Best Medical Alert Apps for Seniors
Medical Guardian offers our favorite medical alert app, featuring activity monitoring, location detection, and step tracking.
Medical Guardian offers our favorite medical alert app, featuring activity monitoring, location detection, and step tracking.
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A medical alert app can send help quickly if you have a medical emergency, allowing your loved ones to stay informed. There are many medical alert apps out there, but our experts narrowed them down to six that we consider the best options for seniors and their caregivers. Whether you’re looking for a free, basic app or a more robust paid app that complements your medical alert system, we’ve selected a variety of apps to meet most needs and budgets.
Through research, conversations with customer care, and hands-on testing we learned the ins and outs of the most popular medical alert apps. The apps had to provide safety for seniors, offer innovative features, and deliver quality products at great value to make our list. Below are a few of the most essential criteria we looked for.
A stand-alone medical alert app is downloaded straight to your smartphone. Some apps can be paired with a wearable smartwatch, such as an Apple Watch, to track your location and heart rate and provide an emergency button to press if needed. Most stand-alone medical alert apps notify your pre-selected contacts when you have a fall or press the emergency button. They will not connect you to 911 or a trained emergency operator.
A supplemental medical alert app will complement your existing medical alert system. Since these apps work in conjunction with top medical alert systems, they are often more comprehensive and can connect you to emergency services and/or a trained emergency operator easily. These apps are usually included with your monthly service subscription or for a small monthly fee. Overall, a supplemental medical alert app will cost you a bit more, but provide more exhaustive protection. Below is a comparison of the two types of apps and their uses.
Supplemental medical alert apps | Stand-alone medical alert apps | |
---|---|---|
Features | Robust features | Simple features |
Emergency response | Connects you to a trained emergency operator | Alerts your emergency contacts (children, neighbors, etc.) when you need help |
Costs | Pricier since you have to subscribe to monthly service for your medical alert system | Budget-friendly option |
Best for | Those who need extra protection | Older adults who want simple peace of mind |
Many medical alert companies provide users and their loved ones with an easy-to-use app that complements the system. Apps may offer GPS tracking, medication reminders, collaboration among caregivers, and the ability to check the status of your medical alert system, to name just a few. The table below breaks down our top picks for medical alert apps that pair with a medical alert system.
Medical alert company name | App name | Add. monthly fee | Vitals | Medication reminders | GPS tracking | Pairable with companion watch | In-app medical alert button | Device status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Medical Guardian | MyGuardian | None | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Bay Alarm Medical | Caregiver Tracking | None | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Lively | Lively Link | None | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
During testing, we were impressed with all of MyGuardian’s features. We used the app to manage account and billing information, chat with our Care Circle, manage approved emergency contacts, and view the system’s location, activity, and connectivity status history. We could also set reminders for appointments or medications, which is great for older adults who struggle to keep up with their schedule. The app was easy to navigate and use.
Setting reminders in Medical Guardian’s MyGuardian mobile app
If you’re looking for an app that keeps all the most important information for seniors and caregivers in one place, it’s hard to beat MyGuardian. Read our full Medical Guardian review to learn more.
Not only could we track our system’s location in real-time, but we could also view its location history over the past 30 days. That’s great if you worry about your loved one wandering or getting lost. Another great feature is the automatic low-battery notification. If your loved one forgets to charge their device, approved caregivers will be the first to know. Since we could download the app on multiple phones, it made it easy to have multiple friends or family members in the know at any given time.
» Our Full Review: Bay Alarm Medical Alert System Review [2024]
The app offers a few unique features, including step tracking and a Ring Device button. When we pressed the Ring Device button, our system started ringing through its two-way speaker so we could easily locate it. That feature is excellent for people who are prone to misplacing their devices and seniors with memory loss.
We tested the Lively Link app, and we were pretty impressed with its functionality. We could check on the subscriber’s location, activities, and emergency call history at any time. We tested the Urgent Response button on the Lively Mobile2, and we were pleasantly surprised to see an emergency notification via the Lively Link app in mere seconds.
Tracking my grandmas location using the Lively Link mobile app
We would have liked to see a chat function like the one available on the MyGuardian app, but otherwise we didn’t have any issues using the Lively Link App. It’s important to note, however, that Lively Link doesn’t offer much for senior subscribers. Lively Link is specifically designed for loved ones, while Lively Health & Safety Service can be used by seniors to access Urgent Response.
To learn more about our experience with Lively and its mobile apps, watch the video below.
Quick Tip: If you don’t see your provider listed above and you’re unsure if your company offers a companion app, check its website or call to inquire. You won’t want to miss out on the benefits!
If you’re looking for a medical alert app that isn’t attached to a medical alert system subscription, consider the stand-alone apps below.
App name | Monthly Fee | Vitals | Medication reminders | GPS tracking | Pairable with smartwatch | In-app medical alert button | Fall alerts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Red Panic Button | $0-$4.99 | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
FallSafety Home | $0-$4.99 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Senior Safety | $0-$4.50 | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
FallSafety Home is limited to Apple users, but it’s one of our top picks for stand-alone medical alert apps. Just $4.99 per month is far less than most medical alert systems, including those offered by Lively, Bay Alarm Medical, and Medical Guardian. FallSafety Home is also one of the few apps to incorporate fall detection, heart-rate detection, and multiple ways to alert others of an emergency. The siren can alert first responders or others in your area that there’s an emergency, while the automatic fall detection and panic button make it easy to reach up to five emergency contacts in seconds (with the paid version).
That said, it’s the most expensive stand-alone app on this list. Red Panic Button requires a one-time payment of $4.99, but you’ll have to pay that amount every month to keep your emergency contacts active with FallSafety Home. If you’re worried about falls and want a discreet way to have fall detection, FallSafety Home is an excellent app. If you’re on a tight budget, however, you may prefer the lower costs of Red Panic Button or Senior Safety.
Like FallSafety Home, the Senior Safety app is available only on certain devices. It’s compatible only with Android phones. The lack of smartwatch compatibility is disappointing, especially since seniors may not want to carry their phones with them wherever they go. That said, Senior Safety offers a lot more features than Red Panic Button, particularly if you’re willing to pay for the pro version. For $4.50 per month (or less if you pay for a year of service in advance), you can get an emergency button, location tracking, automatic round-robin call forwarding to emergency contacts, fall detection, low-battery alerts, inactivity alerts, and more.
» Learn About: Best Medical Alert Systems With Fall Detection for Seniors
Senior Safety is one of the most robust stand-alone apps on this list, followed by FallSafety Home. Just keep in mind that the free version lacks nearly all of the best features. It functions only as an SOS button to alert your emergency contacts, while also providing round-robin calling until a contact can be reached and emergency health information storage. We highly recommend upgrading to the pro version to get all the bells and whistles, particularly GPS location tracking and fall detection.
A stand-alone medical alert app is downloaded straight to your smartphone and doesn’t require any additional equipment, although some can be paired with other devices. You may, for example, pair certain medical alert apps with a wearable smartwatch, such as an Apple Watch, to track your location and heart rate and provide an accessible emergency button. Most stand-alone medical alert apps notify your preselected contacts when you have a fall or press the emergency button. They will not connect you to 911 or a trained emergency operator.
» Learn More: Best Medical Alert Watches of 2024
A medical alert app that pairs with a medical alert system will complement a physical system. Since the apps work in conjunction with top medical alert systems, they are often more comprehensive and can easily connect you to emergency services or a trained emergency operator. The apps are usually included with your monthly service subscription or treated as an add-on for a small monthly fee. Overall, apps paired with a medical alert system cost a bit more, but they provide more protection.
A medical alert app can notify loved ones when help is needed. Some apps will even connect you directly to a trained operator who can send emergency services. When considering a medical alert app, it is important to assess your medical history, lifestyle, and budget. In general, we recommend every senior have some type of medical alert app just in case of an emergency. If you’re a healthy, active senior who just wants peace of mind, one of the stand-alone medical alert apps detailed above may be ideal for you.
FYI: If you’re looking for ways to pay for a medical alert system or app, just remember that Medicare will not cover the cost in the vast majority of cases.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of older adults living with Alzheimer’s and other related dementias receive care in their homes. For those who are cognitively impaired and still living at home, medical alert apps with tracking can provide a safety net for wandering, which is a common symptom of dementia. If you are a caregiver to an older adult with difficulty communicating or a history of falls, a medical alert app paired with a medical alert system provides great protection while you’re away from your loved one.
Depending on the features you’re looking for and whether you choose a supplemental or stand-alone app, a medical alert app will cost between $0 and $39.99 per month.
If you or someone you care for lives alone or has a history of falling, a medical alert app is a great option for on-the-go protection.
Yes. Medical alert apps can help caregivers stay informed on the whereabouts of their loved ones when they are away. They also alert caregivers if their loved one is having a medical emergency.
A medical alert app gives users the option to alert emergency contacts if they are in an emergency and need help. Apps paired with a medical alert system have additional safety features, and some medical alert apps are specifically designed to help caregivers look after their loved ones.
AARP. (2020). Older Adults Keep Pace on Tech Usage.
CDC. (2023). ​​Caregiving for a Person with Alzheimer’s Disease or a Related Dementia.
National Library of Medicine. (2021). Approach to Management of Wandering in Dementia: Ethical and Legal Issue.