When shopping for a medical alert system for the seniors, it is important to answer the following questions.
1. Do you want a mobile or home-based system? When medical systems were created, they were made to work in the homes alongside the home telephone. With the advancement in technology, mobile medical alert systems are not available. it can be used by the seniors when they go out of the house.
2. Do you want a medical alert system that has 24/7 monitoring capacity or not? A 24/7 monitoring system is preferable because it gives you real-time information about the senior. The ones with the monitoring system will need an activation fee or a monthly subscription. The ones without a monitoring system do not incur an extra cost.
3. Should the medical alert system have a fall detection feature or not? Having an automatic fall detection feature is an added advantage.
Benefits of Wireless Medical Alert Systems
- It is flexible. It can be used anywhere there is cellular network service. The seniors can go with it in different places like shopping malls, vacations, picnics, and elderly daycare facility.
- It provides the elderly with freedom. The elderly remain independent and active because the medical alert system is wearable. It provides freedom because it is wireless. Therefore, it is not connected to the landline with cables that limit distance.
- It does not require a landline to operate, unlike the older versions. It requires a cellular network and is connected to emergency response centers in case of a medical emergency. This encourages the independence of the senior.
- It is easy to set up and to use. Once the system has been activated, it will only need the cellular network to operate. Since it is wireless, it can be used in different locations. It is not limited to home use.
- It has a wide range of covers provided the location has a cellular network. This means that any place the elderly goes to, the alert system will work provided there is the cellular network.
- It is reliable because it only requires a single battery that will operate for two years. This makes it very reliable to use it 24/7.
Disadvantages
- Where there no cellular network, it cannot function. It fully relies on the cellular network to function and to reach the emergency response team. Always confirm the cellular network coverage in your areas. If the network is not strong, then the medical alert system may not be the best option.
- The cost may be high because it will require a monthly activation cost of it has other systems such as fall detection or GPS tracking system.
- A network outage can affect the response of the system. This makes it unreliable because the senior may not be able to call for help when there is a network outage.
- Always check it to ensure it is functioning. Multifunctioning can make it impossible to ask for help when needed. Regular cross-checking can be exhausting but it is an important activity.
How to shop for the best Medical Alert Systems
- Check the functionality of the system. Does it have added features such as GPS tracker and fall detecting features? If yes, it is a good medical alert system. Keep in mind that extra features will result in spending extra coins.
- Check the brand of the product. Some brands have better products than others. Check the customer reviews on the item. The more the positive comments, the better the system. If it has more negative comments, it may not be the best.
- Get referrals from friends, family, and specialists in this field. The specialist will give you important information to help you choose the best item.
- Compare prices in different stores. You may be lucky to get the system at a discount because different stores roll out different discounts. It is always important to compare different prices to get the best deal.
- Check the functionality. Get a system that is easy to operate. The seniors have no time to figure out how a complicated medical alert system operates. Easy and friendly systems are the best option.
- Go for the one the meets your budget. Do not break a bank when shopping for medical alert systems. There are a variety of systems and you can always get the one that fits your budget.
