Understanding the Goal of a Senior Medical Alert System

Nobody likes to feel vulnerable in their own home. The goal of a senior medical alert is to allow seniors to live independently while knowing they can call for help if and when it is required.

Aging in place is ideal for many seniors who prefer to remain in their homes rather than move to a senior residence of assisted living facility. For many seniors and the people who care about them, the greatest worry is that the senior will be unable to call for emergency medical help if it is needed. Senior medical alert systems are designed to meet this need, giving seniors the opportunity to remain in their homes without this concern.

Senior alert systems have two components: A water-resistant transmitter that is worn all the time and an alarm console that communicates directly with a 24/7 monitoring center. Many transmitters are small and neutral in color so they are not obvious. There are also transmitters that are bracelet-style. The console is small and easy to install. It simply needs to be plugged into the wall and attached to a phone line. When the button on the transmitter is pressed, the console automatically phones the monitoring center and trained personnel communicate over a two-way speaker phone to assess the situation. If the senior is unable to respond, local emergency medical care is contacted immediately. If less urgent help is necessary, the monitoring service phones the people on the contact list. This senior citizen alert system is in place with the goal of giving the senior peace of mind while safely going about their day-to-day activities inside the house.

The range on the senior medical alert is ideally large enough to cover the house and some area outside so the senior can be in communication with the console while getting the mail or talking outside with a neighbor. The main idea is for seniors to have the senior medical alert serve their needs rather than the other way around.