Basic Personal Alarms for Seniors and people with Disabilities

Here are some key points to consider before making your final decision:

#1 – Lifestyle and situational needs

a. How often are you out of the house?

b. Are you usually accompanied when out of the house?

c. Are you at risk of falling?

If you are at home most of the time and usually accompanied when outside of the house, a home-based medical alarm will probably suffice. A button with automatic fall detection is recommended if you are at risk of a fall.

#2 – Service Provider

a. Is the service provider specialized in monitored medical alarms?

b. Are they reputable and transparent with product details, pricing and support?

c. Are they registered with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and in good standing?

d. How is the standard of customer service and support? How easy or difficult is it to get the help you need when you need it?

e. What is their cancellation and return policy?

f.  Do they have lengthy contracts?

The medical alarm is only as good as the support service backing it.  Don’t take their word for it.  Test it out yourself and call the customer support and tech support with a prepared list of questions to see how well they are able to respond.  Look up independent reviews on the internet as well.

#3 – Monitoring Centre

a. Where is the monitoring centre located?  Is their server that stores your information located here in Canada?

b. What is the response time when the alarm is triggered?

#4 – Product design

a. How comfortable and wearable is the device? Is is bulky?  Attractive?  Heavy?

b. Is it limited to wearing around the neck or can it be worn on the wrist as well?

c. How water-resistant is the device?

It’s important the user is comfortable with how the device looks and feels when worn.  If not, they may not wear it and therefore will not be protected.  If you are the caregiver, it would be best to involve the user in the selection.

#5 – Battery capacity

a. Does the device need to be charged? If so, will the user be able to charge it?

b. How long is the charging time?

c. How often does it need to be charged?

d. Is there a low battery warning and can it alert the caregiver?

Traditional units do not require charging and are best for those who do not like to or may not remember to charge it.  For those devices that require charging, without being fully charged, the device will not be able to fully function and provide the intended protection.

Choose a device and service that suits your needs best.  Don’t be distracted by all the high-tech apps and functions if you don’t need them and probably won’t use anyway.

Yes, personal emergency alarms do work, especially if you get an alarm with a reputable 24-hour monitoring service. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and 35 years of situations where our service has saved lives.  These alarms have a fantastic response and the automatic fall pendants can detect and sound an alarm without the need to press the emergency button. The alarm will notify emergency personnel and help will be on its way immediately. 

Monitored systems ensure that help is always available 24/7.  Whether you just need a family member or an ambulance, our operators make sure that the right help is sent, right away.  A monitored device provides the quickest response possible because it’s always with you and can even detect if you have a fall.  Operators also have access to your important information that can be relayed to paramedics if needed.