As you age, your body becomes vulnerable. Small accidents can quickly become life-threatening events. If you want to protect yourself or loved ones, you need a medical alert system. The right system can get you immediate medical help and prevent injuries from getting worse. Our partners at ConsumerAffairs researched the best medical alert systems in Fort Myers. Find out which ones made the cut.
How to choose a medical alert system in Fort Myers
Medical alert systems can protect you from life-threatening events. The right system comes with the following benefits:
Keeps your independence without compromising your safety
Saves money on 24-hour nurses or nursing homes
Less costly than calling for an ambulance
Simple to use
Does not require electricity to work
Reliably keeps you or your loved one safe
Medical alert systems provide a major benefit to the elderly. They also help anyone suffering from a life-threatening condition who might not be able to make a phone call for emergency assistance.
There’s a high demand for medical alert systems in Fort Myers. As of 2017, about 18 percent of the population in Fort Myers was over the age of 65, according to the census. Areas like Cinnamon Cove and Pelican Preserve are established retirement communities. In addition, the city includes about 4,500 veterans, another medically at-risk group.
As you search for a medical alert device, here are useful features to look for:
Battery-powered
Equipment that goes on your body and in the home
A large range
Risk-free trial period
Access to a smartphone app
Easy installation (often can be done yourself)
Mail delivery of your equipment
Fall detection
When it comes to the cost, there are a few other details to consider. Some systems lock you in at a rate, while others have rates that could increase. You also need to find out if your system has any installation, equipment or cancellation fees. Depending on the company you choose, the equipment could be free.
If the cost is a concern, remind yourself that long-term care insurance could offset the cost. Additionally, veterans and AARP members could receive a discount.
Keep in mind that, depending on the company and the plan you purchase, systems work differently. With some, your device will contact emergency responders directly, whereas others will just call your emergency contacts. Some are monitored systems in which dispatchers are constantly watching to see if there’s a problem, whereas unmonitored systems require the user to push a button to indicate an emergency.
Any one of these systems could work for you, depending on your needs. Talk to representatives about what options they offer to help determine the right plan for you.
This system can work off a landline or cellular connection to keep your loved one safe. All systems have two-way communication and 24/7 emergency monitoring. Home systems all have fall detection. For those who are on the go, there is a mobile package that is GPS-enabled. Users in Fort Myers tend to have a favorable experience and note a quick response time.
Protect an entire household for less than $1 a day with LifeFone. The monthly subscription includes activation, equipment, spouse protection and a locked-in lifetime rate. Features like fall detection are additional. Customers in Florida said they liked the value of LifeFone and the ease of purchase from kind representatives.
MobileHelp provides systems connecting directly to an emergency monitoring service. Although there are several packages, all of them include a cellular base station that frees you from landlines. The system includes features like fall detection and medication reminders. Users in Fort Myers highlight the excellent customer service of the company.
LifeStation’s medical alarm buttons are worn as either neck pendants or wristbands. The system features fall detection and a speaker that allows you to talk to an emergency responder. Additionally, it comes with caregiver alerts. One Fort Myers resident used it successfully for his 73-year-old mother. That said, some of the more recent system reviews complain about trouble during the cancellation process.
As one of the more affordable medical alert systems, MedicalAlert gets the job done. After pushing a button on the sensor, you can speak to an operator. Fall detection is available as part of the Medical Alert Bundle Package. The system also offers a caregiver app including location monitoring and notifications. Fort Myers residents are happy with the response time.
HomeSafe and GoSafe pedants and wristbands by Philips are water resistant and have automatic fall detection. Response associates, based in the U.S. and Canada, are available 24/7/365. The average answer time is 12 seconds and the average tenure of associates is seven years. Founded in 1974, Philips Lifeline was a pioneer of medical alert device technology and remains a leader today.