Choosing a Medical Alert Necklace
Falls are the number one cause of injury-related deaths in seniors, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While it’s difficult to predict when a fall might happen, medical alert necklaces can help. These devices can detect a fall and call for help, providing peace of mind to users and their loved ones. Choosing the right medical alert necklace is important, though. You’ll want to consider cost, the ability to engrave your name and contact information on it, ease of use and whether or not a device has automatic fall detection.
A medical alert system has an emergency button that you can wear as a pendant or on your wrist. When you press the button, it sends a signal to the company’s monitoring center. If a medical emergency occurs, a dispatcher can speak with you through the base station or mobile unit and send an ambulance to your location. Some companies offer a special feature called automatic fall detection, which can be built into a pendant or worn on a wristband. Automatic fall detection uses accelerometers to measure movement and determine if you’ve fallen. It isn’t perfect, and it can have false alarms, but it’s a useful option for those at risk of falling.
The cost of a medical alert system is usually between $20 and $50 per month, depending on the plan you choose. Some systems have up-front fees that reduce your monthly costs. The top medical alert systems also have a free pendant with every service plan.
Many people prefer to wear a medical alert necklace, and some of the more popular brands have a variety of options for styles. Bay Alarm Medical, for example, has a line of jewelry that includes necklaces and bracelets in different colors and designs. These are a good fit for those who want to keep their medical alert button hidden without sacrificing its functionality.
There are also medical alert necklaces that work with a GPS unit instead of an at-home base station. You can wear these on your wrist or around your neck, and they connect to a portable GPS device the size of a pager. When you press the button, you can speak with a monitoring agent through a two-way speaker on the portable GPS unit, and it’s water-resistant so you can wear it in the shower.
Before purchasing a medical alert necklace, consult with your doctor or geriatrician. They can provide a professional opinion about whether or not this type of device is beneficial for you, and they can discuss the best features to look for in a medical alert system. Be sure to mention any chronic health conditions, such as heart conditions or diabetes, that could affect your ability to communicate with a rescuer. You’ll also want to make sure the device is compatible with any existing medical devices, like pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators. A good medical alert system will have a list of medical devices that are compatible with its products. Panic button
