Life alert also known as a Medical Alert System or Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) is a useful device for anyone who may have challenges moving around or has medical conditions that require a quick response. PERS can help people call for help fast if they have a fall or medical emergency.
There are many different PERS options and each person has unique needs. It really depends on someone’s abilities, challenges, and preferences. If possible, it is great to consult a care team, such as an occupational therapist or nurse, on the best system to meet the person’s needs. Here are some great questions to ask and guidance on how to decide which PERS is best.
Here are some questions to explore when researching or talking to PERS representatives. Depending on your situation, you may have more questions.
Considerations
Costs
- What is my budget before I even begin looking?
- Is the cost worth the benefits?
- Would the cost be greater if I injured myself or needed a fast medical response and couldn’t call for help?
- Are there contracts or is it month by month?
- What is the cancellation policy?
- Is the equipment rented or bought?
- How long does the equipment typically last?
- Are there free equipment upgrades as technology changes or do I need to buy a new device?
- If rented, what is the procedure for returning the device?
- If I am not ready to get a PERS device or pay for it, is there a way I can use my Smart Home Devices for emergency needs? You will need to think about the limited functionality of Smart Home devices and if it is truly enough for your unique situation. Article on using Amazon Alexa and Nest Emergency Calling. Please verify the information and test this as software updates and changes happen frequently.
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Service Area and Connectivity
- Does the provider serve my area?
- How does the PERS system get service? (landline, cell service- which carrier, Wi-Fi/Internet, GPS/Satellite)
Functionality
- Will it work for my dwelling or property?
- Will it go through my walls? Some thicker or dense walls like adobe are harder for the signal to go through, for example.
- Do I need it to work to walk out to the mail or go around my property?
- Will they offer a free trial since it can be hard to figure this out without trying it?
Device Type
- Where do I need the device to work?
- Will I only use the device while in the home (in-home device)?
- Do I need a device that will work when I leave my home (mobile device)?
- What is the cost difference between the in-home and on-the-go mobile devices?
- What do I want the device to look like and how do I want to communicate?
- Do I want a pendant (necklace with a button? This is a good choice for those who can easily get to the necklace but might feel like they would have a harder time pressing the button on a bracelet.
- Do I want a bracelet with a button? This might be a good choice for people who do not like things around their neck, but it might be harder to push.
- Do I prefer a wearable, like a smartwatch? This can be good for people who do not want to look like they are wearing a PERS device and want more features.
- Do I want to use a voice-activated system? This may be helpful for people who have challenges with movement and pushing a button or seeing the button. However, systems activated by speaking may not be a good choice for someone with difficulty speaking, hearing, or someone who gets short of breath easily.
- What features do I want?
- Do I need fall detection? Fall detection is when the device senses that someone likely fell and contacts either your emergency contact or emergency services (911). Some companies allow you to contact both or choose if you want to contact your emergency contact or 911 first. Some devices may have false alarms (if you make a sudden arm movement with a bracelet or smart watch for example), so it is important to ask about this. A device with fall detection can be a good choice for someone with memory challenges, who may forget to push a button when they need help.
- Do I want GPS tracking? This can be helpful for those concerned about becoming lost or those who tend to wander. Many times there is an option through an app for care partners to monitor the GPS. GPS tracking can be helpful for a variety of other safety reasons too.
- Do I want two-way communication? Some devices allow you to talk back and forth when the company that is monitoring the device. For example, they might try to talk with you through the device first before calling an emergency contact or 911 to see if there was a false alarm.
- Do I need a water-resistance device? If you have a fear of falling in the shower or want to wear your device in the shower, you may want a water-resistance device. Many devices can be worn in the shower, but may not work while swimming or be submerged for logn periods of time, so you might want to ask about this if you are a swimmer or like to soak in the tub.
- What is the battery life of the device and will I get low-battey notifications? Battery life depends on the device type and the battery might run out faster for devices with more features (GPS tracking, on-the-go mobile devices). You should also ask if the device beeps or send a notification though an app if the battery is running low.
- What types of monitoring do I need or want?
- Do I want 24/7 or all the time monitoring by a professional company? This ensures that you can get an immediate response from someone who is trained to help and can get emergency help.
- Do I want my care partner to be able to monitor? You may have the option to have a care partner monitor emergency notifications, GPA and low battery through apps associated with the device only instead of having professional monitoring. Most devices now, allow care partner monitorign in addition to professional monitoring and the technology is always improving. Something to consider is if you fall and there is care partner monitoring as well, they may be able to meet you at home or the hospital while emergency professionals are assisting.
Do you want to be able to print out this checklist for choosing a medical alert system? Subscribe to our list by Feb. 28, 2025 to receive the free printable checklist on March 1, 2025!
Setting Up and Using
- How easy is it to install or is there installation support?
- How easy is the device, smartwatch, or associated app to use?
- Do I feel like it is intuitive?
- Can I try it out first?
- How easy is it to charge? This will be especially important for anyone who might have cognitive challenges, difficulty seeing, or difficulty using their hands.
- How is the customer service? When I really want to know what it’s like to be a customer, I sometimes call back in and choose the option for existing options or I have trouble with my device instead of the sales team option.
Special Requests
- If I have difficulty speaking, will the professional monitoring company note that and have a plan to communicate?
- If someone has difficulty hearing, should emergency assistance be called versus attempting two-way communication first? What will the plan be?
- If someone has memory or cognitive challenges, can that be noted and a communication and action plan can be proactively made?
- If someone has a condition that causes them to faint, should the pain be for the professional monitoring to call 911 right away and not attempt to communicate or call an emergency contact?
- If someone gets short of breath easily and has trouble speaking, should that be noted and a plan made?
Each person’s plan might look different based on preferences and specific conditions, and it is worthwhile to discuss these concerns.
Reviews
- What do the reviews say about the top 3 devices I am interested in? Please just remember that some review sites get commissions from certain device companies or are written by the device companies themselves, so there might be some biases.
Do you want to be able to print out this checklist for choosing a medical alert system? Subscribe to our list by Feb. 28, 2025 to receive the free printable checklist on March 1, 2025!