LifeFone Medical Alert Review

LifeFone Pros and Cons

LifeFone Systems Overview

LifeFone offers six systems:

• At-Home Landline: LifeFone’s At-Home Landline system is perfect for older adults who spend most of their time at home. Since it works with a landline, this system is ideal for homes with poor cell reception. It has an impressive range that extends 1,300 feet from the base unit in any direction.
• At-Home Cellular: LifeFone’s At-Home Cellular option is best for people who spend most of their time at home and want a cellular connection. This system is identical to the At-Home Landline system, except it connects via AT&T’s 4G LTE cellular network.
• At-Home and On-the-Go VIP Active®: If you want the most flexibility with the least amount of equipment, LifeFone’s At-Home and On-the-Go VIP Active® is an ideal medical alert. This system consists of one water-resistant pendant with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to five days per charge. This device also features a built-in GPS that allows approved responders to access the user’s location via text message.
• At-Home and On-the-Go VIPx®: This system is LifeFone’s smallest and most powerful medical alert. Compared to prior models, the VIPx® has water-resistance, a smaller size, and built-in fall detection. LifeFone’s older mobile systems required an additional pendant to use fall detection.
• At-Home and On-the-Go VIP Flex: This system has nearly identical features as the VIPx; however, it is worn around the wrist, which, in our opinion, is more comfortable.
• At-Home and On-the-Go Safe Watch Active®: This cellular medical alert smartwatch combines the functionality of a mobile medical alert with the discreet profile of a smartwatch. It can also monitor your heart rate and check the weather.

Using LifeFone Medical Alert System

About five days after I ordered the LifeFone At-Home and On-the-Go GPS system from the company’s website, it arrived on my doorstep. Upon opening the package, I found the following items:

• 1 base station
• 1 pendant help button
• 1 mobile unit
• 1 charging cradle
• 1 mobile unit carrying case
• 1 lockbox
• 1 instruction manual

Installation

I was able to set up and test my system in a few simple steps. All it required was to plug in the base unit, turn it on, put on the pendant, and press the button to confirm it was linked to the monitoring center. After I spoke with someone at the response center using the two-way speaker on the mobile unit, I felt confident my system was ready to use.

For the mobile system, I plugged in the charging cradle and placed the On-the-Go mobile unit on it to charge. Once it was charged, I pressed the gray help button to make a test call. While speaking with a customer care individual, I set up a personalized emergency plan that included listing a couple contacts the monitoring center could call in non-emergencies instead of first responders, or upon dispatching emergency services.

Testing LifeFone

I chose to check out the At-Home and On-the-Go GPS with automatic fall detection, so I had two items to test: the at-home pendant and the mobile one. I started with the mobile unit. I had to charge the mobile pendant every five days or so, but it wasn't so bad once I got into a routine. I also had the extra security of built-in fall detection. If frequently charging your device isn't your thing, you may want to consider a LifeFone mobile pendant without fall detection, which needs charging only every 30 days.

I tested the mobile unit several times at a variety of locations and times of day. The monitoring center’s response time ranged from 20 to 40 seconds, and averaged about 25 seconds.

I tested the emergency button and base unit pair for the in-home medical alert in various areas of my home, including the kitchen, backyard vegetable garden, and, of course, shower. The signal wasn’t as strong when I got close to my neighbor’s yard, so this system may not be ideal if you spend a lot of time in your home’s outdoor spaces. The monitoring center seemed to answer immediately, but I checked my stopwatch and the calls from my in-home pendant took roughly 20 seconds to reach a customer care agent. One evening the power went out during a storm, and the base station’s 32-hour backup battery turned on automatically. I didn’t have any problems with my in-home pendant battery, which is built to last two to five years.

LifeFone VIPx® Caregiver App

Available exclusively to users of the LifeFone VIPx® system, this app allows loved ones to view the user’s location, receive notifications for button pushes, track steps, and check the device’s battery level––all from their smartphone.

Caregiver Tools

In addition to the VIPx® app, LifeFone offers several other caregiver tools. It took a few minutes to acclimate to some of the tools and services, but once I used them a couple times I knew I’d be grateful to have them for seniors I work with. They include:

Activity Assurance caregiver tool: LifeFone’s Activity Assurance service allows you to check in with an emergency care agent each day. By pressing a button on your base unit, you let LifeFone know you are home and doing well.

Daily check-in call: All LifeFone subscribers are eligible for daily check-in calls. Like with the Activity Assurance tool, you can pre-select what time you’d like to receive a check-in call, and LifeFone will follow the emergency instructions if you do not answer.

Location services: LifeFone’s location services allow authorized caregivers to view or request the mobile system user’s whereabouts through the LifeFone Caregiver Portal. Location tracking is perfect for caregivers taking care of people who lead an independent lifestyle but may have health conditions resulting in some scary situations.

LifeFone Medical Alert Systems Pricing

LifeFone is one of the more affordable medical alerts on the market, and you certainly get a lot of bang for your buck. System costs start as low as $24.95 per month for the At-Home Landline system. The LifeFone Cellular package costs $30.95 per month, and the At-Home and On-the-Go GPS is a bit pricier at $36.95. LifeFone’s most expensive system is the At-Home and On-the-Go GPS, Voice-in-Pendant, which costs $39.95 per month.

A monthly subscription to LifeFone covers both your system’s equipment and 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring. LifeFone also has multiple add-ons, which can quickly add up in price. Fall detection is $10, vanity pendants cost about $75, and a lockbox will set you back $40. Nevertheless, LifeFone’s pricing is fantastic.

For more information on LifeFone systems and their costs, take a look at the LifeFone costs page.

Final Thoughts on LifeFone

I found that LifeFone delivered on its promise to give older adults independence with minimal fuss, and I liked that it didn’t have excessive up-front costs such as activation and equipment fees. With its simple design and plentiful features, LifeFone is one of the best medical alert systems for seniors.