I live with a chronic illness and disability, and I have experienced several falls and other emergencies in my home. I have used Life Alert, as well as several other medical alert devices, over the years to stay safe while on my own. This type of device and service is most often marketed to seniors, but I used Life Alert as a young person. Since I’ve spent much of my time at home alone, the device has provided me with a vital service, helping me avoid injuries and nursing home placement. The following review is based on my personal experience with Life Alert and other monitoring services.
Others feel that the ad is in bad taste, with some disliking the way it depicts seniors to be weak and helpless. When I used Life Alert, I lived in a 600-square-foot, one-story apartment and never had difficulty connecting with the operator. Most of my emergencies took place in the bathroom, which was approximately 300 feet away from my device, or in my bedroom, which was about 400 feet away from the device. I would simply press the button on my necklace and the system’s loud alarm would engage.
Life Alert Company History
It provides on-the-go coverage and GPS location services. You can choose from three different Life Alert systems according to your needs. All of their plans offer 24/7 professional monitoring and don’t require a landline or Wi-Fi connection. We’re going to cover each unit in detail, starting with the at-home systems for seniors who prefer the comfort of home. And then we’ll dig into the combo at-home and mobile plan, which we think is ideal for seniors who enjoy a more active lifestyle and are always on-the-go. One thing to keep in mind is that Life Alert doesn’t offer fall detection, which is a bit disappointing.
On the flip side, some have also publicly expressed that the ad has done its job well of letting seniors and their children think about the serious consequences of falling down when they are all alone in their homes. A Youtube video of their ad received 339 likes vs 272 dislikes. A number of people admitted to crying when they saw the TV advertising spot because it was so disturbing for them. The strong reactions have come from a wide cross-section of society, across all age groups 18+, gender and people from different industry backgrounds. Life Alert has been Better Business Bureau Accredited since 1987. They have an A+ rating at the time of this review with 277 complaints, 40 reviews, and less than a 2 star rating.
Range of Use
Founded in 1987, Life Alert ® provides its service to members nationwide. LifeCall released the first version of these infamous television ads in 1989, which featured an elderly woman identified as “Mrs. Until his death, Doctor C. Everett Koop popularized Life Alert in commercials that aired from 1992. Matt McCoy Born May 20, 1958 Austin, Texas, United States Occupation Actor Years active 1979–present Spouse Mary McCoy ( m. 1985) When did the Life Alert commercial come out? After earning a degree in journalism, Jenny Wisniewski spent much of her professional life in education; however, she returned to writing in earnest in the senior care space, acting as caregiver to her mother.
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How old are the Life Alert commercial?
Jenny holds dual bachelor’s degrees in English/Journalism and Political Science from Miami University in Oxford, OH. She currently resides in Milwaukee, WI. This system combines both in-home and mobile coverage for more peace of mind in and outside of your home. You pay $89.85 per month and receive a mobile GPS button, your standard in-home base unit, one wearable pendant, and one waterproof wall button. We like that Life Alert’s mobile device comes with a 10-year battery life so you won’t have to worry about charging it. And keep in mind that when your battery runs low on juice, Life Alert replaces it for free.
The Life Alert website maintains a running tally of the lives saved by Life Alert since 2008. As of this writing, the number stands at 536,487 lives, more than half a million people. For instance, it may not be the best option for people with significant memory loss or cognitive decline—they might not remember how to engage the device or may repeatedly call for help when there’s not an emergency. The basic system has a range of approximately 800 feet, and users are typically sent two monitors. With this coverage, a user could be almost anywhere in an average-sized home and still call for help successfully.
Considering this, Who is the operator in the Life Alert commercial? Everett Koop has appeared in commercials for Life Alert since 2004, stating that he wears one. Life Alert subscriptions are more expensive than the industry average, but they offer high quality emergency monitoring.
As with most medical alert systems, the user has a choice of wearing the alarm button on a lanyard or as a bracelet. As a wheelchair user, I feared that I would constantly bump the bracelet alarm against my wheelchair, causing it to alarm when I wasn’t in need. The necklace alarm is so small and lightweight that I forget that I’m wearing it.
We recommend this option for seniors who don’t need the additional device. Without a doubt, Life Alert is one of the most trusted names in the medical alert industry. The company has been serving seniors for the past 30 years. We’ve personally tested their products over the years, and we certainly appreciate their high quality monitoring. Regardless of whether the user chooses the bracelet or lanyard, it is easy to forget to put it on. It’s recommended that the user not remove the panic button to avoid forgetting—it’s waterproof and can even be worn in the shower.
It occurred back in 1989 for a medical alert company called LifeCall. Life Alert‘s initial reaction was to defend their stance. According to Life Alert, their goal is to jolt people into realizing the terrible consequences of preventable tragedies that could happen when seniors are alone at home.
However, the frequency of these discounts and what they cover can range widely. Inquire with customer service before making your purchase. Currently, Life Alert is offering a free month of service if you opt for paying annually. As mentioned, they aren’t fully transparent with their pricing on their website, so we had to rely on the information different sales reps gave us and what little information we found on their site. So if you’re interested in Life Alert, you might want to call them to learn more about their latest deals and discounts. Emergency help 24/7 even if you can't reach a phone and peace of mind to family members.
Thankfully, the upfront costs include installation , as well as programming and activation charges. In most states, Medicaid covers the monthly cost of a basic monitoring system for people who qualify for Medicaid and are at risk of nursing home placement. However, Life Alert specifically does not participate in this insurance program. If there’s a fall or other emergency, the user simply presses the emergency button, and an alarm sounds and they connect with a Life Alert operator within seconds. You can learn more about Life Alert’s background and really get to know their systems — including a detailed rundown of our experience using their products/services — in our full review of Life Alert here. While we think Life Alert may be a little too expensive for what you get, we do like that the monitoring center has demonstrated reliability with a TMA Five Diamond Certification.
How does Life Alert get into your house?
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We also like that the battery on the on-the-go device has an extended life and doesn’t need charging. We have to say, at $89.85 per month, this plan is quite a bit more expensive than other brands that offer better coverage at more affordable prices. One Call Alert, for example, provides a 1,300-foot range at the low price of $24.95 per month. Senior health and longevity is as simple as a push of button allowing independent seniors to live alone without ever being alone. Once I completed a thorough interview via telephone, the company sent a technician to my home to install and test the device. Due to the company’s pandemic protocols, it may guide the user through product setup virtually now.
