By. Heidi Nestor, writer & editor for Life Alert.
If you have an elderly family member who is left alone often, one of the surest ways to get peace of mind back in your life is through a medical alert system that will send help fast, 24/7, at the push of a button. If you’re not sure what to look for, here are few tips to consider.
Contracts:
Would you rent an apartment without a contract? Of course not. The reason being is without that contract stating that you only need to pay a certain amount monthly, your landlord could raise the rent at any time to any price. “Contract” isn’t a dirty word. On the contrary, a contract is your protection.
Some companies promote “no contracts”, but there's no point in purchasing a medical alert system with a company that's not going to be as invested in you as you are in them. If you have a contract with a company they must uphold their commitment to you. A contract is your price protection so you’re guarantee a fixed cost and the company can not raise their monthly charge, or implement hidden fees like other businesses do without contracts.
Base Unit verses Speaker phone:
SIZE DOES MATTER, at least in the medical alert industry. And this is an area where smaller is better. Some medical alert pendants are waterproof whereas others emphasize having a speaker phone built into the pendant making communication 2-Way. Don’t be fooled by this kind of advertising because base unit pendants communicate 2-Way, as well.
Unfortunately, the speaker phone pendant is large, heavy and bulky due to the mechanics inside the pendant. This can make it too tedious to wear all the time, especially when sleeping. Moreover, it really doesn’t make much of a fashion statement as the speaker phone pendant is quite visible and can’t easily be tucked into a shirt.
Whereas, a base unit emergency pendant has the communication devices built into the monitor, not the pendant, making the pendant easier to wear either around the neck or wrist, on a belt, or tucked into a shirt. Moreover, because it is small and lightweight, a person can wear it all the time comfortably, even when sleeping or showering.
Water Resistant vs. Water Proof:
The bathroom is one of main areas where the elderly are most vulnerable. Therefore, it’s imperative that an emergency response pendant be able to work where moisture, humidity, and heavy water flow occurs.
A medical alert product that is water resistant means if it gets wet, it can resist the moisture. So, if you’re washing your hands and some water gets on the medical alert device it won’t short it out. However, if it’s submerged the water can still penetrate and ruin the product. Some companies may promote that you can bathe or shower with their water resistant system but you may want to really check the fine print to verify that the item will still work if it gets submerged in a bath.
Whereas, Water Proof means it’s impervious to water and can be submerged. Life Alert’s pendant and watch are water proof giving you the freedom to shower or bathe, and knowing that if you slip - help is just as button push away.
Reputation:
Would you buy an unfamiliar brand of automobile from an unknown dealership that just popped up over night? I hope not. Most likely you would research that dealership as well as the make, model and year of the vehicle you’re interested in before making any purchases. Generally, the same reasons why you would do this research are the same reasons why you need to research to find which personal protection company is best for you. It all comes down to trust and safety.
You want to make sure this is a known and reputable business you can trust. Just as your life is in the hands of an automobile and its maker, the life of your elderly loved one is being put in the hands of a personal protection company.
So when it comes to choosing the right medical alert system for your elder, make sure the company has a contract that works for you, the pendant is small enough to wear comfortably while sleeping or bathing, and most importantly, make sure you know and trust the company.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday, February 1, 2010
New Medical Alert Kid in Town
by. Heidi Nestor, Writer & Editor for Life Alert.
It seems like every day there’s a new company popping up claiming to be the new, best, medical alert product. Many of their hooks include no contracts, water resistant, wide communication range, wallet card ID, panic button, out of range notification...etc. The list is as long as a fast-food drive-through at lunch time. So, which program is the best? Let’s look at all the bells and whistles to see which one will be most effective for you.
Contracts
Though some companies may promote “no contracts” this may not be in your best interest. There's no point in purchasing a medical alert system with a company that's not going to be as invested in you as you in them. Contracts are implemented for your security as well as the company’s. If you have a contract with a company they must uphold their commitment to you. A contract is your price protection so you’re guarantee a fixed cost and the company can not raise their monthly charge or implement hidden fees like other companies do without contracts. Moreover, having a contract with a known, secure, company establishes a relationship and puts you in a position to be able to renegotiate a discount once your current contract expires.
The average contact generally consists of 36 months and should include:
-> The company’s commitment to you
-> Guarantee price for the life of the contract
-> 48 hour cancellation period
-> Contract and service termination upon the death of the user of the product
-> Contract and service termination if the user enters into a nursing facility or has 24 hour in-home care.
-> A monitoring fee refund that states if the user dies for any reason at home alone during the term of the contract the company will refund all monies paid.
O.k. so now you know contracts isn’t a dirty word that’s going to have you regret signing the bottom line and wondering if you just joined the hearing-aid of the month club.
Water Resistance vs. Water Proof
A Medical Alert product that is water resistance means if it gets wet, it can resist the moisture. So, if you’re washing your hands and some water gets on the medical alert device it won’t short it out. However, if it’s submerged the water can still penetrate and ruin the product. Some companies may promote that you can bathe or shower with their water resistance system but you may want to really check the fine print to verify that the item will still work if it gets submerged in a bath.
Whereas, Water Proof means it’s impervious to water and can be submerged.
Adaptable to changing phone providers
Most medical alert systems work through the phone line, and they promote the fact that your phone bill will not increase with their system, however this is standard with most companies and shouldn’t be considered an added bonus. What you need to look for is will the system adapt to a different service provider if you decide to switch telephone companies.
There are horror stories in the medical alert industry of clients changing phone services only to discover that their new phone system isn’t compatible with their medical alert providers. So, while shopping around a good question to ask is if the medical alert system is compatible to any phone service you decide to use or switch to.
Where is the dispatch center?
Why should you care where your call is going, or who is answering your call, or even who that dispatch representative works for? Because your life may depend on it!
Some companies outsource their dispatch centers, meaning, a third party answers the emergency call. This removes the medical alert company from having control and responsibility.
A company that has their own dispatch center is a company that reinvests in the client’s safety because it continuously upgrades security technology and qualified personnel. Moreover, the dispatch personnel are more apt to be personally invested in the success of the company based on their abilities. If the company has a dispatch center on site you know they are a strong and secure corporation that didn’t just pop up over-night and won’t be gone in the morning.
Whereas, outsourcing the emergency dispatch center (which is the most pivotal part of the medical alert process) may allow for a less expensive cost but just where is that company cutting corners to give you a cheaper price? The emergency dispatch personnel! A company’s biggest expense is payroll. Companies that can offer lower prices usually have a smaller dispatch center. Fewer employees mean more opportunities to miss or drop calls. Furthermore, as the outsourced company grows the dispatch center becomes stressed, thus producing poor customer service.
To keep prices low a company must also keep payroll down. To keep payroll down means that employees are paid less, and are less qualified for the job. So, if you have low-paid employees, that are overly-stressed and under-qualified for the job, they will be less likely to be invested in their job of saving lives.
Monthly testing availability
One of the top reasons for a medical alert system to fail is because it wasn’t tested regularly.
Some products on the market have a direct link into 911 so if a problem occurs, you press the button and 911 comes on the line. But did you know that a non-emergency 911 call can lead to you paying fines as much as $200. This eliminates a user’s ability to test their pendant for any irregularities or weak batteries.
A medical alert service provider should allow for monthly testing at no extra cost.
Standards:
Here are some basic standard features that should come with your service:
* Free Activation
* 24/7 Emergency response center
* Stay on the line help representatives
* Out of range or lost transmission notification.
* Power failure back-up
* Wallet medical ID
The short cut
If all of this information seems like you need to get a P.I. license just to investigate which service is best for you possibly the quickest and most effective way to determine this is just to read the testimonies of people just like you. What? You say! Why didn’t I tell you this paragraphs ago? Because I wanted you to at least review all of the services you need to consider when deciding which medial alert program is best for you. By reading the testimonials look for which company has the most and why. You also may want to check their rating on the Better Business Bureau too.
In choosing a medical alert product focus in on the most important issue at hand, your safety, and how is the company you choose going to secure your safety? A strong product, balanced contract, testimonials, name recognition, and longevity should all be part of your decision making and not the flashy promotions from the new guy in town.
It seems like every day there’s a new company popping up claiming to be the new, best, medical alert product. Many of their hooks include no contracts, water resistant, wide communication range, wallet card ID, panic button, out of range notification...etc. The list is as long as a fast-food drive-through at lunch time. So, which program is the best? Let’s look at all the bells and whistles to see which one will be most effective for you.
Contracts
Though some companies may promote “no contracts” this may not be in your best interest. There's no point in purchasing a medical alert system with a company that's not going to be as invested in you as you in them. Contracts are implemented for your security as well as the company’s. If you have a contract with a company they must uphold their commitment to you. A contract is your price protection so you’re guarantee a fixed cost and the company can not raise their monthly charge or implement hidden fees like other companies do without contracts. Moreover, having a contract with a known, secure, company establishes a relationship and puts you in a position to be able to renegotiate a discount once your current contract expires.
The average contact generally consists of 36 months and should include:
-> The company’s commitment to you
-> Guarantee price for the life of the contract
-> 48 hour cancellation period
-> Contract and service termination upon the death of the user of the product
-> Contract and service termination if the user enters into a nursing facility or has 24 hour in-home care.
-> A monitoring fee refund that states if the user dies for any reason at home alone during the term of the contract the company will refund all monies paid.
O.k. so now you know contracts isn’t a dirty word that’s going to have you regret signing the bottom line and wondering if you just joined the hearing-aid of the month club.
Water Resistance vs. Water Proof
A Medical Alert product that is water resistance means if it gets wet, it can resist the moisture. So, if you’re washing your hands and some water gets on the medical alert device it won’t short it out. However, if it’s submerged the water can still penetrate and ruin the product. Some companies may promote that you can bathe or shower with their water resistance system but you may want to really check the fine print to verify that the item will still work if it gets submerged in a bath.
Whereas, Water Proof means it’s impervious to water and can be submerged.
Adaptable to changing phone providers
Most medical alert systems work through the phone line, and they promote the fact that your phone bill will not increase with their system, however this is standard with most companies and shouldn’t be considered an added bonus. What you need to look for is will the system adapt to a different service provider if you decide to switch telephone companies.
There are horror stories in the medical alert industry of clients changing phone services only to discover that their new phone system isn’t compatible with their medical alert providers. So, while shopping around a good question to ask is if the medical alert system is compatible to any phone service you decide to use or switch to.
Where is the dispatch center?
Why should you care where your call is going, or who is answering your call, or even who that dispatch representative works for? Because your life may depend on it!
Some companies outsource their dispatch centers, meaning, a third party answers the emergency call. This removes the medical alert company from having control and responsibility.
A company that has their own dispatch center is a company that reinvests in the client’s safety because it continuously upgrades security technology and qualified personnel. Moreover, the dispatch personnel are more apt to be personally invested in the success of the company based on their abilities. If the company has a dispatch center on site you know they are a strong and secure corporation that didn’t just pop up over-night and won’t be gone in the morning.
Whereas, outsourcing the emergency dispatch center (which is the most pivotal part of the medical alert process) may allow for a less expensive cost but just where is that company cutting corners to give you a cheaper price? The emergency dispatch personnel! A company’s biggest expense is payroll. Companies that can offer lower prices usually have a smaller dispatch center. Fewer employees mean more opportunities to miss or drop calls. Furthermore, as the outsourced company grows the dispatch center becomes stressed, thus producing poor customer service.
To keep prices low a company must also keep payroll down. To keep payroll down means that employees are paid less, and are less qualified for the job. So, if you have low-paid employees, that are overly-stressed and under-qualified for the job, they will be less likely to be invested in their job of saving lives.
Monthly testing availability
One of the top reasons for a medical alert system to fail is because it wasn’t tested regularly.
Some products on the market have a direct link into 911 so if a problem occurs, you press the button and 911 comes on the line. But did you know that a non-emergency 911 call can lead to you paying fines as much as $200. This eliminates a user’s ability to test their pendant for any irregularities or weak batteries.
A medical alert service provider should allow for monthly testing at no extra cost.
Standards:
Here are some basic standard features that should come with your service:
* Free Activation
* 24/7 Emergency response center
* Stay on the line help representatives
* Out of range or lost transmission notification.
* Power failure back-up
* Wallet medical ID
The short cut
If all of this information seems like you need to get a P.I. license just to investigate which service is best for you possibly the quickest and most effective way to determine this is just to read the testimonies of people just like you. What? You say! Why didn’t I tell you this paragraphs ago? Because I wanted you to at least review all of the services you need to consider when deciding which medial alert program is best for you. By reading the testimonials look for which company has the most and why. You also may want to check their rating on the Better Business Bureau too.
In choosing a medical alert product focus in on the most important issue at hand, your safety, and how is the company you choose going to secure your safety? A strong product, balanced contract, testimonials, name recognition, and longevity should all be part of your decision making and not the flashy promotions from the new guy in town.
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