When you start shopping for a solution to protect your family, the number of medical alert devices and all of the options can be overwhelming. What should you really look for in high quality medical alert devices?
One of the first things you need to find out from any company you are considering is how they test their systems, and how often. Your medical alert devices become useless if they are not communicating properly to the monitoring center. Having testing done weekly, or more often would be ideal.
You need to find out exactly who your family member will be talking to. Are they going to have a trained professional to speak with, does the call go directly to 911, or is it going to start calling family members first? The finest systems will call a monitoring center staffed with trained professionals who know how to ask the right questions, have a information at their fingertips on your family member, and can stay with them on the phone while help is dispatched. It is very comforting to have someone stay on the line with you until help arrives. Some services use local numbers, calling a local hospital, or clinic. You need to make sure the numbers are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and on every holiday. Accidents do not restrict themselves to office hours, nor should your monitoring system.
Hopefully you are going to need your system for a long time. You are wanting your family member to able to live at home on their own as long as they want. Using medical alert devices can help both with your confidence, and the confidence of your family member. Since you are planning on this for a longer period of time, you want to make sure you choose a company that has been around, and appears to be in good financial standing, so they will be around as long as you need them.
Make sure you get detailed pricing on all of their options, with complete details on each service. There is a wide range of services available from different companies, and by choosing the services you need, without all of the extras you may be able to save money. It is also important to make sure you have every service you need. Make sure you understand exactly how the company responds in the case of a call for help, where no one can be heard on the phone. It is possible your loved one has pushed the button, but now is unable to speak, and needs help immediately. Some pendants have fall sensors, make sure you understand exactly how the company responds when the medical alert devices fall sensor activates, and no one is able to speak. Most services will send emergency services to assist, but you need to know exactly what to expect before signing the papers to start a service.
Many companies have an opportunity for you to try their service for up to 30 days, before signing up for a longer commitment. This is a great way to test out the system, and make sure it is exactly what you need.
Adding medical alert devices to the home of your elderly family member can give them the protection and security they need to continue living on their own.
