How to Pick a Medical Alert SystemWATCH SEGMENT ON KFOR-TV O ne of the biggest concerns among families that have an elderly parent living alone is them falling down and needing help, or calling for medical emergency services in the event of a heart attack, stroke or seizure. The solution: A medical alert system, which is essentially a wireless hotline to help. How They Work At the press of a button, your parent could call and talk to a trained operator through the system’s base station receiver, which works like a powerful speakerphone. The operator will find out what’s wrong, and will notify family members, a friend, neighbor or emergency services as needed. New Options Mobile alerts work like cell phones with GPS tracking capabilities. They allow your Parent to talk and listen to the operator directly through the pendant button, and because of the GPS, their general location would be known in order for help to be sent. What to Consider Extra help buttons: Most companies offer waterproof neck pendant and wristband help buttons, but some also offer wall-mounted buttons that can be placed near the floor in high fall risk areas like the bathroom or kitchen, in case your mom isn’t wearing her pendant. Range: The base station should have a range of at least 400 feet so it can be activated from anywhere on your mom’s property – even in the yard. Backup: Make sure the system has a battery backup in case of a power failure. Monitoring: Make sure the response center is staffed with trained emergency operators located in the U.S., are available on a 24-hour basis, and responds to calls promptly. Contacts: Choose a company that provides multiple contact choices – from emergency services, to a friend or family member who lives nearby – that they can contact if your mom needs help. Certification: Find out if the monitoring center has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories, a nonprofit safety and consulting company. Top Rated System |