Fall Detection Devices
Whether you have a history of falls or simply want to be extra careful in the home, medical alert devices that detect falls are an excellent choice. These devices can help prevent long-term injury and connect you to a trained agent in the event of an emergency. The best fall detection systems work with a combination of sensors to identify the sudden change in position that occurs during a fall. This information is sent to a monitoring center, which can dispatch local emergency services or notify your loved ones or family members so they can rush over to assist.
Depending on the device you choose, the sensors could include accelerometers (which measure acceleration), gyroscopes, barometers, or infrared sensors. Some systems also have a two-way speaker, which lets you talk to a medical alert customer service representative without having to press your help button. Some wearable device sensors, such as the accelerometers in an Apple Watch, use an algorithm to determine if an incident has occurred and then sends a signal to the manufacturer’s monitoring team to check on you.
Many medical alert companies offer fall detection as an add-on to their plans, but some include it in a variety of plans for no additional monthly cost. For example, Medical Alert’s Mobile 2.0 system includes both at-home protection with a base unit and on-the-go protection with a small emergency pendant worn around the neck or on a belt clip, plus fall detection.
Most of the medical alert systems we’ve reviewed incorporate fall detection in their plans, so you don’t need to pay an extra monthly fee to get this important safety feature. We recommend looking for medical alert systems that have published clinical studies of their fall detection technology to ensure it’s accurate enough to avoid false alarms. In addition, look for a system that can connect you to an associate at the monitoring center quickly so that they can assess your needs and send help right away.
Our research has shown that the most effective fall detection devices are those that detect a fall and immediately send an alert to the monitoring center. This allows for a faster response time than traditional methods of contacting an emergency service provider, which can take up to 30 seconds to connect to a call center. For this reason, we’ve included only systems that have quick and reliable connections to their call centers in our rankings. We’ve also prioritized those that have a low rate of false signals, since it can be distressing to receive a call for no apparent reason. We’ve also made note of any extra features that may make a particular system stand out from the competition, such as remote medication dispensing or built-in GPS. These additional features can be helpful for people with complex care needs or who live alone.
