With electronics changing faster than a speeding bullet, so are the features of personal alert systems or medical alert systems.

If you have a Grams you might find yourself asking, “What can medical alert systems do?” There are a myriad of options when researching which medical alert system model to purchase. Before you spend countless hours researching be sure you know what you want FIRST!

Start with the big picture first with answers to questions like, “Is Grams an inside person or does she like to be outside?” You really need to be frank about her mental condition and make sure the system meets her personal needs.

To answer your question, “What Can Medical Alert Systems Do?” You should have answers to these questions:

A. What is it that you want the system to do for your Grams? Auto-Call for help? Fall detection? Vitals monitoring? GPS location? Activity/movement monitoring? Daily services? Health & Fitness tracking? Home monitoring?

B. What type of equipment will work best for Grams’ style of living? If it is wearable, is it a pendant, bracelet or anklet? Is it fashionable? Is the device comfortable? Can you get it wet? What is the range and type of connection? Will it connect via Wi-Fi, cellular or landline? Are batteries going to last long? are the batteries expensive? Can the device be upgraded? How difficult is the system to set up? What range does the system have? Where is the unit mounted? Does the system have a battery back-up?

C. Get as many details about the monitoring as possible: The response time should be very swift! A matter of seconds, not minutes. Does the monitoring company own and operate its response center or is that contracted out? Ask about the response center certification. How long are the operators trained before going “Live”? Do the operators speak clearly, without an accent? Will your Grams be able to understand the operator? Can you have different types of alerts routed to different people? Can you call with questions 24/7? How does the company protect your personal information?

D. Cost: Be aware of complex pricing plans, hidden fees may lurk. Look for a plan with a company that has no extra fees related to equipment and activation, delivery, installation, or service and repair. “Donated or used” equipment offers are usually a scam…steer clear!

E. Contracts: Avoid getting into any long-term contract. You should only be charged monthly fees in the range of $25 to $45 a month (about a buck a day). Avoid paying for your service in advance. You just never know when you’ll have to interrupt the service temporarily or permanently.
Ask if the company offers a trial period and what kind of guarantee they offer, if you’re not satisfied with the service or it just doesn’t work for your Grams.

Once you’ve selected a system, be sure to it is working for Grams. If this system didn’t work, don’t worry, just switch to another service for a good fit — it could save a life.