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The Best Medical Alert Systems for Hearing-Impaired Seniors
Medical Guardian’s Home 2.0 system
It’s easy for most older adults to find a Medical Guardian system that meets their needs. Before purchasing, consider your lifestyle and level of hearing loss. Seniors with severe hearing loss may benefit the most from the Home 2.0. This in-home system’s base unit lights up when an emergency call is placed, and you can adjust the volume on the two-way speakerphone. Learn about other system options in our latest Medical Guardian review.
Call to speak with a Medical Guardian representative. Get your questions answered, products recommended, and ask about current deals and promotions.
Answer a few questions on Medical Guardian's website to get a quote on the best product and plan for you. This process is slower than calling a representative.
Our Editor Jeff Hoyt wearing the Bay Alarm Medical Fall Detection Pendant
If you’re looking for a simple, affordable medical alert system with excellent value, you won’t be disappointed with Bay Alarm Medical. Just keep in mind that their SOS Smartwatch doesn’t have fall detection capabilities — which is a feature you may want, since seniors with hearing loss face a higher fall risk. Learn more about this company’s features and systems in our review of Bay Alarm Medical.
Call to speak with a Bay Alarm Medical representative. Get your questions answered, products recommended, and ask about current deals and promotions.
Answer a few questions on Bay Alarm Medical's website to get a quote on the best product and plan for you. This process is slower than calling a representative.
Lively Mobile Plus
If you choose to use a Lively phone as your medical alert device, just know that you’ll need to pay for one of the top-tier phone plans. If you don’t want to pay for phone service, you can choose a dedicated medical alert device from Lively instead. Learn more about your options in our Lively medical alert review.
Quick tip: To compare these providers to other top companies, check out our list of the best medical alert systems for seniors.
Our Editor Jeff Hoyt with the LifeFone Voice in Necklace system
LifeFone intentionally made their medical alert systems accessible for those with hearing loss. Whether you need an at-home, on-the-go, or hybrid system, there’s a LifeFone option for you. Plus, if you’re concerned about falling, you can’t go wrong with their affordable fall detection. To learn more, check out our hands-on review of LifeFone.
Alert1 On-the-Go Medical Alert System with GPS and Fall Detection
Alert1’s nonverbal protocol really sets this company apart. They also offer an extensive lineup of accessories and add-ons that you won’t find with other companies. For our friends out there with hearing loss, we’d especially recommend their lockbox and medical ID bracelet. To read more about their systems and accessories, check out our Alert1 review.
Seniors need to weigh a lot of important factors when choosing a medical alert system. Those with hearing loss have even more to consider, and it can be hard to know where to start. To help, we’ve narrowed down the choices to our top medical alert systems for those with hearing loss. We evaluated criteria like price, ease of use, features, and operator training. To make it onto our list, a provider had to offer the following:
Having a medical alert system in your home is always a good idea for older adults, but if you are deaf or living with hearing loss, it’s extra important to choose a system that meets your hearing needs. Here are a few key features to look for and consider.
Most medical alert systems make a noise when an alert is activated. At the very least, the voice of the monitoring center operator will sound over a two-way speakerphone. If you have hearing loss, though, it’s helpful to find a system that uses visual or physical alerts too. This might be a button on the base unit that lights up or a pendant that vibrates. When you see or feel that alert, you’ll know that a call was placed by you or by your spouse who uses the same system.
Falls are already the leading cause of injuries for seniors in the U.S.3 Research suggests that even mild hearing loss increases your risk of falling.4 If you are concerned about falling, or already have a history of falling, look for a medical alert system with fall detection. Also consider the price of add-on fall detection when comparing medical alert system prices.
FYI: Interested in a system with fall detection? Visit our list of the best medical alert systems with fall detection for more information.
Make sure the company you go with has a monitoring center with trained professionals who are accustomed to working with older adults who have hearing loss. These professionals will know to speak clearly and loudly on the phone. You’ll also want to ask if they keep the subscriber’s medical conditions and medical history on file. That way, as soon as you call, they’ll know that you are deaf or have hearing loss and will take the steps to get you help, even if you can’t speak to or hear them.
Changing the volume on your TV or phone is second nature, so it’s easy to assume every audible device would offer the same feature. That’s not always the case with medical alert systems. For example, Medical Alert’s base unit doesn’t have volume control. Before purchasing, make sure the system you’re interested in offers adjustable volume control, or at least a pendant with a speaker that you can hold up to your ear.
Certain accessories, like lockboxes and medical alert ID bracelets, can make your medical alert system work better for you. If you’re deaf, you may not hear emergency personnel arrive. They may then have to break down the door, causing unnecessary property damage. If you have a lockbox on your front door, though, your operator can give emergency personnel the code to retrieve a key. Medical alert bracelets, meanwhile, can let first responders know that you are deaf or have hearing loss, as well as show them your name and other pertinent information.
Nowadays, it’s common for hearing aids to connect directly to televisions, tablets, and cell phones. Unfortunately, hearing aids don’t connect directly to most medical alert systems. The biggest exception is the Lively Smart, which is hearing aid compatible. Whichever medical alert system you choose, though, your hearing aids will still boost your hearing as you speak with the operator through your system’s base unit or pendant speakerphone.
Some hearing aids actually come with some of the same features as a medical alert system. The Livio AI hearing aids from Starkey double as fall detection devices. If you fall while wearing them, the connected app will notify three contacts of the fall and of your GPS location. That way, someone can give you a call, come over to help you, and/or contact emergency services on your behalf.
Linda’s Acclaimed Career in Senior Care Linda Schlenker is a comforting voice for seniors and caregivers across the U.S. For nearly three decades, Linda has helped seniors remain safe in their own homes, while helping them to regain priceless independence and peace… Learn More About Linda Schlenker
Sarah covers a range of senior lifestyle topics, from reviews of walk-in tubs and hearing aids to overviews of Medicare and Medicaid. Her close relationship with her grandparents gave her a firsthand look at the evolving life needs of older adults, and… Learn More About Sarah Goldy-Brown
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2021). Hearing Loss and Older Adults.
Johns Hopkins. (2012). Hearing Loss Linked to Three-Fold Risk of Falling.
National Council on Aging. (2021). Get the Facts on Falls Prevention.
National Institutes of Health. (2012). Hearing Loss and Falls Among Older Adults in the United States.