Lively Medical Alert: Costs, Systems and Plans

Lively Medical Alert System: The Lively Mobile 2

In the past, Lively used to sell a medical alert watch, the Lively Wearable, as well as the Lively Mobile Plus. Presently, the company only offers one system, the Lively Mobile2.

Compared to the Lively Mobile Plus, the Lively Mobile2 functions almost identically. Both have a built-in help button, speakerphone and GPS. By pressing the help button, you’ll be connected to Lively’s Urgent Response call center, wherein an operator will assess your situation and coordinate a response.

During our hands-on testing, we put the Lively Mobile2 through its paces in various scenarios. We carried it during walks around the neighborhood, simulating a fall on a park bench (carefully, of course!) and even tested the speakerphone quality from different rooms in a house. We found the GPS tracking to be impressively accurate, pinpointing our location quickly. The speakerphone was consistently clear, making it easy to communicate with the Urgent Response agents easily, even in windy or noisy environments. This real-world usage reinforced our confidence in its ability to provide reliable protection.

Compared to the Mobile Plus, the Lively Mobile2 has the following differences:

• Price: While the Mobile Plus retailed for $49.99, the Mobile2 costs a one-time $79.99. Luckily, activation fees and monitoring costs remain the same.
• Design: The Lively Mobile2 is black and rounded at its edges, while the Plus is silver and more squared.
• Availability: In March 2024, Lively launched the Lively Mobile2 and stopped selling the Lively Mobile Plus. The Mobile Plus, however, is still available from other retailers and the company will still provide monitoring service on Mobile Plus devices.

It’s also important to remember that both devices still connect you to the same Lively Urgent Response center. Because of this, we found both systems performed identically in terms of emergency response times, clocking in at 14 seconds on average.

Lively Mobile2 vs. Lively Mobile Plus

Purchasing From Lively

To purchase a medical alert system from Lively, I recommend visiting the company’s website. There, you’re able to view each of their devices. Even more importantly, you’ll be able to review the two different plans for the Lively Mobile2 (more on those below).

When you purchase your Lively Mobile2, you’ll pay a one-time $79.99 charge for the device. To activate the device, you’ll also be charged a one-time activation fee. Online activation costs $25. If you activate the device over the phone, the activation fee will be $35.

Lively Plans

With your Lively Mobile2, you’ll have to choose one of two monitoring plans. Both plans include Urgent Response calling, Lively Link app use and Ask Lively, which is essentially a dedicated customer support hotline. Lively’s Premium plan throws in some extra features.

Regardless of the plan you choose, fall detection can be added for an additional $9.99 per month.

Lively Basic vs. Premium

Urgent Response

Imagine if an older adult were to go for a walk and suddenly forget their way home. What would ordinarily be a stressful situation may be mitigated with the Urgent Response service offered with each of Lively’s plans. With just the press of a button, you can connect to Lively’s monitoring center and communicate with its highly trained agents via your device’s two-way speaker.

Given that 27 percent of adults ages 65 or older report falling at least once per year,1 having immediate access to emergency response can be life-saving. CDC research shows that falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among older adults, making rapid-response capabilities such as Lively’s Urgent Response particularly valuable for maintaining independence and safety.

The Expert Take

From Cody McGonagill

Firefighter/EMT

The ability to receive help instantly with the touch of a button makes medical alert systems so valuable. This key feature has proven to be highly effective in real-life situations. In my work in public service, I’ve seen firsthand how these systems have been instrumental in responding to calls involving confused or disoriented individuals.

Lively Link

For family members or caregivers who wish to keep tabs on their loved ones, Lively offers a free smartphone app that is compatible with Android and iOS devices.

For the app to work, you’ll need to give permission for your personal and device-related information to be shared with your designated caregiver. The app will then send emergency alerts to your caregiver any time your button is pressed or a fall is detected. It can also inform your caregiver about your device’s battery status and exact location. The app also has a support center with resources and tips for caregivers.

The feature addresses an important demographic trend: Nearly 27 percent of women ages 65 to 74 and 43 percent of those ages 75 or older live alone,2 according to recent Census data. The Lively Link app helps bridge the gap for family members who want to support aging relatives who value their independence while living alone.

Nurse on Call

If you wish to consult quickly with a doctor or nurse, you can use Lively’s Nurse on Call feature for 24/7 access to medical advice from healthcare professionals. By addressing issues as they arise, the app reduces the risk of diseases progressing unchecked. This is another feature not commonly offered by other medical alert brands.

Care Advocate

For those navigating the tricky waters of caregiving, a care advocate can help point you to various resources to help you along your journey. This hotline can also help you find various eldercare resources available in your area.

Fall Detection

Situations like a slip in the shower or missing a step are scary affairs, and a medical alert device would be useless if you’re unable to press the help button and speak into it. That’s where the extra $10 can make a difference. After unlocking its built-in fall-detection feature — without having to buy any additional equipment — your device automatically determines whether a fall has occurred and alerts the emergency response center.

Is fall detection a must-have? Then check out my rundown of the best medical alert systems with fall detection.

Lively Mobile2 Returns and Warranties

Lively requires no long-term contracts on its medical alert systems, meaning you can cancel your Lively Mobile2 service at any time and stop making monthly payments. If you want a refund for your device, you’ll need to return it within 30 days of purchase. By doing this, you can receive a refund of both your $79.99 device cost and the activation fee. While this one-time cost might seem high, it’s actually lower than Medical Guardian’s equipment charges, which start at $149.95.

After 30 days, however, you can no longer return your device or receive a refund for the device or activation. You can only cancel your service and receive a prorated refund for your monthly charges.

In terms of a warranty, Lively offers a one-year warranty that covers defects in manufacturing. If your device breaks due to a defect, Lively will either repair or replace the device at no cost to you.

Comparing Lively to Other Medical Alert Providers

When shopping for a medical alert system, it’s important to compare options. Here’s how Lively stacks up against other popular providers:

Lively vs. Bay Alarm Medical: Detailed Comparison

Lively vs. Medical Guardian

While Lively offers a single mobile device starting at $24.99 monthly plus a one-time $79.99 equipment fee, Medical Guardian offers more device variety but at higher costs. Medical Guardian’s mobile options start at $39.95 monthly with equipment fees in excess of $100. However, Medical Guardian offers dedicated home systems that Lively doesn’t provide.

Lively vs. Bay Alarm Medical

Bay Alarm Medical’s mobile GPS system costs about $29.95 monthly plus equipment fees, slightly higher than Lively’s basic plan. However, Bay Alarm offers in-home landline systems starting at just $24.95 monthly, making it more affordable for those who primarily stay home. Bay Alarm’s caregiver features aren’t as robust as Lively’s Link app. If you’re not looking for a mobile medical alert, I recommend looking into traditional medical alerts that have both in-home and on-the-go systems. Check out our Bay Alarm Medical review.

Lively vs. Life Alert

Lively presents a much more affordable option than Life Alert, which starts at approximately $50 monthly with mandatory three-year contracts. Lively requires no long-term commitment and costs about half as much monthly. Life Alert does offer more comprehensive home protection with wall buttons, but lacks the versatile smartphone app capabilities that Lively provides.

Is Lively Worth It?

Lively offers some of the most user-friendly devices on the market. It does not limit you to any particular space, allowing you to live a mobile and independent life. The company has done a mighty fine job creating affordable, user-friendly medical alert options. Lively is one of my top medical alert systems overall.

Lively is ideal for:

• Affordable mobile systems: With plans starting at just $24.99 per month, Lively offers one of the most affordable mobile medical alert systems.
• Detailed caregiver tracking: With the Lively Link smartphone app, your loved ones can keep track of your location and system usage. This can be a great way to offer peace of mind, especially for people with nearby caregivers.
• Stellar monitoring: From its 24/7 nurse hotline to its rapid response times, Lively provides a dependable and skilled team of responders for both emergencies and nonemergencies.
• Long battery life: Their all-in-one medical alert system, Lively Mobile2, features up to 80 hours of standby time, so you don’t have to worry about constantly charging the system.
• No long-term contracts: Life Alert costs a minimum of $50 per month and requires a three-year minimum contract. Lively, however, allows you to subscribe monthly, and you can cancel at any time.

Lively is not ideal for:

• In-home protection: The Lively Mobile2 can be used indoors, but I’d recommend taking a look at my favorite home medical alert systems if you’re looking for a dedicated in-home system.
• Traditional medical alerts: If you’re not looking for a mobile medical alert, I’d recommend looking into traditional medical alerts that have both in-home and on-the-go systems, then check out our Bay Alarm Medical review.