The Best Medical Alert Systems for Men in 2024
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When it comes to medical alerts, sometimes the hardest part is finding one that your loved one will wear. Some men refuse to wear one that is obviously a medical alert button, uncomfortable, heavy, or just plain ugly. That’s why I’ve rounded up the most stylish and durable medical alerts out of the dozens I’ve tested.
FYI: Are you not a man? Then take a look at my rundown of the overall best medical alert systems.
Our Favorite Medical Alert Systems for Men
- Medical Guardian : Best Home System
- Bay Alarm Medical : Best Mobile System
- UnaliWear Kanega Watch : Best With Fall Detection
How We Chose Our Favorites
Companies Evaluated | 22 |
Hours of Research | 80+ |
Hours of Product Testing | 100+ |
Ranking Criteria | 4 |
Finalists Chosen | 3 |
Here’s what I looked for in the best medical alert systems for men:
- Quick response times: Response times are the amount of time it takes between when I push the urgent response button or the pendant detects a fall, and when I hear from the monitoring center. They range from eight to 30 seconds, and the lower the better.
- Fall detection: Typically, fall detection is an add-on that costs around $10 extra per month and may require a separate device. It ensures that you’ll get the help you need after a fall, even if you’re unable to push the urgent response button.
- Affordability: While some companies offer free equipment, it usually costs around $100 to $150. Monthly prices range from around $25 all the way up to $70 per month, with a typical cost of around $35. Some companies offer monthly contracts as well as quarterly, semiannual, and annual options. Additionally, some companies charge activation and shipping fees.
- Durability: For medical alerts, durability is measured by a device’s IP rating. I look for devices that are water-resistant with IP ratings of 67 or, better yet, waterproof devices with IP ratings of 68.
Our Top Picks
1. Medical Guardian - Best Home System
877-947-4512
What We Like Most:
- Fastest response time
- Caregiver tracking
- Optional fall detection
- 32-hour battery backup
Overview
Medical Guardian offers a few home and mobile systems to choose from, as well as some bundles — all of which can be easily tracked through the MyGuardian app.
Standout Features
For men, I’d recommend the MGHome Cellular system, which consists of a hub and a help button they can wear as a bracelet or pendant. The first thing you should know is that it has the fastest response time of any system I’ve tested, only eight seconds, making it one of the best options in terms of safety. And although the hub depends on your home’s power, it comes with a 32-hour backup battery, ensuring that it will remain on even in a power outage (I tested this by unplugging my hub and was happy to see that it still worked). Because it’s a home system, I had to be within 1,400 feet of the hub for my button to work; however, that’s more than enough for my little house. Plus, it’s actually the longest range I’ve seen from a home medical alert system.
I recommend adding fall detection to your system, as I did. It doesn’t require a separate device, just an additional monthly charge. This brings me to my next point.
Pricing
The MGHome Cellular costs $149.95 plus $34.79 to $37.95 every month for monitoring; you can pay for this on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Fall detection will add $10 to your monthly cost. To save the most, sign up for a year.
Note that Medical Guardian does not allow for a trial period. Once you’ve purchased the equipment, you can return it, but you’ll incur a $50 restocking fee. If you want a trial period, Bay Alarm Medical and the Kanega Watch both offer a 30-day, risk-free trial period; this may be necessary for someone who is more hesitant about wearing a medical alert system. To learn more, read my page on Medical Guardian’s pricing.
Drawbacks
While the web portal worked well for caregiver tracking — letting me see the help button’s location, system status, connectivity, and battery history — the mobile app didn’t work as well. I found that when I checked my button’s location on the MyGuardian app, it was often off or delayed. Bay Alarm Medical has a superior iOS app — its Android app isn’t great, either.
Our Verdict
With a subtle pendant that can be worn around your neck, wrist, or even in your pocket, the MGHome Cellular from Medical Guardian provides a quick response that could be life-saving in the event of a fall. You can dive deeper in my Medical Guardian review.
Pros
- Fast response time
- Long range from hub
- Optional fall detection
- Hub works for 32 hours in a power outage
Cons
- Fall detection costs $10 more per month
- Inaccurate mobile app
2. Bay Alarm Medical - Best Mobile System
855-675-0754
What We Like Most:
- 16-second response time
- Caregiver tracking through mobile app
- Optional fall detection
- Up to six days of battery life
Overview
Active men who want a medical alert button they can take anywhere will appreciate the SOS Mobile from Bay Alarm Medical; it has a water-resistant help button with a battery life of up to six days.
Standout Features
Want a system you can wear in and out of the house? Meet the SOS Mobile — a medical alert button that doesn’t require being near a hub. Like with Medical Guardian’s MGHome Cellular, the SOS has optional fall detection for an extra $10 a month, but it’s worth it. When I tested a fall, I got a response in 16 seconds — even without pushing the urgent response button.
In order to stay connected no matter where I went, the SOS Mobile connects to either AT&T or Verizon’s 4G LTE cellular networks, which covers most of the U.S. When I was at home, however, the device connected to my Wi-Fi network, which allowed for more accurate location data compared to cellular networks.
I could track my system, or the system of a loved one, through the Bay Alarm Medical app; the app shows the medical alert button’s location and battery level. It also showed my step count, as the device can register motion — a great way to make sure your loved one is staying active.
Pricing
The SOS Mobile costs $99, with monthly prices ranging from $34.95 to $59.95. All systems are billed on a month-to-month basis, meaning you can cancel at any time, so the differences in price are based on what you get. $34.95 a month is the minimum; however, if you want fall detection, the cost goes up to $44.95. There’s also an option to bundle it with a home system for $59.95 a month. Bay Alarm Medical does not charge activation fees, unlike UnaliWear (UnaliWear does not charge for equipment, but Bay Alarm Medical is still cheaper by a longshot). If you want more details, read further about Bay Alarm’s pricing.
Drawbacks
While the Bay Alarm Medical iOS app worked decently well, the Android app left much to be desired. Instead of showing me a map of the device’s location history, I had to click on each individual time stamp. Plus, I noticed that the location was not actually accurate, putting me miles away from where I actually was. This could be a major issue for a caregiver monitoring a loved one remotely.
Our Verdict
While it may be a better choice for iPhone users rather than Android users, Bay Alarm provides a reliable mobile system for an affordable price. Men will appreciate the fact that it doesn’t confine them to their homes, but allows them the freedom to travel wherever they want. For more information, read my review of Bay Alarm Medical.
Pros
- Mobile system
- Water-resistant
- Monthly contracts
- Step counting
Cons
- Bad Android app
- Fall detection is $10 more per month
3. UnaliWear Kanega Watch - Best With Fall Detection
What We Like Most:
- Fall detection included
- Waterproof device
- Subtle smartwatch design
- No equipment fees
Overview
Many men will not want to wear a medical alert pendant, no matter how light or subtle it is. If that’s the case, you’ll appreciate the Kanega Watch from UnaliWear; it looks like a regular smartwatch but functions like a medical alert button with fall detection.
Standout Features
When I got the Kanega Watch in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it came with not only two chargers but also four rechargeable batteries. Combine that with the fact that the watch is completely waterproof — not just water-resistant like the medical pendants from Bay Alarm Medical and Medical Guardian — and that meant I could wear the watch all day; I could even wear it while immersed in a (very masculine) bubble bath. With an IP rating of 68, it’s completely impervious to both solids and liquids, so feel free to take it on your swim, run, or sweaty bike ride.
On top of that, the Kanega Watch includes fall detection, which isn’t the case for the MGHome Cellular or the SOS Mobile. I didn’t have to pay anything extra for the watch to detect my falls; plus, the detection was more accurate as UnaliWear uses data from real falls to train its watches via a patented technology called RealFall. For you, that’ll mean fewer false alarms, like if you sit down quickly.
Pricing
The Kanega Watch itself is free — yay! But don’t get too excited, as I had to pay a $199 activation fee (it would have been $299 had I activated it over the phone and not online). Plus, because fall detection is included with the Kanega Watch, monitoring costs are a bit higher than average, ranging from $59.95 if you sign up for a year or $69.95 a month. Although the annual option is clearly cheaper, it requires a total upfront payment of at least $918 for the monitoring and activation fees; this will not be feasible for everyone. The good news is that, if you’re a military veteran or a member of the AARP, you get a month free.
Drawbacks
Unfortunately, UnaliWear does not provide an app for the Kanega Watch, although caregivers can add medication reminders through the web portal. However, they won’t be able to see the watch’s location, battery level, system status, or connectivity. If you want more comprehensive caregiver tracking, Bay Alarm Medical and Medical Guardian are better options.
Our Verdict
The Kanega Watch is the perfect medical alert watch for an active male senior who wants 24/7 protection they can take anywhere. You can learn more about my testing in this Kanega Watch review.
Pros
- Four rechargeable batteries
- Waterproof design
- Medication reminders
- Free equipment
Cons
- High activation and monitoring fees
- No mobile app for caregiver tracking
The Importance of Wearing a Medical Alert
Wearing a medical alert is incredibly important. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, falls are the leading cause of injury and deaths from falls for U.S. adults ages 65 and older. With a medical alert, you increase your chance of being able to get the help you need not only after a fall, but in any emergency situation.
That being said, they only work if you actually wear them; in my experience, I’ve found that the biggest issue with medical alert systems is getting a loved one to wear them. If they’re unattractive or uncomfortable, it’s understandable why someone would not want it literally attached to their neck. That’s why it’s important to find something you don’t mind wearing, but you may not know until you try the device itself. This brings me to my next point.
The Importance of Trial Periods
Trial periods are incredibly important when it comes to medical alert systems. You need time to actually see if a pendant will work for you, and if you actually want to wear it both at home and out of the house. Thankfully, most medical alert companies offer a 30-day, risk-free trial period. If you try it, hate it, and return it within this time period, you’ll get a full refund — removing any and all financial risk. That being said, not all companies offer this trial period. While Bay Alarm Medical and UnaliWear do, Medical Guardian does not — keep that in mind if you’re considering buying the MGHome Cellular or any of the systems.
Convincing a Loved One to Wear a Medical Alert
Here are some actionable tips on getting your loved one to wear a medical alert:
- Buy a pendant they can hide by putting it in their pocket or carrying it in a bag.
- Look for pendants that are super lightweight and won’t weigh them down physically.
- Get a smartwatch medical alert, which often looks like any smartwatch on the market.
- Show your loved one the statistics on seniors and falls, like the fact that one out of every four U.S. adults ages 65 and older falls each year.
- Get your loved one an Apple Watch like the Apple Watch SE. It has fall detection and an urgent response button, but is used by many people who aren’t seniors. You can learn more in my comparison of Apple Watches vs. medical alert systems.
Bottom Line
No matter what the sex of your loved one is, convincing a senior to wear a medical alert can be difficult. It represents a loss of control — one of the hardest parts of the aging process. However, with subtle devices you can find a medical alert for your male loved one with ease.