By |
Updated July 2, 2024
Since medical alert technology is often marketed to seniors and caregivers of elderly adults, it might create the false impression that those are the only folks who might make good use of personal emergency alarms. The truth is that anyone can use a button alert. Having feelings of security and protection can benefit those who aren’t yet close to their golden years. Keep reading to discover the many reasons why an alert pendant or wristband is great for people of all ages.
How Emergency Alert Systems Work
Medical alarms come in different wearable options, such as a pendant, bracelet, or on a belt clip. These items are designed to be worn at all times, even in the shower. There’s a good reason for this: according to the CDC, over 81% of injuries sustained in the bathroom occurred as the result of a fall (this includes everyone over the age of 15 years of age, not just seniors).
If you suffer an emergency, press the button on your medical alert device. The devices work across all 50 states to connect you to a trained agent at an emergency Command Center. The 24/7/365 Command Center is staffed with professionals who will respond in seconds and help you determine what assistance you need. If you need emergency services, they will get them to you right away. Then they will get in touch with your personal contacts on your customized list, which might include family members, neighbors, or friends who can come to your aid in addition to emergency personnel.
This is assuming you can press the alert button. But what if you can’t? There is a feature called "fall detection" for just such occurrences. Fall detection technology works by using tiny sensors built into the device that measure speed, impact, and lack of movement to sense when falls occur. If a fall is sensed, the device will automatically alert the Command Center and they will respond immediately.
Fall detection is available for home medical alert systems as well as for on-the-go devices.
Everyone Can Benefit from an Emergency Alert System
It’s clear that medical alert wireless systems can enhance the safety, security, and peace of mind of the elderly who want to age in place for as long as they can. This technology allows them to stay independent, knowing that help is just a button press away. But they aren’t the only ones who can benefit from a personal emergency alarm!
College Students
Personal alarm buttons can make an excellent safety accessory for those on college campuses. It can also work well as a way to get in touch with emergency services for oneself or a friend, to stay safe when on campus or in the surrounding area alone, or when a student is in a situation that becomes frightening or dangerous.
The National Center for Education Statistics reported that there were about 28,500 criminal incidents against people or property on college campuses in 2018. That’s a very good reason to have help at your fingertips.
For instance, let’s say you’re walking to your dorm across an empty lot at night. Perhaps you have a whistle with you, attached to your keys. But if there is no one around to hear it, there’s no one to come to your aid if you need help. A dedicated emergency response solution has a very different effect, as it immediately connects you directly to someone who can hear you and determine what assistance you need. You can have the peace of mind that help will come—even if you are unable to communicate for any reason. And since Alert1's mobile units have GPS, help can be sent even if a student cannot report their location.
It’s important to keep in mind that Alert1 doesn’t impose a charge for multiple button pushes or “false alarms.” That means that any time you feel as though you need help, you can and should reach out.
Long-Distance Runners
If you’re a runner who trains extensively for marathons and other endurance sports, you might wind up in rather remote areas, or might even get turned around and lost at some point.
Let’s imagine you’re running along a trail through the woods. Something appears on the trail – something as simple as a tree root pressing up just an inch or so from the ground – and you trip and fall. Your cell phone, which was in your hand on even attached to your body with a Velcro strap, goes flying. At the same time, you realize you didn’t just fall – you’re seriously injured.
Our mobile alert wristband with fall detection looks like a sports watch. If you are injured, press the button to get help fast. If the fall detection is triggered, you don't even need to push the alert button. The trained agent in our Command Center will stay on the line with you until the appropriate help arrives. With GPS capability, your alert can reveal your location to the monitoring center. That brings serious peace of mind to those who like to travel off the beaten path.
Those Who Live Alone
No matter your age, if you live on your own, you can find deep peace of mind in knowing that if something ever happened, you could reach help immediately. According to the National Safety Council, 14 out of every 100 individuals are injured each year in accidents in the home – and that covers all ages, not just the elderly. Out of those who are injured, about one of every 2,100 people will die from that preventable injury in the home. And though the majority of preventable deaths happen due to poisoning, a whopping 26% are caused by falls1.
Something like a fall down the stairs with your arms full of laundry or tripping over the family pet when they cross your path can happen to anyone, no matter how physically strong and healthy they may be. When those kinds of accidents happen, you might not have your phone on your person, nor be able to get to one.
If you are wearing an emergency alert wristband or pendant, you can immediately get help. Simply press the button and wait a few seconds for the device to connect to our dedicated team of professionals. Tell them what has happened and they will assist you. It’s important to remember that a fall sensor comes in very handy here, as you don’t have to worry about pressing the button at all – if you take a serious tumble, the technology in the device will sense what happened and send an alert for you.
Individuals with a History of Seizures
Seizures can often hit without warning. As a result, controlling your body can be difficult, if not impossible, until the seizure has run its course. That means you can easily fall wherever you might happen to be when it hits, without any time to get to a safer place. Sometimes you don’t have nearly enough warning to even lie down on the floor where you know you’ll be safer.2
If you suffer a seizure that leads to you losing control of your body, you will likely fall. And if that happens, the fall detection sensor can send an alert for help. If you are alone, a medical alert system can send an alert to the Command Center, and a professional will come on the line. Even if you can’t respond, they will take the appropriate steps to ensure that you get the help you need. Having an alert pendant or wristband could literally save a life.
Those Prone to Fainting
There are several conditions or situations that can make a person prone to syncope, which is the medical term for fainting. Syncope can be common among those who have anemia. Though anemia can be a problem in the short-term, such as among those who have just given birth or undergone a surgery in which they lost a great deal of blood, it can also be chronic and long-term, in which the body just doesn’t hold onto or process iron effectively.3
As a result, those with anemia can suddenly feel quite faint, especially upon standing up from a sitting position. It’s entirely possible to be overtaken by that feeling and fall down as you lose consciousness. Fortunately, a medical alarm’s fall alert option can alert the Command Center even if you don’t press the button as you are starting to faint.
Other issues that can lead to fainting include diabetes, hypoglycemia (when blood sugar drops dangerously low), very low blood pressure, your body adjusting to new medications, or not eating enough during the day. Even something as simple as dehydration or overheating can lead to fainting.4
No matter what the issue, if you need assistance, your medical alert pendant can bring help to your doorstep as soon as possible. This can bring incredible peace of mind.
When Managing a Difficult Medical Diagnosis
Depending upon the health condition, you might have to deal with anything from limited mobility to the sudden onset of side effects from medications. There could be situations where you need assistance but don’t have the ability to use your cell phone or find someone who can help you quickly. In that case, the best medical alert systems can help.
No matter where you are, you can simply press the button on your emergency alert and you will be connected with professionals who know what to do in the event of an emergency. They will assess the situation and decide on the appropriate response. They will contact emergency services, your doctor and care team, your family, or anyone else that you have on your list of people to contact. Then they will stay on the line with you while you wait for that help to arrive. With Alert1, you will never face an emergency alone.
In truth, everyone can benefit from med alerts. Don’t hesitate to get the affordable solution that can enhance your life and bring peace of mind and security, no matter what your age is. Here’s to your safety and well-being!
