LifeFone

LifeFone Reviews

LifeFone Reviews
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About LifeFone

Lifefone is a medical alert system that provides emergency assistance to seniors. Systems are UL- and FCC-certified and include features such as wearable devices, in-home base stations and mobile apps. It has a 24/7 emergency response service with trained operators who can dispatch help when needed.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • No upfront equipment cost
  • Lots of device options
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • No contracts
Cons
  • Costs extra for caregiver app
  • Some complaints about billing

Featured Reviews

Verified
Houston, TX

My son wanted me to have the ability to get 911 immediately or him or anybody… When I tested it, their response was immediate and the reps who came on the line were friendly… I we...

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Verified
Pittsburgh, PA

I’m normally by myself and I work by myself. I had a stroke about a year and a half ago… I haven’t used it yet as I haven’t really needed it, but so far so good. I bumped it one d...

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LifeFone services

LifeFone offers the following services:

  • Personalized emergency care instructions: Customers and caregivers input custom care instructions for specific situations so a call center operator can best assist the customer.
  • Easy relocation: LifeFone systems are easily uninstalled and transferred to another residence. Placing a call to the emergency response center reactivates the system in the new location.
  • 100% lifetime warranty: A lifetime warranty backs all LifeFone equipment units for manufacturer’s defects.

LifeFone equipment

LifeFone costs

With LifeFone, you only have to pay for the monitoring service, which starts between $24.95 and $43.95 per month. There are no equipment costs, activation fees or restocking fees. You also don’t have to commit to a contract, so you can cancel anytime without worrying about a cancellation fee.

You have to return all your equipment when you cancel services. Otherwise, the company will charge you for the devices.

LifeFone packages and pricing

VIP Active is a voice-in-pendant mobile medical alert device. The VIPx is similar, but it’s lighter and smaller. Both can be used at home or on the go.

LifeFone caregiver app features

LifeFone also has the VIP XCaregiver Mobile App for iPhones and Androids. The app keeps you connected, providing real-time updates on your loved ones' welfare and activity levels. Some of the standout features include:

  • View current location: Locate the device from anywhere.
  • View button press history: Get a notification whenever the button is pressed.
  • Check device battery level: Receive a notification when the battery is low or the power is off.
  • Manually ring the device: Help the user find a misplaced unit.

How does LifeFone compare?

Compare LifeFone with similarly rated medical alert companies.

LifeFone FAQ

What is LifeFone?

LifeFone is a medical alert company that offers emergency response systems for those who spend most of their time alone. LifeFone’s home and mobile medical alert systems have nationwide cellular coverage, immediate assistance and personalized emergency care instructions.

LifeFone also has options for smoke and fire detection services. All LifeFone monitoring centers are located in the United States and staffed with experienced personnel.

How do LifeFone medical alert systems work?

The LifeFone medical alert system is activated by pressing an emergency help button on a wearable LifeFone wristband or pendant, base station or wall-mounted button. The alert system notifies the LifeFone monitoring station. An emergency care agent then tries to establish communication with the customer, and if the customer cannot be reached, the agent dispatches emergency services to the home.

Emergency care agents are available 24/7 to help with non-emergency situations as well. They have access to your medical history and can contact family members and caregivers and reference your personalized care instructions to best assist you.

Does it cost money when I press the button?

LifeFone doesn’t charge a fee when you press the button. However, there may be an out-of-pocket expense if your emergency requires a ride in an ambulance.

A reviewer in California said that LifeFone is “very good. They always answered my calls and were here within a few minutes” but was surprised to “charged $100 or more” after a trip to the hospital in “a professional ambulance truck.”

How fast is LifeFone’s response time?

Response times can vary, but most verified customers tell us it’s within seconds. A reviewer in New York said they got help in two seconds. Another in California said, “It’s probably within four seconds or even less when I push that button on my wrist that they’re on the line.

“The time it took for me to get to talk to the person at the other end felt like 30 seconds,” according to a reviewer in Pennsylvania. “That seems like a long time when you’re in that situation but it really isn’t.”

When was LifeFone founded?

LifeFone was founded in 1976 and is one of the oldest personal emergency response companies in the United States.

Is LifeFone’s fall detection reliable?

According to the company, it can detect approximately 95% of falls.

Does LifeFone make a good medical alert?

The majority of customers we’ve talked to tell us that they would recommend LifeFone to a friend or family member.

Many appreciate the quick response times, and people often tell us that the fall detection is accurate and effective in triggering alarms. The system's ease of installation and setup process also comes up a lot. A very small number of reviews mention instances where the emergency dispatch was delayed or not received as expected.

However, some have expressed dissatisfaction with billing issues (often citing unexpected charges) or frustration with the cancellation process. A few told us about instances of technical malfunctions with the equipment, like false alarms or poor battery life.

Overall, we like the versatility of Lifefone, because it can be used both at home and on the go. The GPS tracking feature is also valuable. It’s a good company to consider for yourself or a loved one.

LifeFone Reviews

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    Page 1 Reviews 0 - 10
    Fall Detection

    Reviewed Feb. 4, 2022

    My mother has a system from them that is unusable. She spent money on a system that does not trigger and customer service agreed that the pendant is hard to push. It was explained to me that that was because too many false alarms were triggered! Dangerous precedent really is nothing more than a money grab for senior citizens who cannot defend themselves. Be careful and do not trust the reviews. Better systems in other companies for sure.

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      Customer ServicePunctuality & SpeedStaff

      Reviewed April 1, 2021

      We have had at least 2 dozen incidents due to my stroke and they have always responded quickly and notified my family very very expeditiously. Great and personable customer service.

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      Staff

      Reviewed Sept. 16, 2019

      I had a great experience talking to the sales rep. He was knowledgeable about the products. We discussed what I was looking for. He found the best plan for the price I could afford. It arrived in a couple of days and I set it up in a matter of minutes.

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      Installation & SetupStaff

      Reviewed Aug. 26, 2019

      Thank the good Lord, I haven't had to use the product, but, my whole experience was excellent. My agent Azem was thorough in explaining the product and what all it entailed. Set up was easy and I appreciated being able to pay for 3 months and get a month free. Have recommended product to a cousin. Since I still drive and am out and about appreciate the use of GPS, wristlet and necklace. Base unit great, easy read and operators very helpful. One question, in reading material on product, does not tell if affected by electric outages and how to take off if this happens. Kudos all around so far.

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      Customer ServiceStaff

      Reviewed Aug. 22, 2019

      Easy set up, Quick response, able to hide under clothes. Very simple set up, charge device, fill out paper work and mail. Not a lot of electronic expertise required! Polite response. No problem testing different locations, staff happy and helpful. Don’t lose it. I think the equipment belongs to the Company and there is a significant charge if lost. Wish it was a watch so I could sleep with it on. Need to remember to put it on in the middle of the night. Afraid it will activate by mistake. If worn to bed?

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceStaff

      Reviewed Feb. 28, 2019

      I lost my husband a couple of years ago and I’m still living in my home. My son wanted me to have the ability to get 911 immediately or him or anybody, so he got me the LifeFone. When I tested it, their response was immediate and the reps who came on the line were friendly. They were concerned and wanna help if they needed to. I wear the device around my neck and I don't like it very much. But I feel safer knowing that I have it.

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      Verified purchase

      Reviewed Feb. 17, 2019

      I fell so I needed to have a medical alert device. I've had LifeFone for about a year. But I don't feel that I’m gonna have to use it. I wear it around my neck but I don’t use it at night.

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      Verified purchase
      Fall DetectionStaff

      Reviewed Feb. 14, 2019

      I've had a bad experience with LifeFone. I use a walker and I have a disability situation going, and when I first got LifeFone, we got a lesser setup. Then after about a month, we changed and put in a a little larger one. But when we did get an alert, they could not find my information because they never recorded the fact that I had gone from one station to an upgraded one. So that was a problem. On top of that, the experience when dealing with their reps was very poor. At one point, a good friend went down there and they blamed her for not knowing what was going on. She went back and forth, and they had words. He was telling her she was wrong. Then she found out they had no record of the change of systems. So it turned out to be a waste of time for her to spend about 45 minutes trying to get through. The person she talked to was not very nice either and she told him that.

      I also got a new watch band but I had the watch fall out of the band, which was the trouble I had with the first one. So this watch band is the same as the watch band that I sent in. With the first band, I had found the watch on the floor and the watch band without the watch on my wrist. That was the first experience. I've also been so afraid to use the other pendant because it seems like half of the time that I try to pick it up, it goes off.

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      Verified purchase

      Reviewed Feb. 13, 2019

      I got a LifeFone because I’m home alone all day. It makes me feel that I do have help if I need it. One time, I had accidentally set it off and they checked to see if I was okay.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer Service

      Reviewed Feb. 12, 2019

      I live alone in a big old farmhouse out in the country. My kids got me a LifeFone. Thus far, I have had to call it once and have help come to get me up when I fell in a snowbank. I've also had their team respond when something gets tangled in the cord of the device when I'm sleeping. I try to get that undone and that makes the signal to them. I feel very comfortable with the device knowing I’ve got it.

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      LifeFone Company Information

      Company Name:
      LifeFone
      Year Founded:
      1976
      Address:
      16 Yellowstone Avenue
      City:
      White Plains
      State/Province:
      NY
      Postal Code:
      10607-1324
      Country:
      United States
      Website:
      www.lifefone.com