Who's The Top Full Service Company?

Comparing medical alert companies can be difficult because you are actually comparing service companies.  Our goal is to use our industry knowledge and experience to act as a personal shopper and researcher for you.

Comparing service companies is kind of like going out to dinner at a restaurant that you’ve never been to before. The restaurant may appear clean, have nice atmosphere, and great food selection, but the wait staff may be lacking in service and the food itself may be marginal or inconsistent.  You may have been better off asking a friend what their experience was like, read reviews by others online, or a review by a local food critic.  That’s where we come in.

• Think of the restaurant itself as the medical alert monitoring equipment that you or your loved one will use.  Does it have all of the physical features, functions, or the look and feel that you want?

• The hostess is like the sales person you’ll be speaking with. Are they able to give you an accurate estimate of how long your wait time may be for a table?  If they tell you they can accommodate your group size, or maybe a request for a child booster seat or special accommodations for a handicapper, will they deliver?

• The wait staff is like the central dispatch operators and customer service representatives. These are the people that you or your loved one will spend the majority of your time communicating with and get the most satisfaction from.  Are they friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, and patient?  Are they required to have continual training to be sure they are maintaining the highest standards available?

The Three Main Types of Medical Alert Companies

• Full Service – These companies provide the entire operation from sales, to equipment service, to central station monitoring, all themselves.  They do not source-out the operations to any third parties.

• Partial Service – These companies typically take care of the sales and service, but hire out the central station monitoring to a third party.  This is due to the very high costs of opening and maintaining a central monitoring station; especially if it is certified or listed by one or more agencies like Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

• Reseller/Marketing Only – These companies take care of the marketing only of the product and service.  In today’s digital age, they typically have a website and place ads in magazines, on television, or through retail displays in their storefronts.

Why You Should Care

The full service companies have a much larger capital and human investment than the partial and marketing only companies.  That gives them a vested interest in the quality and care provided to their customers from end-to-end.

The partial service companies have a much greater investment than the reseller/marketing only companies because they take care of the sales, customer service, equipment service, shipping, etc. themselves.  They don’t handle the monitoring, but they do more than just market the service.

Who is Who

The key is finding out who is really who.  That can sometimes be very difficult to do.  The full service companies can be easy as they will usually come right out and tell you!  The partial service companies will usually tell you who will monitor your loved one typically after you come right out and ask.  Very few are up front about it, but some are.

Some reseller/marketing only companies can be difficult to get the right information from.  We try to reveal who these companies are, and let you know who is handling the services for them, so you can read about the actual company servicing your loved one.

It is very important to find-out what type of medical alert company you are dealing with.  The more services that are under one roof could mean better quality control and higher customer satisfaction.

If you can get a quality, highly rated, full service company in the same price range as a partial or marketing only company, would you choose the full service company?

See How You Can Live Independently With LifeStation

Living alone isn’t something you typically plan for – it just happens.  You may have been married for many years and had a house full of kids.  Slowly the children went away to college, got married, and began a life on their own.  You and your spouse were then officially “empty nesters.”  Quite a change from a busy household full of children.

You and your spouse decided to live out your golden years in the family home because there were just too many memories to leave behind.  The house was more than you needed, but between the two of you, upkeep was manageable.   As the years quickly passed by, the worst thing happened – you lost your spouse.  That’s when your life changed the most.

After a short time, your children, friends, and family began telling you that maybe you should sell the family home and move into a senior community, move in with your kids, or simply get a smaller place to live.  Wait a minute – you had lived in your home for the majority of your adult life and it was your home.  It was where you felt safe and comfortable most.  You were not about to start all over again – not at your age.

Can you relate to all or part of this story? Is this the situation you’re in?  Do you want to continue living independently in your own home?  If so, you need to be able to perform these, as well as other, basic tasks around your home.

Maintaining Your Home

Sounds simple enough.  Talk to the neighbor kid down the street to cut the grass and rake the leaves.  Sound good right?  For those tasks, that plan could work.  But, what you really should do is find a capable friend or family member to walk around your home and make a list of maintenance items that need to be done throughout the year.

A good way to organize the list would be by season, and at a minimum, fall and spring.  The list should contain everything from cleaning your gutters to changing the filters in your furnace.  Also, be sure to think about shoveling your walk and salting your walk if you’re in a cold climate.  You’ll also have to consider who will pick-up the salt throughout the winter.  It’s less expensive to buy larger quantities, but heavier as well.

Don’t Forget About Personal Safety

Your personal safety is the most important thing.  Don’t overlook things like:

• Medical Alert Monitoring Systems
• Smoke Detectors
• Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Fire Extinguishers
• Deadbolt Locks
• Security Lighting
• Interior Lights on Timers
• Overgrown Landscaping  – it makes it easier for criminals to break-in

Cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping are also basic “must do” items that you’ll need to consider as well.  If you’ve been in your neighborhood for many years, you will no doubt know which neighbors you could rely upon, if needed.  There will also be many new faces that you may not know yet.  Take a walk and meet a few of them.  I’m sure your doctor would like that advice!

Hip Fractures From Falls Cause Deaths - Medical Alert Systems Save Lives

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 90% of all hip fractures are caused from falls in seniors aged 65 and older.  This wide-spread problem can lead to some very severe health complications simply by the lack of mobility that results from the injury.  Since falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among older adults, it is obvious why this problem is so widespread.

Why Hip Fractures Change Lives For The Worst

• 1 in 5 seniors who suffer a hip fracture die within 1 year of their injury.
• Most patients spend about 1 week in the hospital after suffering a hip fracture injury.
• As many as 1 in 4 seniors who had an independent lifestyle before a hip fracture injury has at least a 1 year stay in a nursing home following the injury.

Women Are Most At Risk

• The CDC states that over 75% of hip fractures occur in women.
• Osteoporosis can increase your chances of sustaining a hip fracture injury.
• Seniors, including men, who are over 85 are 10-15 times more likely to have a hip fracture injury than seniors in their low to mid 60′s.
• Most hip fractures occur when seniors fall sideways onto their hip.

4 Ways To Prevent a Hip Fracture

• Regular exercise, as prescribed by your doctor, can be very beneficial  when these exercises focus on balance and strength.  Ask your doctor about Tai Chi.
• Reduce trip and fall hazards around the home.
• Have all medications reviewed so you understand their side effects.
• Be sure to have vision checked annually.

Medical Alert Monitoring Systems Provide Added Peace of Mind

• Central station dispatchers give comfort to loved ones while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
• Medical alert monitoring systems can limit injuries by providing access to early treatment by first responders.
• The best medical alert systems provide activity monitoring services.

It has been proven that early treatment of fall related injuries, including hip fractures, can limit their long-term impact on seniors.  Medical alert systems can help by providing the quick response required during these critical accidents.  If you care for a senior now, you know that it’s impossible to always be there around the clock for them.  If your loved one needs something during the day, and you’re at work, they may attempt to get the item themselves by going down the stairs or climbing a small step stool in the kitchen.

These simple acts can be life threatening to seniors and should be taken very seriously.  Consider a medical alert system today to help provide peace of mind to you and your loved one.

Compare Top Medical Alert Providers Now!

There are some very simple things you can do to bring peace of mind to you and your loved one.  Some of these should be done in your own home.  We’ll look at 3 simple, yet effective tips that you can put in place in no time.

Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors and Test Them Annually

There’s no dispute that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives.  Simple battery-operated ones from your local hardware store can be very effective.  Here are some things to keep in mind:

Smoke Detector Tips

1. Current building codes require 1 smoke detector on each floor of a home (preferably near the staircase landing) and 1 in every bedroom and in the hallway area just outside of bedroom areas.
2. In open spaces plan on 1 every 900 square feet, but not in kitchens, bathrooms, or unheated spaces.
3. Remember that smoke rises, does not easily pass through a door, and also doesn’t go around corners predictably.  That is why so many detectors are recommended, at a minimum.
4. Replace your smoke detectors every 10 years.  They can become less effective over time.
5. Change smoke detector batteries annually whether they need it or not, and test them per the manufacture’s instructions.

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Carbon Monoxide Detector Tips

1. Install 1 detector on every floor and in the hallway area just outside of bedroom areas.
2. Most detectors should be mounted near the ceiling.  Be sure to check your detector’s instructions for mounting locations.
3. Remember that carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas, so you can’t see it or smell it.
4. Replace your carbon monoxide detectors every 5 years.  They can become less effective over time.
5. Change carbon monoxide detector batteries annually whether they need it or not, and test them per the manufacture’s instructions.  Your carbon monoxide detector may only use batteries when you lose power as a back-up.

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It’s Never Too Early But Often Too Late To Get a Medical Alert Monitoring System

Medical alert monitoring systems can protect seniors, the elderly, and the disabled from any situation that they are aware of.  Certainly medical emergencies, but also kitchen fires, home invasions, and burglaries, to name a few.

1. If you don’t know where to start, see our Buyer’s Guide for great information on medical alert systems.
2. Our side-by-side comparisons and detailed reviews of medical alert providers make it easy to make the right choice.
3. If you or your loved one already has a medical alert system, and you’re not completely satisfied with it, change to a new provider.  Most reputable medical alert companies allow you to cancel your service with a 30 day notice.
4. If you have a medical alert system, test it regularly.  See our article on testing your medical alert system for some basic tips and ideas.

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The first step is to just get started on these simple life saving tips.  Be sure to install, test, and maintain these devices as per your manufacture’s and medical alert provider’s instructions, and use the information provided here as a basic guide.

Falls Cause Deaths - Medical Alert Systems Save Lives

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of deaths relating to injuries.  In fact, more than one third of adults aged 65 and older fall every year in the U.S.

How Dangerous Is The Problem?

The CDC states:

• 15,800 people aged 65 and older died in 2005 from injuries related to falls.  So the fall itself may not have caused the death, but the injury sustained from the fall could have.
• In 2005, approximately 1.8 million people 65 and older were treated in emergency rooms for injuries from falls.
• That same year, more than 433,000 of the falls that were treated in the ER resulted in hospitalization.

What Are The Long-Term Effects Of Falls?

According to information obtained from the CDC:

• Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries among older adults.
• Up to 30% of people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries. These injuries include:  bruises, hip fractures, and head traumas. These injuries can limit independent living and increase the risk of early death.
• The majority of bone fractures that are caused by falls include:  spine, hip, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm, and hand.
• Many people who fall and develop a fear of falling, reduce their mobility and increase their chances of future falls, due to less physical activities in their daily living.

How Can Medical Alert Monitoring Systems Help?

• Medical alert monitoring systems can provide immediate access to life saving ambulance services which can limit injuries by providing early treatment.
• Providers of medical alert services give comfort to loved ones while waiting for the first responders to arrive.
• Many medical alert systems can provide activity monitoring services that provide further security and added safety.
• For seniors or others who are more prone to falling, some companies provide fall detectors to provide more specialized protection, not needed by most people.

Who’s More Prone To Fall, Your Mother or Your Father?

I found it interesting that men are nearly 50% more at risk of dieing from a fall than women.  Also, 67% of woman versus men, are more likely to suffer non-fatal injuries as a result of falls.  Since men are traditionally stronger than women, strength certainly does not help them here.   Could it simply be that physical mass causes increased deaths in men over women?

Clearly, falling is a real issue that can’t be ignored by seniors and caregivers.  A fall can happen anytime and anywhere.  Although a medical alert monitoring system can’t prevent a fall, it may be able to limit the degree of injury or more importantly, save you or your loved one’s life with a simple push of a button.

Leading Medical Alert Companies Compared

Activity Monitoring (also known as  inactivity monitoring) is a premium service offered by many medical alert monitoring companies.  The point of this service is to be sure that your loved one is moving around freely throughout the day.  Just because they have their  medical alert button or pendant with them does not guarantee that they will be able to use it in a medical emergency.  They could have a serious fall that causes them to become unconscious, or even worse, suffer a fatality with no one even knowing for hours or days.  These scenarios are not the ones you want to think about, but they are very real.  Added security is available with activity monitoring services.

These services can work a couple of different ways. One is by  having your loved one check-in with the system at predetermined times.  It’s a very simple process in which the unit will make a beep tone and flash a small light on their medical alert monitoring console, alerting them to press a button.  If the button is pressed, then the system’s internal timer will be satisfied and will not send in an alarm.  The system will begin to beep faster before it will send in an alarm signal as a final warning.  If the button is still not pressed, the activity alarm signal is sent to the monitoring station.

Another method that activity monitoring can work is by using motion detectors and door contacts that are typically found on security systems.  When these devices are placed on doors to bedrooms and bathrooms, and motion sensors placed in common hallways, they can perform the activity monitoring automatically.  With a system using this set-up, it constantly monitors these devices for activity while your loved one performs their daily routine.  When it’s time for the system to send in an activity alarm, it checks to see whether it had any movement from your loved one within its time parameters.  If it does, it will continue to monitor your loved one’s activity until the next time it’s programmed to check.  If it does not, many systems will typically alert a warning tone from the console, telling your loved one to either move about or press a button on the main console before it will send in the activity alarm signal to the central station.

Both methods are very effective, and equally simple to use. Installation costs may be required for systems that use motion sensors and door contacts, which can limit your choice of providers.  Most reputable medical alert monitoring providers offer the first option for an additional  monthly charge.  Our top provider, Lifestation, calls it activity assurance and offers it for a nominal monthly fee.  Be sure to consider this service as part of your medical alert monitoring protection plan.

Top Companies That Are CSAA Five Diamond Certified

Central station, monitoring center, central monitoring facility, and dispatch center are all terms used to describe the place where your medical alert monitoring is performed. There are many different standards that can be used to rate these facilities.  You may have heard the terms UL-Listed or FM Approved used to describe these operations.  Since there are no laws that are required by central stations to follow, many central stations choose to be certified or approved by outside organizations which have standards that must be followed.  One of these professional organizations is the CSAA.

CSAA stands for the Central Station Alarm Association and it has been around since 1950. It’s an organization that works with UL-Listed and FM Approved central monitoirng facilities.  One of its major goals is the development of industry standards to assure optimum central station performance levels. Any central station can join the CSAA, if they meet certain criteria.  One of which is being UL-Listed by Underwriter’s Laboratories, Inc. or FM Approved by Factory Mutual Research Corporation.  This is very important.

Being rated by either of these agencies requires very strict guidelines and a substantial investment by the monitoirng facility.  It also includes continual inspections by these agencies.  Since you have to be rated by one or both of these agencies to join the CSAA, as a central station, you already know that these companies adhere to higher standards by just being a member.  But, the CSAA took this one step further by creating the CSAA Five Diamond Certification program.

So what additional benefits do you receive by working with a CSAA Five Diamond Certified company?  Per the CSAA, here are some of the major benefits to you and your loved one:

• Companies achieving and maintaining their Five Diamond Certification are committed to serving the public and the local authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ’s) through the professional development and standardization of training for all their central station operators.
• This certification, and its annual renewal, demonstrate a commitment of the Five Diamond Central Station to the continual upgrade in the performance levels of the central station operators who are the first line of defense in private sector emergency response.

Another benefit to you is that the CSAA does not charge for this certification either initially or annually.  The only costs involved are the costs of compliance itself.  That tells you that the CSAA is not doing this just to get additional fees from its members.  It’s truly a certification that adds value to the central station and its customers.

See which companies we compared that operate CSAA Five Diamond Certified monitoirng centers.  You’ll be happy if you  make this a requirement of the medical alert monitoirng company you work with.

Compare Medical Alert Providers

Medical alert monitoring systems come in many forms. Typically, these personal emergency response systems (PERS) include emergency wireless medical buttons in the form of a pendant, wrist-watch, or belt-clip.  They also feature two-way voice communication with the medical alert monitoring company, inactivity monitoring, and pill reminders.

Telemedicine or telehealth systems are an advanced extension of a typical medical alert monitoring system. They can transfer medical information right from your loved one’s home to a doctor at a remote location.  Tests can include blood pressure, glucose, oxygen saturation, and patient weight, to name a few.  The doctor can have immediate notification of these results and can act accordingly.  Certainly patients and caregivers can benefit from these convenient in-home tests, but for patients in rural areas, these systems can provide a vital link to remote physicians and specialists.

One leading manufacturer in the production of these systems is a company called Visonic, who produces the Amber Health & Safety Support Solution.  It is comprised of three systems:  AmberBasic, AmberClassic, and AmberSelect.

AmberBasic

AmberBasic is much like the typical medical alert monitoring systems available from most top providers.  It includes features that are suited for most medical alert users today.  It has features like wireless emergency medical buttons, two-way voice speakerphone to the monitoring station, and inactivity monitoirng.

AmberClassic

AmberClassic includes all of the AmberBasic features, but also adds features like carbon monoxide, smoke, flood, and security monitoring.  Fall detection and advanced inactivity monitoring options are also available.

AmberSelect

AmberSelect is the Cadillac of the Amber product line.  Building upon the feature set of AmberBasic and AmberClassic, AmberSelect adds the telemedicine and telehealth features we discussed earlier.  With this advanced system, lifestyle, safety management, and telehealth status are all monitored with this one, high-end solution.

With costs of telehealth and telemedicine systems reaching $100.00 per month in monitoirng services, they are not for everyone. That being said, it would still be much less expensive than full-time care by a professional.  You would also need to find a doctor that is willing to work with this technology and receive the data that these systems can send out.

Remember, technology can only do so much. There is a point where human face-to-face contact is best.  As this technology evolves, we may see more of these products on the mainstream market.  It is estimated that by the year 2050, for the first time in history, older persons will out number younger persons, under 60 years old.  The need for this technology will most likely increase.

Medical Alert Monitoring Company Reviews

As the plummeting real estate market continues to hit families hard, costs for senior housing are still expected to rise. This is according to to a September 23, 2009 article in National Real Estate Investor, a professional trade publication for commercial real estate investment.  The article states that rents are still on the rise even though vacancies are also rising.  How could that be?  The thought is that since new construction of senior housing continues to decline, demand will increase for available units.

The article states that the average monthly rents in 2009 for senior housing in the top 31 markets are as follows:

• Independent Living Housing:  $2,645.00 per month compared to $2,572.00 per month  in 2008
• Assisted Living Housing:  $3,500.00 per month compared to $3,419.00 per month in 2008
• Nursing Care Homes:  $7,712.00 per month compared to $7,493.00 per month in 2008

Although rents are up, the owners of these facilities are giving some concessions to attract new residents, though they are not typically in the monthly rent.  They are more short-term, like waiving a one-time move-in fee.

So, the experts are predicting that assisted living housing will show  growing demand over the next three to four years, since the population is aging and there will be little new construction due to the economy.   Well, if you’re as shocked as I am about the cost of renting in these types of places, or as your necessity to keep your loved one home due to job loss or  income decline increases, know that a medical alert monitoring system can provide some affordable relief.

By no means is a medical alert system a replacement for proper supervised care for your loved one, but in the right circumstance, it may be just the “tool” that you need. If your mom or dad is alert and able to move about freely, maybe you just need a way for them to call for help in case they fall, start a small kitchen fire while cooking breakfast, or have a real medical emergency.

You may also have that stubborn parent that continues to think they are still 50 years old and can do almost anything around the house.  You may catch them on a ladder trying to clean the gutters or trimming branches on a tree.  If that sounds like your parent, don’t think they’re going to slow-down just because they are living in your house.  They probably feel obligated to do some chores just so they feel useful.

You’d probably feel much better leaving your mom or dad at home, while you’re at work, knowing that help is easily accessible to them. If your plan was to have your mom or dad attended full-time in senior housing, but find the current economics limiting your options, consider the affordable benefits that a medical alert monitoring system can provide.

Find Out Which Companies Require Separate Systems

Well almost : – )  Some medical alert monitoring companies, like our top-rated LifeStation, have a feature that you may not be aware of. It allows you to purchase one system and have service for two people!  That’s the perfect solution for mom and dad living independently together at home.

So how does it work? Each company handles this situation a little differently and there are some clear advantages one may have over another.  The two primary differences are price and level of service.

Some companies will charge you a monthly fee for the additional button, while others charge a one-time flat rate. The best offerings are from companies that treat the other medical alert button as if it were a separate system.  They do this by putting the additional medical alert button on a separate zone.

If you have a home alarm, you may be familiar with the term zone.  Basically, it’s like a separate channel on a TV.  The TV acts like your medical alert monitoring console and the channels on the TV are like the zones.  When you switch to a different channel you get a different station.  When the medical alert system sends a signal from a different zone (or your dad’s pendant instead of your mom’s), the monitoring station will get different information on their screen – your dad’s information.

Companies that don’t treat the pendants or buttons like separate zones will only know that the emergency medical alert came from 1234 Anywhere Street, but not know who is in actual need of care.  If your dad or mom is able to speak to the medical alert monitoring company, they can identify themselves to the operator, who can then search for the proper information about your loved one.  If they can not speak, then more generic information will be given to the first responders and to you when they notify you of the medical alert alarm.  That could be frustrating simply not knowing who is in need.

So how do the companies we reviewed handle this service option? Well they all offer it, which is good.  LifeStation does identify the two buttons separately while one representative at Life Alert said they do identify them separately while another said they do not.  Philips Lifeline said the button users are identified by speaking and Walgreen’s Ready Response and ADT Companion Service both said that they were unsure.

Do not think that cost will help you solve the mystery of conflicting information. As you can see from our research, pricing is all over the board.