Medical Alert

I know that the system works though and it alerts my daughter as well as my grandson. My grandson’s in Bush, Louisiana, but he's in charge of everything. And my daughter works at a medical clinic and they'd call her. Then, they'd call them back, but sometimes, the Medical Alert team would be already on their way. And sometimes, 12 people would show up, which happened twice. But I thanked them for coming and I know I’m covered, so I’m okay.

At another time, they said the thing had gone off a couple times, but I didn't punch the button. I decided that the cords around it were too long. I’m short and I’m sure that if I got it close to the sink and that one was hanging down, I might turn it on. I didn’t want to do that, so I shortened the cords on each one of them and hadn’t had any more problems since. I could wear them around my neck and not worry. I just have to be careful because when you’re short and you’re getting up to the washing machine or around the kitchen, it can set the alarm off.

Other than that, my bill has gone up now. I had to pay $599 a year for both the fall thing and the Medical Alert. Then I got this thing about insurance and I don't need any more insurance on anything. However, they deducted $10 from my bank account and I wasn't too happy about that. But I hadn't been able to get ahold of anybody about that yet. Besides that, I have recommended Medical Alert to several friends because I felt like they needed it as well as I did.

When I fell outside that particular day, it was hot, but I was sitting outside and I fell down, and when I went to stand, everything went blank. I was still in my walker. If it had not been for a neighbor here in my complex saw me hit the ground, I would've been just laying there. But I had hit the ground and hit my head, and he just so happened to see me, and that was a wake- up call then that I needed to try to find some kind of way to get me one to have. I don't walk all over my apartment with my phone with me. So, I may leave it in one room, fall in another room, and can't get to it. That was a wake-up call for me.

My children pushed me about it way before then that I need to have it because I had a tendency to fall having arthritis. It would sometimes sneak up on me and I could get up and then be okay, and next thing I know, I'm on the ground. A lot of places were so expensive, but I'm on a fixed income. I needed something that I could afford and make sure I have. I had to talk to my cardiologist before I could wear it. He said as long as I didn't put it on the device at all, it wouldn't bother me so I got it tied. When I put it on, it's a distance from the area where the device is. But other than that, I've been happy with it. I saw another friend of mine who has a life alert as well, but she is under different circumstances and she never had to charge it. I charge mine every day. But whenever the green light comes on, I know it's fully charged and everything. I try my best to keep it charged, so when I go out, if I had to use it, I'll be in good hands.

I would recommend Medical Alert to a friend. There's a lot of people that say they don't need and would say that they don't need it, and I tell them it's a good idea to have simply because if you're in a state where you fall or pass out somewhere, if you have underlying medical issues, it would be good to have because they may be no one around to help you.

I take my device off. I put it on that little ledge. It was in the shower up above the direct spray, but it did get the mist and it killed it. The rep said, “She told you no water.” I said, ”She did not. Nobody told me don’t get it wet." He said, “It’s electronic. You don’t get the electronics wet.” I said, ‘I don’t know electronics.” We had to put a $100 deposit down on that to get it. I told the guy they're gonna have to give me another one. He said for another $100, I can. So I did without it for a while. The only thing that I hadn't quite figured out is if I needed somebody here in my apartment and I pressed for Medical Alert, they wouldn't come directly to my apartment. This facility that I’m in now is built in a square. There's a courtyard in the center, and they can't get inside unless they go to the front door.

I had to push my button for Medical Alert and my daughter said that the fire department was outside and there are people. Everybody was confused. So, I need some kind of prediction. I don't think it was right for the rep to tell me “Well for another 100, you can have another pendant.” He said, “Well, they cost me more than that.” If he could have kinda given me a little browbeating like, “Don’t get it wet!” I said, “What good is it if you can’t get it in the shower?” But there is that panic button right by the shower. If you fall, you're not gonna be able to reach that panic button. Overall, I’m very satisfied with it.

But I did not know that the watch one could be used either as a necklace or a watch. I did not know that that did not register if I fell. When I called and spoke to a representative, she mailed me the teardrop. But I found out there was a $10 additional charge and I'm confused about that. Now, instead of 40.94 a month, it's costing me 50.94 a month. I love the system and it's very good but they should explain things a little more carefully. When their rep found out that I didn't know, she tried to tell me that I gotta do this. I said we needed to start from square one. I raised my voice and I overspoke her. But after that, everything was fine.

There was a time I wore the teardrop and I had a turtleneck sweater on. The teardrop was on the outside of the sweater and I went out. It was like a necklace and it was moving around. About 10 minutes after I got home, I had the rescue and the fire department here. They knocked on the door and I told them to come in. They asked if I was all right to which I replied I was fine. They said they had been trying to reach me as my unit kept going off. I said, "My unit goes off? Nobody called me."

I found out during this instance that when they call to see if you are all right, it comes up as an unknown number. When you answer the phone, they say, "Medical Alert." I don't answer my phone if it comes up as an unknown number because there are too many spam things going on and too many con artists. I told them that. They told me to check my phone because they were on the line with the rescue department. They had tried to get me four times. Sure enough, it was all unknown or a mobile number. It was not from around here too. I didn't like that. When Medical Alert calls you, it should say something on your phone other than unknown.

Medical Alert called me and wanted me to change over to another system where if I fell down and will be unconscious, it will be better. But it was a larger unit. Also, it wasn’t gonna serve my purposes. When I got the information on it, it said that I had to take it off at night. I don’t take this one off at night, because if I get up at night, I won’t risk anything. I gotta be careful because if I break an arm, a leg, or my back, I’ll be in a nursing home, and I can’t afford a nursing home. I live alone, too. I’m using a walker in the house and I’m really watching what I do, and I don’t walk and talk. And if I go someplace, I go with my family.

I’m supposed to test my Medical Alert device every month. I’m afraid to do it for fear I don’t get it turned back on right. But my niece is a nurse and she comes and takes me to the doctors. And so I have her help me, and we do it. The girls at Medical Alert are so nice. I asked, “Aren’t I supposed to be paying you a bill for the following year?” The rep said, “Well, I can do it right here.” She went ahead and took care of it, and I paid $200 for the year. I’d gladly pay it.

The installation was a NIGHTMARE, the first unit just screeched uncontrollably and scared the you know what out of my Mom. Second unit showed up and could not get connected. All the while they tried to get people to help them on the phone and wound up waiting on hold forever. They shipped a third unit but by that time I had contracted with Medical Guardian, who has a FAR better solution and OUTSTANDING customer service. I am still fighting to get my money back, the latest was that they still had not received all of the systems returned back to them so that they could not cancel, then a 30 minute hold time, THIRTY MINUTES, to speak to someone about cancelling my account.

If you are getting this solution for a loved one, I beg you DO NOT USE THESE GUYS. Your loved one will be in big trouble, these people literally have no company behind the product, no support whatsoever, they will not respond to any calls, your loved one will be in big trouble. Pay the extra money for Medical Guardian, or check out any number of other highly rated companies and solutions. These folks are horrible, DO NOT USE MEDICAL ALERT.