Medical Professionals Recommend Medical Alert Systems

Oct. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- The most common reason people finally take the plunge and purchase a medical alert system (http://lifefone.com/) occurs when a medical staff member recommends it. Following a hospital stay for surgery or after experiencing a fall, medical professionals often convince their elderly patients to invest in a medical alert device in case of a sudden illness or a future fall.

While medical alert systems are designed to help aging or physically disabled loved ones live independently, they are not all created equal. It is easy to take your doctor or nurse's recommendation at face value, but you may very well be doing yourself a disservice. In the competitive market of medical alert systems, there are many companies offering many different options. Examining your options is crucial when it comes to purchasing a medical alert system.

Medical alert systems (http://lifefone.com/) work by providing you with a console that serves as a receiver with a help button that transmits a distress call when pushed. This panic button usually comes in the form of a neck pendant, belt clip or wristband. When pushed, the console is activated and the monitoring center is called. Ensuring you have a help center at your service around the clock is critical so that you can receive the attention and assistance you require immediately.

It is also important to find out where the call center is located. If your medical alert system operates from a country outside the United States, there may be cause for concern. Since most situations that require a med alert are urgent, the ability to clearly communicate with the person at the help center is crucial!  If the patient is having difficulty communicating it is important they talk to someone who speaks their language fluently and is easy to understand.

The monitoring center is typically run by a trained response team, so once your loved one is in contact with the response center, he or she will be in good hands. Sometimes the problem lies in actually getting your loved one to push the call button. Senior citizens may be hesitant to push the panic button if they are afraid the fire department will be notified regarding their emergency and break the door down, when all they needed was help back onto their bed. To ease your loved one's concerns about pushing the button it is wise to discuss how you want emergencies handled. With companies like LifeFone (http://lifefone.com/), your loved one can completely personalize their response service so that their loved ones or a neighbor who may have keys to the house are identified in addition to medical professionals in case of emergency.

Knowing that your loved one has help available to them at the touch of a button will provide both you and and the care recipient with peace of mind. Nothing is worse than requiring help and having no way to summon it; with a medical alert system you will never have to worry about your loved one being left alone. If your an elderly loved one finds themselves in a situation in which they would benefit from a medical alert, take your time to investigate your options instead of relying solely on your doctor's recommendation.