Medical Alert Systems Blog and Resources

Medical alert devices have been around for a number of years. These devices are used to alert emergency services in the event of a fall or other crisis. When shopping for a medical alert system, you can choose between an in-home system or an on-the-go device. Basic wearable pendants and buttons connect to the base station or mobile system to call for help when activated.  Medical Guardian has taken several traditional medical alert system offerings, such as 24/7 monitoring and SOS assistance, and integrated them into a sleek-looking smartwatch. On March 1st, 2022, Medical Guardian released the MGMove Smartwatch that allows you to maintain style and convenience without compromising peace of mind.  Watch the video above for an unboxing of the MGMove watch where we cover what's included in your purchase and highlight the top product features. We've also included information about the features, pricing, and setup below.  What is a Medical Alert Smartwatch? A medical alert smartwatch is a wearable device that includes basic tech features for health and wellness along with emergency calling functions. These watches are a popular tool for achieving an active and safe lifestyle while staying connected to loved ones and emergency services.  The MGMove Smartwatch The MGMove is a new wearable device offered by Medical Guardian that helps you stay safe, active, and connected. When you order the watch, you'll receive a charging station and charging cables. The watch carries a full day's charge, allowing you to go about your daily activities without needing to recharge your watch.  The watch offers six available features: an SOS button, weather updates, reminders, speech-to-text, steps tracker, and GPS tracking.  Features  SOS Button: The SOS button is located on the side of the watch, as well as on the swipe-to-alert feature on the top of the watch. This is used to contact the monitoring center. The person wearing the watch will be able to talk with the monitoring center through the watch to receive further assistance when the button is pressed and held for five seconds. Weather Updates: The weather updates will give you an overview of the forecast that day letting you know if you need to prepare for any unexpected weather.  Reminder Notifications: Get daily reminders from your MyGuardian Portal and App. This is helpful for calendar alerts or medication reminders. All notifications are sent 15 minutes before the event unless those settings are changed. Reminders are also stored under the reminders icon.  Speech-to-Text: One of the new Social Circle Apps is the Messages App. The watch is a great communication device for talking with your care circle and loved ones. By simply speaking into the watch, your words will be turned into written text and sent to the named recipient. Steps Tracker: The daily steps tracker is used for setting goals and tracking your progress.  GPS Tracking: Advanced location tracking allows the selected social circle to see the location of their loved one. MGMove uses the 4G LTE network for location accuracy to give you and your loved one's peace of mind. This is great if you worry about getting lost or a loved one wandering.  Pricing  The pricing includes the product lease and monitoring. Medical Guardian provides 24/7 monitoring to connect you in the event of an emergency. to make sure it can properly place an emergency call without sending a false alert. Medical Guardian recommends testing the system once a month.  The three plan options along with their monthly cost breakdown are listed below:  Monthly Plan Quarterly Plan Annual Plan $39.55 per month $39.55 per month $36.62 per month You can purchase a protection plan for $6.99 per month. The protection plan covers product damage, loss, or theft. Medical Guardian will replace your watch as long as you have not tampered with, repaired, or abused the product.  You can also add additional features to your plan such as the Social Circle Apps for $5.00 per month. This gives you access to the Reminders App and Messages App. OnGuard Alerts is another service that notifies you and your Care Circle with real-time texts and emails when there is an emergency.  The OnGuard Alerts is an additional $2.99 per month.  Setup The Medical Guardian device does not require professional installation or setup. Medical Guardian includes detailed instructions on how to turn on the device and enable the cell phone chip. The cellular service enables GPS tracking so emergency services and your care circle can locate you in the event of any emergency.  You also don't need a smartphone or cell phone plan to use the watch. Network coverage is included in the monthly cost.  Is an MGMove Smartwatch right for me? If you are evaluating different medical alert systems, the MGMove is a great place to start. The device is easy to use and discreet enough to blend into your everyday wardrobe. Individuals looking to maintain an active lifestyle can use the MGMove smartwatch to track health goals, stay on schedule, and pursue independent passions. The Medical Guardian watch is a great gift idea for a loved one who wants to be self-reliant and active.  Medical Guardian is a leader in the medical alerts industry with over 13,000 customer reviews on our site and the majority of customers awarding the company five stars. You can read through our Medical Guardian review to learn more about the company that produced the SOS smartwatch.  For more information about Medical Guardian’s MGMove or other trusted products, visit Medical Guardian's profile or call (800) 860-0618.

  Medical Guardian is a well-known medical alert system company from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2005, Medical Guardian sets itself apart from its competition with its five core values: Customers above all else Innovation as motivation Passion for purpose Building meaningful relationships Excellence in results For nearly a decade, Medical Guardian has stayed at the top of our rating charts, earning the number one spot for the best medical alert system company on the market. With its high ratings never faltering, we wanted to ask how — how has Medical Guardian stayed consistent and remained at that top spot all of these years? The simple answer to that question is Medical Guardian has outstanding customer reviews. When we give a score to medical alert companies, customer reviews are the most heavily weighted factor when determining where companies land on our Best Medical Alert Systems List. Other aspects are considered as well, such as pricing, upfront fees, contract length, time in business etc. But customer reviews make up 75 percent of a company's score. We want to ensure the companies that are earning those top spots are giving customers the treatment they deserve.  To earn that #1 medical alert spot year after year, Medical Guardian reviews have to be top-notch — and they are. A whopping 69 percent of Medical Guardian reviews are 5 stars, and 88 percent of Medical guardian reviews are either 4 or 5 stars. That tells us the company is doing something right for consumers to rate the company so high, especially more than seven years in a row.  So what makes Medical Guardian so liked by its customers? We took a sample of Medical Guardian's reviews, delving into hundreds of ratings, separating them into categories, and identifying the specific areas where Medical Guardian excels.  After reading through hundreds of reviews, we determined Medical Guardian excels in multiple areas. One-third of all sampled reviewers also cited at least two positive experiences that prompted their review. So quite often, consumers aren't appreciative of just one aspect of the company; they're satisfied with multiple. Below we'll break down each section and provide specific Medical Guardian reviews that highlight customers' thoughts about the company.  Equipment Quality Customer Service Response Times Affordable Pricing Peace of Mind Review Responses Equipment quality and ease of use Because you or your loved one's life can depend on this device, medical alert equipment must be high-quality, trustworthy, and simple to use. Of the reviews we sampled, almost half mentioned Medical Guardian's quality equipment and its ease of use as a reason for the customer's high review rating.  Customer Review: Martha from Lorain, Ohio "I went through the testing process of the equipment and it all went very smoothly. I followed the directions that came with what I was sent and it was very clear how to do the process. It was very easy." From initial set up to using the equipment on a day-to-day basis, you want the functionality to be straightforward, and that's exactly what consumers noted as a convenience of Medical Guardian is the simple yet high-tech equipment.  Customer Review: Susan from Pennsburg, Pennsylvania "I had used another previously, and Medical Guardian is so much better in quality of product and customer service." For the equipment to be effective for customers, there needs to be versatility and customization, which is something Medical Guardian also makes a priority. The company knows that medical alert systems aren't one size fits all, so there are a variety of medical alert packages to choose from.  Customer Review: Steve "They are responsive and very helpful in the setup process. They also helped in choosing the best equipment and appropriate response plan." Here's a breakdown of Medical Guardian's medical alert packages if you're interested in seeing what individual plans the company offers and what specific equipment comes with each one. All of Medical Guardian's medical alert packages include 24/7 professional monitoring, waterproof medical alert devices, and two-way communication. If you want to purchase a fall alert pendant, you need to upgrade your selected package. You also have the option to add extra medical alert buttons, wall-mounted buttons, voice-activated wall buttons, lockboxes, and more to your selected plan.  In-Home Medical Alert Packages Classic Guardian ($0.97 per day) — Medical alert system for in and around the house that connects to your landline. Wearable medical alert button that can function up to 1,300 feet away from the base station. Home Guardian ($1.13 per day) — Medical alert system for your home that doesn't require a landline. Wearable emergency button functions up to 600 feet away from the base station. On-the-Go Medical Alert Packages Mobile Guardian ($1.35 per day) — Built-in GPS technology that keeps you protected up to 350 feet from the base station. Reliable cellular connection through AT&T with 24/7 professional monitoring. Mobile Guardian base can be worn around the neck or with a belt clip, while the pendant that comes with it can be worn around the neck or wrist.  Active Guardian ($1.35 per day) — Portable medical alert system with built-in GPS and Wi-Fi technology. Not limited by a range. Worn around the neck or with a belt clip. Freedom Guardian ($1.45 per day) — Lightweight smartwatch medical alert device. GPS and Wi-Fi positioning systems that can determine your exact location. Text-to-speech text messaging, reminders and alerts, and weather forecast capability.  Mini Guardian ($1.29 per day) — Lightest device Medical Guardian offers at half the width of the other devices. Built-in fall detection and a five-day battery life. GPS and WiFi location tracking. Worn around the neck or with a belt clip.  Superior customer service Nearly 40 percent of reviewers mentioned a positive experience with Medical Guardian's customer service. That's a comforting number when you're trying to decide if Medical Guardian has a responsive staff you want to do business with. Medical alert devices aren't something you purchase once and then you never speak with the company again; you are going to be dealing with Medical Guardian at least monthly to do frequent system checks that ensure your system is working. You'll also likely contact the company with questions about billing or equipment, for example. You want to know the company takes consumer concerns seriously and makes a concerted effort to provide excellent customer service. Medical Guardian reviews demonstrate just that.  Customer Review: Melissa Freeman from Elkin, North Carolina "Medical Guardian has the best ratings on the Internet. Customer service thus far has been tops!!" As the #1 rated medical alert provider, Medical Guardian strives to live up to its impressive reputation. A brand could easily be a disappointment if it didn't make the effort to impress the majority of its customers with treatment that is valued and appreciated.  Customer Review: Hubert from Scarsdale, New York "Once or twice I have been called by them just to see if everything was okay. They were just testing the device and seeing if I'm okay so I found that to be terrific customer service." The above review demonstrates how Medical Guardian's customer service goes above and beyond what you typically see in companies. Medical Guardian contacts customers even when nothing has been reported, just to ensure they are doing okay and that their medical alert system is operating how it should be. That alone could save a life if for some reason the device wasn't working and that phone call was able to detect a problem before an emergency took place.  Customer Review: Anthony "I think that their service is very good. We test it once a month and the people are very efficient, very nice, they answer very quickly and it just makes you feel confident. My every interaction with them has been a positive one."   Quick response times A quick response time in a medical alert provider is key. If you or a loved one experiences a fall, you want to know the monitoring center will respond to your button push within minutes — even seconds. Of the reviews we sampled, 33 percent were impressed with Medical Guardian's response times, saying the company responds almost instantly every time their button is pressed.  Customer Review: Linda "They answered the call immediately. I got stuck in the pantry and fell. I just pressed the button and my son came immediately and everything was taken care of. It was a good experience." With any medical alert system, you're most likely going to experience quite a few false alarms where you accidentally press your button and contact the monitoring center. Although this may seem inconvenient to both you and the company, it's actually a great way for both parties to test the medical alert device to not only ensure it's working, but also to check that the company's response rate is acceptable. Countless reviews we went through mentioned customers accidentally pushing their buttons but being thankful that they did because that showed them that Medical Guardian responded immediately and that their systems were functioning effectively.  Customer Review: Mark "I never actually needed help, but have accidentally pushed the button a few times and someone responded immediately." Customers also appreciated Medical Guardian's response times weren't just quick for certain types of alerts. For example, if you push your button and/or experience a fall and make contact with Medical Guardian's monitoring center, you can tell the operator —or decide beforehand — if you want the monitoring center to contact an ambulance or one of your family members instead. This way, you don't need to worry about an ambulance showing up at your home if it's just a minor fall that a family member can help with.  Customer reviews show that whether you opt for an ambulance or a family member to assist you, Medical Guardian's response times are equally quick.  Customer Review: Julia "Unfortunately my dad fell, and he pressed his alert tag, within minutes I received a call that my dad fell, the operator was so kind and patient with me as I was on the way to his home! This company was everything we signed up for and more!! Extremely pleased." Affordable pricing Price is always going to be a major factor when deciding when to do business with a company. Thankfully, numerous reviews we looked at noted that Medical Guardian has an affordable price that is definitely worth the quality service you receive.  Customer Review: Aaro Rice "Very good product and friendly staff! Product is quality and price is affordable." Medical Guardian's monthly price starts at $29.95 and ranges up to about $44.95. When compared to other top medical alert providers, like Life Alert that charges closer to $70 per month, Medical Guardian has one of the most affordable prices on the market. Medical Guardian also doesn't require any activation or equipment fees, unless you're purchasing the smartwatch medical alert device or the Mini Guardian. This means that with almost all of the company's packages, you won't have to spend any money upfront except for the monthly payment.  Customer Review: Lynne Yates "Very good product and service. Like the pricing and the people are very nice." Medical Guardian also doesn't require a contract. Competing medical alert companies like Life Alert require up to three-year contracts, so it can provide peace of mind to customers that Medical Guardian doesn't lock its customers into long-term agreements. This means no hefty cancellation fees and no added stress for you or your loved one if you need to cancel the medical alert service.  Customer Review: Linda Cox from Waterloo, Iowa "I found that Medical Guardian was less expensive than Life Alert. I think the customer service was knowledgeable, professional, helpful, and very nice." Peace of mind Medical alert systems can primarily be a precautionary measure that gives you and your loved ones peace of mind that if an emergency or fall takes place, help will be contacted and sent immediately. As we read through reviews around this topic, customers were noting that even if they haven't had to use their medical alert device yet, they were still thankful for the service. For most customers, paying a monthly monitoring fee is worth the peace of mind and sense of independence alone. Customer Review: Annabelle Weaver "It gave me peace of mind because I was all alone. It's a comfort to know that I have it hanging around my neck. All I have to do is push the button if I need it. Now I have family close by so I can get help if I fall. Most of the times I've used it was by accident when I turned over in bed. They have called me to make sure things are working right for me and that everything is ok." Detailed review responses Not only are customer review ratings important when determining if a company is trustworthy, but so are the company's responses to those reviews. If a business is receiving bad reviews online and making no moves to rectify its customers' concerns by responding to those reviews, that's a sign that you may not be able to trust that company.  It's nice to see that Medical Guardian makes it a priority to respond to its reviews. Here are a couple of examples of Medical Guardian responding to specific customer concerns: Medical Guardian also sends reviewers a private message and provides contact information so the customer has a way to contact them personally regarding the problem they're having.  Key Takeaway: Medical Guardian customer reviews reveal the company excels in multiple areas. Equipment quality and ease of use Superior customer service Quick response times Affordable pricing Peace of mind Detailed review responses Medical Guardian Medical Alert Systems Learn more about Medical Guardian's medical alert system offerings and read additional customer reviews. Learn More

Medical alert systems have come a long way since their early days in the 1970s. A medical alert system used to be just a device that would automatically dial a preset phone number when you pressed a panic button. Now technological advancements have given medical alert systems many more functions like fall detection and GPS location tracking. So, what does the future hold? Here are some ways that companies are making strides to bring medical alert systems into the future: GPS-based systems These have become fairly commonplace among many medical alert companies. These systems operate on cellular GPS signals in order to pinpoint someone's location. GPS-based systems need to be recharged on a daily basis because the base unit is portable — usually the size of a deck of cards. You carry the base unit and the emergency button with you at all times. Companies such as MobileHelp have chosen to specialize in these sorts of medical alert systems that cater to adults with healthy, active lifestyles. Classic medical alert models operate on a landline connection to get you in touch with emergency personnel. These systems are still widely being sold and will probably have their place until a more technologically-savvy generation grows older and needs medical alert systems. GPS-based systems are also slightly easier to install. You should only have to plug in the system and it's ready to go. Mobile apps Some companies feature apps that you can download to your mobile phone that then functions as a sort of medical alert system. This is a convenient and inexpensive way to make a medical alert system work for you, but there are a few limitations with it: Are you smartphone savvy? Many elderly folks simply aren't. A complicated smartphone could be overwhelming for someone who just wants a simple push-button wristband or pendant. The process of unlocking the phone and opening an app is much more complicated than pushing a help button. What is your current data plan? Mobile phones must have GPS locating capabilities to be fully functional as a medical alert device. These devices must have a robust data plan that can track your phone 24/7 without causing overages. A normal flip phone probably won't have these capabilities. Is the app reliable? This depends on the company and the designer. Talk to a company representative about what mobile apps they offer. Look them up on the app store, and pay attention to what current customers have said about their reliability and usability. Currently, GreatCall is a company that specializes in specific medical alert/cell phone devices. The cell phones operate as medical alert devices that have to be attached to one of the company's data plans. This could be convenient for seniors who want to bundle their cell phone and medical alert system, so more manufacturers might start doing the same thing in the future. Smart Watches At the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, Medical Guardian debuted a new device called the Freedom Guardian, which is a smartwatch designed for seniors who want a portable medical alert system. Not only does it function as a medical alarm in case of a fall, but you can also set reminders for medication or calendar events along with sending and receiving text messages. With text messaging, the device will send you the message and can read it aloud to you, as well as translate voice into text. One of the best parts is that the device looks similar to your average Apple Watch. In the technological world, smartwatches are still relatively new, so we have yet to see other companies come forward with devices such as a medical alert-focused smartwatch. However, this may change as the industry continues to progress and grow. As baby boomers and other technologically-savvy seniors grow older, smartwatches will probably become more popular. In order to take a look at the best medical alert companies in the industry, visit our handy guide at Best Company.