Personal Emergency Response System: How It All Began

A Brief History of the First Personal Emergency Response System

Wilhelm Hormann invented the first personal emergency response system (PERS) in the early 1970’s. He wanted to make sure that sick, elderly, and disabled people who lived alone would be able to call for help and cared for in any situation. But, while Hormann is credited with making the first personal emergency response system, the American International TelephoneCompany released their version to the public earlier. The fist of the personal emergency response systems included a pendant to be worn around the neck. When pressed, it sent a signal to a machine that was attached to a rotary phone. This would send a preprogrammed message to a predetermined number.

The single contact was the biggest drawback to the first personal emergency response systems. The contact could only get the message if they were home. And if they were home, all they knew was that the senior needed help. They did not know why they needed to be cared for.

Now you know how medical alerts came to be. But how did Alert1 first step foot into the aging in place industry? It all started with our founder Paul, back in 1988.

Alert1’s Heritage

Just a few years after the first personal emergency response systems were released, Alert1 entered the picture. The company’s founder, Paul, began to sketch out a walkie-talkie-like device that his elderly grandmother could use to contact him quickly.

Paul's grandmother, like so many of our grandparents and parents, was of sound mind and body. “She was as spry as can be,” laughed Paul. “She had never fallen. But I worried just the same that there might come a time when she would need me and I was not there.”

Paul wanted his emergency response systems to be incredible simple, but extraordinarily effective. "I knew how reliable grounded phone lines were. Even when I lost power, my phone usually worked,” he said.After weeks of determined effort, Paul revealed what is known today as the POM—Peace Of Mind—Personal Emergency Response System. With the push of a button on a medical alert bracelet, Paul’s grandmother could contact anyone she needed: her neighbors, Paul, his parents—even 911 services. Soon enough, Paul could not make POMs quickly enough to keep up with the rising demand.

We are proud to help people like Paul, his parents, and their parents. Alert1 is not just another medical alert company. We help you get up on your feet again, so that you can live strong, free, and independently.

What Our Members Have To Say About Alert1

If you’re on the fence about Alert1, we’d like to illustrate just how helpful our services can be. Let’s take a look at one of our long-time members, Sandy, who says that Alert1 changed her life for the better.

 

Sandy and her husband both had their Alert1 personal emergency response systems for years. Since they always went out of the house together, they felt they didn’t need mobile alert units. But after her husband passed away in 2015, Sandy was left all alone with nobody to care for her.

 

Sandy’s children and grandchildren were able to help her out, but she couldn’t rely on them for everything. Sandy needed something she could count on all the time. A caretaker was out of her budget. Now that she was on her own, she thought it might be time to upgrade to the newest technology available for personal emergency response systems.

 

Sandy wanted to make sure that she was safe for whatever came her way in and outside of her home. Whether it was running errands, taking a stroll in the park, or tending her garden in the yard, she needed something more than what her Alert1 classic home unit offered. Fortunately for her, Alert1 had just unveiled a mobile fall detection system, the Kelsi Pro.

 

Kelsi Pro is a tiny pocket-sized help pendant. It has everything Sandy’s home alert had to offer, but on the go and with added fall detection. With this new technology, Sandy could be safe wherever she went without worrying about who would come to her aid if she fell.

 

Fast forward almost 2 years. Sandy has been aging in place independently and crossing items off of her bucket list, all while remaining safe. She has had a few slips and falls here and there, but her Kelsi Pro medical alert has been there as her saving grace. Luckily for Sandy, none of those accidents has led to a lengthy hospital stay or prevented her from aging in place.

 

Sandy strongly believes that if she never got her first Alert1 unit, she wouldn’t be living her golden years to the fullest. Sandy is another prime example of how Alert1 helps its members age in place safely, proving that age is just a number. 

Today’s Medical Alerts

A lot has changed since the humble beginnings of the personal emergency response systems. Today’s PERS are small, lighter, and have more safety features than ever before. Gone are the days of a single emergency contact. You now have a safer way to live because it's faster to get help.

When you press your help button, you are connected to Alert1’s 24/7 Command Center within seconds. A trained responder will send you help. We stay on the line with you until assistance arrives.

You will love the peace of mind that comes with having easy access to help at all times. A medical device will give your life the best insurance. Live in the comfort of your home without any worries about your safety.

Home Fall Detection

Let’s take a look at some of the ways medical alerts have evolved, starting with home fall detection.

Today’s medical alerts have the added feature of fall detection. Fall detection is an innovative addition to what medical alerts already were, and changed the entire aging in place industry as we know it. So what does fall detection do? It’s simple. It detects your fall and calls help for you.

The fall detection pendant contains sensors within the help button. This allows the device to automatically call for help the moment it detects your fall. Now, not only can you press your help button at any time, but if you have fallen, the pendant automatically contacts the operator so that you don’t have to.

Even if you are unconscious, help will still be notified. Whether you can speak or not, the operator will come on the line and send help to assist you. This creates safety and peace of mind, 100% of the time.

Fall detection has come a long way since it was first released. At first, fall detection technology had the major drawback of false alarms. Regular movements like bumping into objects would knock the fall detection pendant and cause it to have a false alarm. In response to this, Alert1 rigorously tested pendants to detect the difference between a fall and everyday movements.

Alert1’s fall detection technology has advanced. The sensor now detects falls with incredible accuracy to nearly eliminate the occurrence of false alarms. Alert1’s is helping seniors age in place to their fullest potential, and live safe independent lives. 

Kelsi Pro Mobile Fall Detection

Alert1 specializes in improving the lives of seniors, and never stops trying to help them as they age. Now, Alert1 went one step further in changing medical alerts, by releasing the Kelsi Pro mobile fall detection system.

Kelsi Pro is the upgraded, mobile version of home fall detection. It offers everything of Alert1’s home fall detection, on the go. Mobile fall detection changed the way seniors age and use medical alerts entirely.

A mobile device allows seniors to take Alert1’s fall detection technology anywhere. Kelsi Pro is the smallest and most comfortable  mobile fall detection pendant on the market. It’s portability and state-of-the-art technology lets you leave the house without fear.  

Kelsi Pro’s GPS and cellular networks find your location in the emergency. Wherever your emergency may happen to occur, you will be automatically connected to the operator and get pinpointed by GPS. This gives you complete protection and peace of mind, everywhere you go.

PAX Plus – Mobile + Home + Fall Detection

Alert1 changed the medical alert industry once more by releasing its comprehensive all-in-one home and mobile fall detection system, the PAX Plus. It goes a step beyond what the standard PAX does. With PAX Plus, Alert1 members:

Receive complete home and mobile protection coverage with three units. After ordering PAX Plus, you receive an on-the-go fall detection unit, a compact home fall detection unit, and a classic home alert system wristband.

Remain protected even while the mobile unit is charging. PAX Plus solved the problem of users being vulnerable while their mobile unit charges. This unit keeps you protected at all times.

Use the compact fall detection unit at home. While the mobile unit charges, you put on the compact fall detection pendant to stay protected at home. No matter what, you will still have Alert1 protection and fall detection technology by your side when the PAX Plus pendant is not in use.

Use the classic wristband to sleep safely in the night while PAX Plus charges. Wear it as an emergency call button in the night for overnight protection. False alarms are more likely to happen at night. Using the classic wristband will ensure that nothing will happen while you are sleeping. 

What Sets Alert1 Apart From Our Competitors?

While there are many medical alert companies for people to choose from, Alert1 has earned its reputation of being the #1 medical alert company in the United States. Here are our most cherished accomplishments: Our members love us, and the service we provide is unmatched.

At Alert1, we dedicate ourselves to serving our customers and helping them age in place. In the end, all medical alert companies have the likeminded goal to help seniors during an emergency. Our main competitors, Life Alert and Phillip’s Lifeline , also offer nationwide coverage. All three of us use Underwriters Laboratories monitoring centers and undergo random certification checks on products and services. Plus, we’ll all stay on the line with you until help arrives.

What We Have In Common With Our Competitors

First let’s talk about what we have in common with our competitors. The big three companies in the medical alert industry are Alert1, Life Alert, and Philips Lifeline.

Everybody Knows About Life Alert

The first commonality is that everyone thinks a medical alert system is called a life alert. But why is that? They are the medical alert company responsible for bringing awareness of the topic to masses through their use of over exaggerated commercials.

Everyone has seen their cheesy commercials with the infamous tagline, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”. The commercials have become so notorious that the entire medical alert device industry is commonly referred by many as a “life alerts”. It is similar to the way that tissues are referred to as Kleenex.

Nationwide Coverage

Alert1, Life Alert, and Lifeline all have nationwide coverage. This means that wherever you live in the United States, you will be safe and sound.

If you have one of Alert1’s mobile medical alerts, you will take the nationwide safety with you while you are on the go. Bring your medical alert from the sunny shores of Florida to the sparkling waters beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Fears for your safety will never hold you back!

UL Listed Companies

The next thing all three medical alert companies have in common is UL Listed monitoring centers. UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories, and they conduct safety analyses of companies.

Since Alert1, Life Alert, and Lifeline are all UL Listed, this means they all undergo random certification checks on products and services. Since these checks are random, you can trust that Alert1 is up to the highest standards at all times.

The Big Three Will Stay on the Line Until Help Arrives

Alert1, Life Alert, and Lifeline, all want their members to stay as safe as possible, so they all stay on the line until help arrives. This constant care is a very important aspect to members of all companies.

When you are in danger, the last thing you want is to be left alone. The operators can provide advice on what actions to take and help you remain calm until emergency responders get to you.

Even if it's just a false alarm, Alert1 will stay on the line until you let us know you are okay. Unlike our competitors, at Alert1 we give our members unlimited button presses. So however many false alarms you do have, you will not be penalized.

Alert1 and Life Alert are both TMA 5 Diamond Certified

Alert1 and Life Alert both share something that Lifeline doesn’t, and this is being a TMA 5 Diamond Certified Center. This means the operators who help you over phone have gone through very specific training, and will know exactly how to help you in any situation.

What sets Alert1 apart from Life Alert however, is that we have two Command Centers, while they have just one. Our Command Centers are in two different states, so we have more staff to answer quicker and get you help fast. Even in the event of a natural disaster, Alert1 can still keep it’s promise to our members by having a backup Command Center ready to take calls.

What Sets Alert1 Apart From Our Competitors?

While there are many medical alert companies for people to choose from, Alert1 has earned its reputation of being the #1 medical alert company in the United States. Here are our most cherished accomplishments: Our members love us, and the service we provide is unmatched.

 

At Alert1, we dedicate ourselves to serving our customers and helping them age in place. In the end, all medical alert companies have the likeminded goal to help seniors during an emergency. Our main competitors, Life Alert and Phillip’s Lifeline , also offer nationwide coverage. All three of us use Underwriters Laboratories monitoring centers and undergo random certification checks on products and services. Plus, we’ll all stay on the line with you until help arrives.

 

All that said, there are a few additional reasons why Alert1 rises above the competition.

 

·         Alert1 is TMA 5 Diamond Certified – We are a TMA 5 Diamond Certified Center. This means the operators who help you over phone have gone through very specific training and will know exactly how to help you in any situation. We have two Command Centers, while our competitors have just one. Our Command Centers are in two different states, so we have more staff to answer quicker and get you help fast. Even in the event of a natural disaster, Alert1 can still keep its promise to members by having a backup Command Center ready to take calls.

·         Alert1 Offers Better Pricing – One of the main differences Alert1 provides has to do with pricing and financing. Life Alert is significantly more expensive than Alert1. More expensive does not always mean better. While Life Alert’s costs are higher, they lack service options that Alert1 offers to members.

·         Alert1 Does Not Require Long-Term Contracts –We do not require long-term contracts of our members. On top of Life Alert’s higher price, they require a long-term contract. When you choose Life Alert, you’re signing for a 3-year contract with limited cancellation options. If you are unsatisfied with their system or service, you will be stuck paying unnecessary fees. By contrast, Alert1 gives our members the ability to cancel their service at will. The wellbeing of our members is our top priority, and we put that before all else.

·         Multilingual Protection – We offer our members multilingual protection. Unlike Life Alert and Lifeline, our emergency responders speak over 190 different languages. This means they can assist you in whichever language you speak.

·         Alert1 Offers Unlimited Button Presses Free of Charge – Nobody likes hidden fees, and Alert1 understands that. We also believe that nobody should be charged for help they receive. Because of this, every Alert1 plan comes with unlimited talk time and button presses to our members. You will never be charged for button presses, or accidental presses. Even if you just want to have a conversation with someone, you can press your button. Our operators are happy to hear from you.

·         Alert11 is Looking to the Future – Alert1, a leader in personal medical alert systems, has served the needs of aging adults since 1988. The company first started with the goal of helping seniors remain independent. We have always strived to allow seniors to live without fear. With Alert1, you can be sure you are getting the latest technology to live your life safely and independently. Start living your golden years with Alert1 today! 

Alert1 Has Been #1 Rated For 4 Years in a Row

Alert1 stands out in one way that we are particularly proud to mention. Modern Senior Magazine* has given us the title of “Best Medical Alarm Service”, for four consecutive years in a row.

With all the medical alert companies out there, it is an honor to have this prestigious title and we have nobody to thank but our members. We strive to provide them the medical alert product and emergency services to age in place, and this award proves that we do just that.

Alert1 is Looking to the Future

Alert1, a medical alert system leader, has served the needs of aging adults since 1988. The company first started with the goal of helping seniors remain independent. We have always strived to allow seniors to live without fear.

The once small business has grown and now takes pride in having supported and cared for more than 250,000 families. Alert1 is committed to excellence and constant improvement. We provide reliable and affordable service to seniors across the United States.

With Alert1, you can be sure you are getting the latest technology to live your life safely and independently. Start living your golden years with Alert1 today!