The Best Medical Alert Systems for Women in 2024
The Senior List is compensated when you click on the provider links listed on this page. This compensation does not impact our ratings or reviews. Click here to learn more about our editorial review process and click here to learn more about how we are compensated.
Overall Rating:
See Pricing877-947-4512
Overall Rating:
See Pricing855-675-0754
Overall Rating:
See Pricing844-996-2846
One of the biggest barriers for seniors who are considering a medical alert device — or whose caregivers have floated the idea — is the way they look. Few people are fond of the help button designs and their clunky, clinical appearance. I’ve found this is a particular concern for women. Luckily, several companies have created medical alert systems that are bona fide pieces of jewelry.
In this rundown of the best medical alert systems for women, I’ll take a look at three different medical alert providers, all of which offer either discrete or even beautiful help buttons, allowing the aesthetically minded among us to remain safe without sacrificing their appearance.
FYI: Not concerned with jewelry pendants? Then take a look at my rundown of the overall best medical alert systems.
Our Favorite Medical Alert Systems for Women
- Medical Guardian : Best for Caregiver Tracking
- Bay Alarm Medical : Best Waterproof Device
- LifeFone : Best with Free Equipment
How We Chose Our Favorites
Companies Evaluated | 22 |
Hours of Research | 80+ |
Hours of Product Testing | 100+ |
Ranking Criteria | 5 |
Finalists Chosen | 3 |
Obviously, not all women have the same needs for the medical alert systems they choose. However, in my experience, I’ve seen that women are especially hesitant about the clinical appearance of some medical alert devices.
Here’s what I looked for in the best medical alert systems for women:
- Stylish wearables: While I’ve never met anyone who fell in love with the appearance of their medical alert pendant, several companies offer aesthetically pleasing covers for these buttons, making them resemble fashionable necklaces.
- Comfortable help buttons: Medical alert help buttons should be worn all day, so we looked for companies that provided comfortable hardware.
- Smartwatch options: For those who are particularly shy about visibly wearing a medical alert, a medical alert watch can be a great way to discreetly stay protected.
- Reliable monitoring: Regardless of gender, we all need our medical alert systems to provide compassionate and reliable assistance. Our three top picks scored high in terms of their monitoring.
- Fair pricing: The companies on this list offer systems as low as $24.95 per month. What’s more, they don’t require you to lock into long-term contracts.
The Best Medical Alert Systems for Women
1. Medical Guardian - Best for Caregiver Tracking
877-947-4512
What We Like Most:
- Caregiver tracking through the MyGuardian app
- Jewelry pendants hide emergency buttons
- Four Hollywood-inspired designs to choose from
- At-home and on-the-go systems
Overview
Medical Guardian’s pendants, which work both at home and out of the home, have four jeweled options to cover them up, all inspired by “Old Hollywood.” Plus, your loved ones will be able to track you through the MyGuardian app, making sure your help button is on and connected.
Standout Features
Medical Guardian offers three on-the-go systems and three at-home systems. Here, I’ll highlight the MGHome Cellular, a home system that relies on cellular networks to keep you connected to the monitoring center. Along with the hub, I got a help button that I can wear as a bracelet or necklace, which works as long as I’m within 1,400 feet of the hub, the largest range on this list.
If you’d rather not be seen wearing a medical alert button, you’ll appreciate Medical Guardian’s collection of jewelry pendants, inspired by the golden age of Hollywood. Essentially, these are plates that cover your help button. Currently, they are available in four styles:
- Black onyx and gold (the Audrey style)
- White mother of pearl and gold (the Farrah style)
- Black onyx and silver (the Tippi style)
- Turquoise and silver (the Dolly style)
All of the pendants are made of brass and come with magnetic clasps, making it easy to change styles and match outfits. Absolutely no one will know that you’re wearing a medical alert button, and you may even get compliments on your beautiful jewelry.
Pricing
The MGHome Cellular costs $149.95 for the system itself. Monitoring will range from $34.79 to $37.95 per month, with available term lengths of one month, three months, or one year. You can save money by signing up for an annual package. Note that if you want to add fall detection, it’ll cost an additional $10 a month, and the jewelry pendants themselves cost an extra $2.99 a month. Luckily, there are no activation fees. If Medical Guardian sounds right for you, be sure to check out my rundown of Medical Guardian prices.
Drawbacks
While the help button is water-resistant, it’s not completely waterproof like the help button of the Bay Alarm Medical SOS Home system. That means that you probably should take it off before you bathe, but that could be a problem for someone who has trouble in the bathroom and is at risk of falling.
Our Verdict
Both beautiful and discreet, adding one of Medical Guardian’s jewelry pendants to its help button will keep you safe, and, possibly more importantly, stylish. To learn more about all of the systems from this company, be sure to check out my Medical Guardian review.
Pros
- Four jewelry pendant styles to choose from
- Pendants made of lightweight brass
- At-home and on-the-go systems
- No activation fees
Cons
- More costly than competitors
- Fall detection costs an extra $10 a month
2. Bay Alarm Medical - Best Waterproof Device
855-675-0754
What We Like Most:
- Waterproof help button
- Four Bella Charms to choose from
- Free equipment
- Battery life of up to five years
Overview
Similar to Medical Guardian, Bay Alarm Medical offers jewelry pendants that can hide the appearance of traditional help buttons. Best of all, Bay Alarm Medical’s “Bella Charms” are completely waterproof.
Standout Features
What is the difference between something being waterproof and merely water-resistant? It means the item can be totally immersed in water while still functioning normally, and that’s the case for the help button of the SOS Home system from Bay Alarm Medical. It works so long as I am within 1,000 feet of the base station, using either cellular or landline, whichever you prefer. If you have a landline, this is a better option than cellular as it has more accurate location data.
Of course, even when you’re home, you don’t want to feel bogged down by an unsightly medical alert device, but Bay Alarm offers what they call “Bella Charms,” fashionable jewelry pendants that will disguise your help button as a necklace. Available in four unique designs and weighing less than 2 ounces each, they’re as waterproof as the button itself. That means you can wear it all the time, unlike with Medical Guardian.
Pricing
The SOS Home system, which includes a base station and help button, didn’t cost me anything for the equipment itself. Rather, on a monthly basis, it costs:
- Landline system: $24.95
- Cellular system: $29.95
- Cellular system with fall detection: $39.95
Beyond that, each Bella Charm is a one-time fee of $25. If you prefer a smartwatch to a pendant, there are four Bella Bands for the watches in teal, blue, purple, and black, each costing $17 or $50 for a four-pack. These are really reasonable prices, especially compared to Medical Guardian.
To learn more about this company and its approach to contracts, read my breakdown of Bay Alarm Medical prices.
Drawbacks
To get fall detection with the SOS Home system, I actually had to buy a separate fall detection pendant, which cost $30 upfront in addition to the extra $10 I had to spend per month. Plus, this fall detection brings the battery life from five years to two.
Our Verdict
With trendy options for both necklaces and smartwatches, Bay Alarm Medical makes it easy to disguise your medical alert system, while still looking out for you. For more information, check out my full review of Bay Alarm Medical.
Pros
- Four pendants and four watchbands to choose from
- Landline or cellular systems
- Free equipment
- Low monthly fees
Cons
- Extra pendants required for fall detection
3. LifeFone - Best with Free Equipment
844-996-2846
What We Like Most:
- No equipment fees
- Beautiful vanity pendant
- Landline and cellular at-home systems available
- Lifetime warranty
Overview
LifeFone didn’t charge me anything for my at-home cellular system, so I didn’t mind paying a bit extra for a beautiful vanity pendant.
Standout Features
LifeFone has a variety of at-home and on-the-go systems, with landline and cellular options for the home systems. I bought the At-Home Cellular package, which included a hub, a smartwatch, and a pendant necklace. However, I opted to add the vanity pendant so I could wear the necklace without anything knowing it’s a medical alert device. Note that, unlike with Bay Alarm Medical or Medical Guardian, this wasn’t something I attached to my existing button, but a whole new piece of jewelry with the medical alert button built-in. Circular with a gold chain, it looked like a regular necklace. Only I knew that the necklace was compatible with my at-home system.
As far as the system itself went, it worked as long as I was 1,300 feet away from the hub, connecting to AT&T’s cellular network. That being said, although I was constantly connected to the monitoring center, LifeFone’s app isn’t compatible with this at-home system. If you want caregiver tracking, I’d recommend a VIPx system. That way, you can use the VIPx caregiver app and view the device’s battery level, location, and step count.
Pricing
LifeFone has no equipment fees for its medical alert systems, and I didn’t pay any activation fees, either. However, the vanity pendant cost me $71.95, which seemed expensive until I remembered it was the only thing I paid for out of the whole system. Beyond that, prices were anywhere from $30.95 to $34.95 a month, with term lengths of monthly, quarterly, or annually. Like with Medical Guardian, I saved by signing up for an annual package.I’ll add that LifeFone is the only medical alert company I’ve encountered providing people with a lifetime warranty. Typically, warranties last only a year. You can read more about LifeFone’s pricing.
Drawbacks
The vanity pendant only works with at-home systems, so it’s not something I could wear when I was out of the hub’s range. Plus, it does not include fall detection, so if fall detection is something you want, you may not be able to disguise your button with jewelry.
Our Verdict
If you’re okay with having an at-home system with no fall detection, the vanity pendant is a great way to stay connected to 24/7 professional monitoring. To learn more about this company, read my full LifeFone review.
Pros
- No equipment fees for the At-Home Cellular system
- No activation fees
- Monthly contracts
- Gold vanity pendant
Cons
- Vanity pendant has no fall-detection
- Vanity pendant only works with at-home systems
The Importance of Wearing a Medical Alert
Seniors might have a preconceived idea of what a medical alert looks like, which is clunky and unattractive. “Grace and Frankie” fans may remember the episode in which Frankie insisted she didn’t want to wear a medical alert because she didn’t want to feel old. However, she needed the alert in the end, so it’s a good thing she decided to keep it with her.
Many of you or your loved ones may empathize with Frankie’s feelings! Medical alerts can be emotionally charged, especially for women. After all, no one wants to wear something that makes them feel old, dependent, or frail. Many seniors tell themselves they’re not ready for an alert button quite yet.
One easy solution for many women is to opt for a wrist option. Most standard medical alert buttons can be worn on the wrist instead of around the neck. They might be a little bulkier than a standard watch but are still wearable. Some companies even offer a smartwatch option, which is fantastic since they don’t look anything like a medical alert.
Pro Tip: We’ve tested out dozens of medical alert systems to come up with our list of the best medical alert bracelets.
Another option is to check if the pendant is small enough to tuck inside clothing, or otherwise unobtrusive enough to wear without feeling self-conscious.
We understand how hard it can be to choose a medical alert. No one wants to wear something ugly or obvious. These companies offer easy-to-wear buttons that don’t stand out too much, while still keeping senior women safe no matter where they are.
The Importance of Trial Periods
Sometimes, despite the best of intentions, many older adults may refuse to wear medical alerts after they purchase them (or after a loved one purchases one for them). That’s why trial periods are so important. Most medical alert companies offer trial periods in which you can test out a system and return it for a full refund within a certain time period. Typically, this time period is 30 days with companies like:
- Bay Alarm Medical
- FastHelp
- LifeFone
- Lively
- MobileHelp
- Silent Beacon
- Unaliwear, the company behind the Kanega Watch
- WellBe
One exception to this is Medical Guardian, which does not allow returns of purchased equipment. If you are concerned that you may not want to use your medical alert button forever, choose a company with a trial period so you can avoid financial loss.
Convincing a Loved One to Wear a Medical Alert
Convincing a loved one to wear a medical alert button can be difficult. Many believe that wearing one will make them look old, not something they want to emphasize. However, there are ways that you can disguise a medical alert, which may make your loved one more comfortable with wearing one.
Companies like LifeFone, Bay Alarm Medical, and Medical Guardian offer jewelry pendants and fashionable watch bands that turn a medical alert into a cute necklace, bracelet, or smartwatch. People may have no idea that it’s actually a medical alert button. This is one way of convincing your loved one to wear a medical alert button, if their issue is not wanting others to know.
However, many seniors believe they don’t need medical alert buttons, and that they are an unnecessary expense. In that case, you may want to show your loved one some statistics about seniors and falls, like the fact that, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injuries, and deaths from injuries, for U.S. adults ages 65 and older. For women in particular, fall rates are higher than men and account for three-quarters of all hip fractures, caused by falling sideways 95 percent of the time.
While it’s understandable why someone would not want to wear a medical alert, if it’s necessary for their safety, explain this to them calmly and with care, empathizing with their objections before patiently making your case.
Bottom Line
The desire to look good does not go away with age. Older adults often want to look as good as anyone else. Disguising a medical alert with a fashionable pendant may be just what you or your loved one needs to wear a help button, whether in or out of the home.