The Best Medical Alert Systems for Blind Users, Tested by Caregivers

Of all the devices we tested, Medical Guardian had the fastest response times, averaging eight seconds in our test calls. Medical Guardian also offers comprehensive tracking through the MyMedicalGuardian app. That means caregivers and loved ones can see how users are faring with their devices.

We love the eight-second response time of Medical Guardian, which is one of the fastest we’ve seen in our testing industrywide. But for blind people, we recommend the MGMini Lite, a mobile medical alert with a battery that charges in just three hours and lasts up to three days. Not only does it track the user’s location, but it also tracks their steps and activity levels, allowing for a more comprehensive check-in for caregivers. The MGMini Lite is also water-resistant, with an IP rating of 67. That rating means you can wear it in the shower and the device will remain fully functional.

>> Read More: MGMini Lite Review

Fall detection is not included with the MGMini Lite, but we like that it’s available as an add-on for $10 a month (which is standard across the industry). We wish fall detection was included, as it is with the Kanega Watch. Some systems, such as MobileHelp Duo, require a separate device for fall detection. That’s not the case for the MGMini Lite, however, which has fall detection built into the device. That feature is important for blind users in particular, as they may have trouble finding the button in the event of a fall.

The MGMini Lite costs $149.95, and the monthly fee is $46.95. If you add fall detection, the price goes up to $56.95 per month, which is higher than average for a mobile system.

>> Read More: Medical Guardian Pricing Guide

The MGMini Lite’s three-day battery life is impressive, but it’s only about half of the battery life of the Kanega Watch. Plus, we wish fall detection was included in the price, as it is with the Kanega Watch.

The MGMini Lite is an affordable and subtle way to stay safe, no matter where you are. We recommend springing for fall detection, because it could be a lifesaver for a blind user.

To learn more about the company, read our full Medical Guardian review.

With an average response time of 16 seconds and a battery that lasts up to six days, Bay Alarm Medical devices blew us away.

Bay Alarm Medical offers a variety of straightforward equipment, from a smartwatch to in-home systems, with affordable prices starting at just $27.95 per month for the in-home landline system. We recommend the SOS All-in-One 2, however, which is a medical alert button you can wear everywhere and anywhere.

>> Read More: SOS Smartwatch Review

Wearable on either a belt clip or a neck lanyard, the pendant impressed us with its six-day battery life from a single charge. We wore it all the time, save for the few hours we spent charging it. We even wore it in the shower, since the device has an IP rating of 67, making it water-resistant. As with LifeFone’s VIPx, fall detection is optional with the SOS All-in-One 2 and  doesn’t require an additional device. That means a blind user won’t have to search for a button after taking a nasty fall.

We paid $149 for the SOS All-in-One 2 device. That’s about the same price as the MGMini Lite, but considerably more expensive than the MobileHelp Duo, which comes with a $0 equipment cost. Beyond that, monthly fees range from $34.95 to $54.95, and fall detection costs an extra $10 per month.

The highest-tier package, the SOS All-in-One 2 with the 360° Fall Protection bundle includes an in-home device for even more protection. No matter which package you choose, there are no activation fees. In sum? Bay Alarm offers the lowest monthly prices of any company on this list.

>> Read More: Bay Alarm Medical Costs

Although we appreciated the caregiver tracking available in the Bay Alarm Medical app, which includes location information and device battery level, the iOS and Android apps were buggy at best. Testing the app on our iPhone, we noticed the GPS tracking was inaccurate and there were no alerts when the device’s battery was low.

Nevertheless, the app’s ratings have recently improved: It was once 2.9 out of 5, but it’s now 4.5 in the Apple App Store and 4.1 in Google Play, where it once had a lowly 1.9 rating.

The app may not be the friendliest to users, but the SOS All-in-One 2 is both functional and affordable in or outside of the home. To learn more about our experience with this system, read our full Bay Alarm Medical review.

LifeFone offers six medical alert systems with both home and on-the-go devices. You can pay for service by the month, quarter, or year, with monthly costs decreasing with the quarterly and annual options. Quarterly and annual plans include a free month and free shipping, too.

We gave high marks to LifeFone for their excellent customer service, and we were also impressed with the water resistance of the VIPx wearable device. During our tests, we showered with the device and found it still worked perfectly. We also found the VIPx caregiver app to be an excellent resource, despite having to pay $8 a month to use it. Other companies, such as Medical Guardian, offer a caregiver app for free.

Despite the price tag, LifeFone’s app is well-designed and includes several features that can greatly enhance peace of mind for users and their loved ones. With the app, caregivers can check the wearer’s location any time, set and monitor first-motion and daily step goals, and check device battery life. One particularly useful feature is the app’s ability to set up virtual boundaries for wearers: If the wearer ventures outside boundary lines, designated caregivers receive an alert. This feature is enormously helpful for users who have a tendency to wander.

We went with the At-Home &On-the-Go VIPx for $43.95 per month. This is on the pricier side compared to many competitors, such as MobileHelp, which has starting prices of $24.95 a month. We added fall detection for another $5 per month, which is half the price that some competitors charge for fall detection, and also paid $8 to use the VIPx caregiver app.

>> Read More: LifeFone Medical Alert Costs

Although these add-ons brought our monthly costs up, we think the peace of mind having both fall detection and a comprehensive caregiver app could be worth the expense for some seniors, particularly those who sometimes wander without letting anyone know where they’re going.

Also keep in mind that LifeFone does not charge equipment or activation fees, which can top $200 with some companies. Aloe Care Health’s Essentials package, for example, costs $199 for the package and an additional $39.99 per month for emergency help and app usage.

For some reason, LifeFone’s caregiver app is only available with their VIPx device. We would have appreciated using the app with LifeFone’s VIP flex watch or Safe Watch Active. These devices are more modern-looking than the VIPx device, which seniors who prioritize aesthetics and discretion might find unappealing. Still, the VIPx is very easy to use, so older adults with less experience with technology might appreciate its simple design and functionality. It can also be worn clipped to a belt, which can look and feel less obtrusive than wearing it around the neck.

We also found in our tests that LifeFone’s response times are average to below average at about 15 seconds. Although this average aligns with industry standards, it falls short compared with Medical Guardian’s eight-second response average.

Although LifeFone medical alert systems are not the cheapest on our list, we appreciate their lack of equipment and activation fees, solid GPS location technology, long battery life, and fall-detection accuracy. Another plus is that LifeFone lets you select whether you prefer an AT&T or Verizon cellular connection for your device; this enables users to pick the network with the strongest signal in their area.

To learn more about our experience with these systems, read our full LifeFone Medical Alert review.

With two at-home systems, two portable systems and two bundles, there’s a lot to choose from when you’re shopping at MobileHelp. Best of all, its systems start at $24.95 per month.

One of the reasons we like MobileHelp is because of the MobileHelp Connect app. Using the app, caregivers can see the device’s location, battery level, system status and how active the user is on a certain day. Caregivers can also set medication reminders and make updates in the app themselves. Medication management is one of many hurdles blind people face, according to the American Foundation for the Blind,1 so having automated reminders can be a huge help.

MobileHelp isn’t short on device and plan options (unlike Kanega, which offers only the Kanega Watch). We recommend the MobileHelp Duo for blind users because the in-home base unit, mobile unit and waterproof help button are all included in the monthly fee. There are no equipment or activation fees, which are standard with many other companies.

Since we saved so much money on equipment, we added a fall detection button for $5.50 per month. It would be nice if fall detection didn’t require a separate device, but considering MobileHelp charges half of what some companies do for monthly fall detection, we weren’t too mad about it.

We saved a bundle by not having to pay anything for the MobileHelp equipment. Rather, we paid between $34.95 and $46.95 per month for the monitoring and cellular network that kept us connected to the monitoring center, plus $5.50 more per month for the fall-detection button.

You can choose to pay monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually. Typically, monthly fees are lower if you pay for multiple months of service up front, but with MobileHelp, monthly costs are the same no matter which payment plan you choose. There are no activation fees, though, so MobileHelp is still an affordable option.

>> Read More: MobileHelp Pricing Guide

We had a few issues with the Android MobileHelp Connect app, and the iOS app left much to be desired. We found that the app was basically a poorly formatted version of the website, with words cut off and pages cut in half. To access the caregiver tracking, we preferred to use the website, which wasn’t a great experience on a mobile phone.

For protection at home, outside of the home and even in the shower, MobileHelp offers a variety of options with no equipment fees.

To learn more about our experience with the brand, read our full MobileHelp review.

Many older adults prefer to hide that they’re wearing a medical alert device, and one solution to that problem is a smartwatch. Meet the Kanega Watch from UnaliWear, the company’s sole offering. The Kanega Watch has fall-detection capability built into the device, and it’s included with your monthly subscription.

The Kanega Watch is a durable, waterproof watch we could wear anywhere, including in the shower. We liked that with four rechargeable batteries included, we could just swap the battery out for a new one while the first one was charging. The package also comes with two chargers, ensuring that we never run out of juice.

The lack of additional fees for fall detection makes the Kanega Watch stand out. When we tested the watch by tripping on a sidewalk, the watch asked if we had fallen. Even if we didn’t answer, someone at the monitoring center would have been alerted and dispatched emergency services.

What’s cool about the fall detection on the Kanega Watch is its lack of false alerts. According to UnaliWear, the company collects data from actual falls from all of its watches. The more data it has, the more accurate the patented software is, reducing false alerts. The next time you sit down quickly in a chair, you won’t hear an annoying voice asking if you need help.

Like the MobileHelp Duo, the Kanega Watch does not charge equipment fees. But as with some competitors, costs for monitoring over a year are cheaper if you pay annually rather than monthly. An annual subscription costs $779.40, or $64.95 per month, whereas you’ll pay $84.95 per month with a monthly subscription. Those are the highest fees of any device on this list by a pretty wide margin. But there is a silver lining: AARP members and veterans get one month free.

The main drawback of the Kanega Watch is its substantial cost. We also wish UnaliWear offered more products than just the Kanega Watch, such as a medical alert pendant or an in-home unit. We hope the company will expand its offerings to rival more established companies like Medical Guardian and MobileHelp.

If you want accurate and reliable fall detection strapped to your wrist at all times, the Kanega Watch is worth the money. To learn more about our experience with the system, read our full Kanega Watch review.