows up again in this category, with its Classic Guardian offering reliable, attractively designed equipment and some useful extras for a reasonable price—including a base station and pendant and wristband wearable devices—for a reasonable price. Medical Guardian also offers some useful extras (for an additional charge), including automatic fall detection, lockboxes, and wall-mounted signaling devices. If you’re in the market for a basic system, the Classic Guardian is worth considering.

There’s no question that cost is a consideration when it comes to medical alert systems: many seniors are on fixed incomes, and many also want the most basic and easy-to-operate system they can get. Bay Alarm Medical’s In-Home Medical Alert system checks off both boxes. This system provides a base station (a landline connection is standard; a cellular connection is available for an additional fee) and a pendant wearable device with a 1000 foot range. At around $20 for the basic system, a $10 additional fee for fall detection means that users can get this vital extra feature at roughly the same price as other companies’ cheapest options. What’s more, the Bay Alarm Medical base station is portable, so a user can travel to a new location—for a vacation, say—without hassle, and without any additional fees.

If you’re willing to pay a lump sum up front, many companies offer discounts that significantly reduce the monthly cost for their systems. One such company is Alert1, whose basic Home system comes close to matching Bay Alarm Medical’s system if you buy a year in advance.

More and more medical alert systems involve mobile devices and more seniors are reaching their golden years fully comfortable with using cell phones, smart phones, and other electronic devices. For these users, Great Call’s Jitterbug Smart device might be an ideal choice, offering users a new freedom to remain active and involved in their communities.

We chose the GoSafe2 system from Lifeline as the runner up in the best all-round system category, but for best mobile, we’ve chosen its companion system, the somewhat confusingly named GoSafe. Several companies offer packages that combine mobile and home-based systems, and with GoSafe, Lifeline has combined its well-designed base stations with the flexibility and mobility of a mobile wearable. If you’re concerned about cellular coverage at home but want to be able to roam in areas with better coverage, or if you simply want the security of a home-based system, the GoSafe system, while one of Lifeline’s more expensive options, may be the one for you.

Some companies manage to provide mobile service for less than other companies’ home-based services. Bay Alarm Medical stands out among these systems for its mobile offering—a pager-type device that comes at the lowest price point among the companies we’ve surveyed.

Alert1 comes in as the runner up in this category as well, with its basic mobile system (named “Kelsi,” after the mobile device) costing just a bit more than Bay Alarm Medical’s, provided the user is willing to make a one-year commitment and pay in advance.

Deciding on a Medical Alert System

One of the biggest threats to an older person’s independence is the risk of an accidental fall. Falls injure thousands of seniors every year, and many of these injuries lead to a stay in the hospital. And at the end of that hospital stay, a senior may find that their active, independent life has also come to an end, and that they’re going to have to go into assisted living, or move in with a loved one.

It’s essential to take steps to prevent falls in the home. But it’s equally essential that seniors living alone have some way of summoning help if the worst happens and they’re injured in a fall. Because time is of the essence, a person can avoid many of the worst outcomes if they get help quickly. The longer help is delayed, however, the bigger the risk that the senior will have to leave their home. And falls aren’t the only thing to worry about: a senior living alone is also at risk of medical events like heart attacks and strokes, which can also be made less damaging if caregivers can respond quickly.

That’s why medical alert systems are so popular. They offer an easy-to-use, always available, direct line to help, allowing seniors to live their lives knowing that if the worst happens, they’ll be able to get help quickly and, hopefully, avoid the worst.

How Do Medical Alert Systems Work?

Almost all medical alert systems work the same way: they give the wearer a device that they can keep on their person. These devices come in a few main forms:

Pendants and Wristbands

The most common wearable items are wristbands and pendants.

Pager-Type Devices

Sometimes the wearable item is a mobile device about the size and shape of a pager that the user wears as a pendant, or in a pocket or a special pouch.

These devices feature stripped-down, simple designs, almost always consisting solely of a single, easily pressed button. Once this button is pressed, the wearable item signals a base station in the home, which then sends out an alert; the pager-type devices send an alert directly through a cellular network. At the other end of this signal is a call center which is either run by a company or contracted out to a third party. This call center will then try to get in touch with the user—by means of the base station, or, if the person has a mobile device, directly through the wearable item. If they can’t contact the user, they will then contact the user’s personal contacts, and then, if necessary, get in touch with local emergency responders.

What About Costs?

Costs for medical alert systems tend to vary according to how much in the way of additional services and equipment they provide, with a basic home-based system running in the range of $20-$40 a month and more expensive systems going up to $70 a month or more, and some additional features (like fall detection) adding to the bottom line. Companies sometimes offer discounts—for those paying in advance, for members of AARP and other organizations, and through one-time special offers. But companies may also impose other charges as well, including the following:

Activation Fees

Some companies charge a one-time fee to set up your service, which generally runs around $50.
Equipment fees—some companies charge a one-time fee for the use of their equipment: this can sometimes be quite expensive and can run to $100 or more.

Warranties and Protection Plans

If you purchase your equipment, the company may recommend that you buy a warranty or a product protection plan that can cost a nominal amount; this is usually a one-time charge.

Cancellation Fees

Some companies ask customers to subscribe for as long as three years; if you ask to get out before the term is over, you may be liable for a portion of the remainder of your commitment.

Replacement and Restocking Fees

If the company provides the equipment, they may charge for equipment damaged by the user, and may charge for any equipment you return.

As you shop for a system, you’ll find some of these fees stated up front, but just in case, be sure to read the fine print so you can factor these fees into your decision.

Every year, tens of thousands of seniors turn to medical alert systems to help them feel more secure even while they remain independent. If you weigh features carefully and take time as you shop, chances are good that you’ll find a system that works for you.