According to recent health department surveys, falls are the number one cause of injury-related trips to emergency departments across the United States. Reasons and circumstances leading up to falls vary greatly, and the risk of a serious fall rises as you get older. Each year approximately 9,500 deaths of America’s seniors are attributed to falls. There is help! Medical Alarm Services can greatly increase the response time for emergency responders to arrive at the scene. These Medical Alert for seniors services can help bring peace and reassurance to seniors that want to continue to enjoy an independent life.
There is a vast array of medical alert system devices on the market today, which leads to confusion and frustration when trying to choose which is right for you. There are a few key points you should consider as you are browsing through the home medical alert market that will help you make the right choice.
Home medical alert systems are basically an alarm monitor which is installed to instantly call for help in the event of an emergency. The Medical Alarm systems can be wireless pendant or transmitter equipped with a button that is activated when disaster strikes. As soon as the alarm is pressed or a fall automatically detected, a message is immediately sent to a monitoring station where emergency staff called upon and sent to your location. Different alarms are made for different people and circumstances, so pay attention to the below factors to aid you in your medical alert device decisions:
- Size and Weight: Seniors choosing to wear their medical alert system usually have them around their neck as a pendant or around their wrist. The size and weight can play an important role, such as when alert systems are too heavy and cumbersome for the senior who then in turn simply doesn’t wear it or removes it during meals and when sleeping to avoid further discomfort. This problem can be easily solved by taking a person’s size, weight and strength into consideration when choosing a device.
- Reliability: There are many medical alert system companies however some are more reputable than others. While investigating the different emergency alert vendors, check online to verify if this particular company has a lot of complaints or bad reviews. While investigating various alert vendors such as Lifecall, check to verify the company has a good reputation utilizing internet review boards or business bureaus. Make sure the device you are considering has not had any recalls recently.
- Company History: Medical alert systems should be comprised with a high quality standard set. What you are ultimately searching for is a well made product from a company with a lot of experience in the industry. Be confident that the company is knowledgeable and experienced in their specialty.
- Fool Proof: Medical Alert Systems should be comfortable for everyday living and should be relatively fool proof to use. Everyday activities such like showering and getting dressed should not interfere with the alert device’s effectiveness. Operating the medical alert alarm system should be simple to comprehend and explain.
- Medical Alarm System Options: List your specific needs that you want to get out of your Home Medical Alert system. For example, would an auto alert option be valuable to include? Auto Alert functions are able to detect when the senior falls down and automatically calls for help even if the senior is unable to trigger the alarm.