LifeStation Medical Alert System Review

Overview of LifeStation

The Buying Experience

LifeStation’s prices and product features are clearly listed online, but if you have questions or prefer to talk with someone before purchasing, you can easily reach LifeStation representatives by phone. Customer reviews often mention that LifeStation’s representatives are personable, patient, and helpful. I had a few questions, so I decided to give LifeStation a call.

After dialing in and listening to a piano concerto for a few minutes, I was connected to a friendly representative named Corey. There was no sales pitch, and Corey answered my questions patiently. I asked Corey how much fall detection costs, and he let me know it was an additional $15.90 per month through LifeStation’s Supreme plan. I also wanted to know LifeStation’s average response time. Corey said their average response time is just 20 seconds after you press your help button. Impressive! Some providers I’ve reviewed, including Life Alert, have average response times of two minutes, so LifeStation is faster than many of its competitors.

Setting Up My System

In-Home No Landline Setup

My In-Home No Landline package came with a square base station and small help button that can be worn as a bracelet or necklace. The setup for my system was easy; it was basically a plug-and-play. I turned on the on/off switch at the bottom of the base station, plugged the unit’s power cord into an outlet, and that was it! It took about two minutes for the base to find the cellular connection, and then it was ready to use.

To test my system, I put on my wearable help button and pressed it. An electronic emergency sound came through the speaker. Then, it took about 20 seconds for a loud voice to identify herself as a LifeStation operator. I told the operator that I was just testing the system, and she said I was welcome to test as much as I needed. I tried the same test again with the pendant in a room farther away from the base station to test the coverage range. I found the two-way speaker sufficiently loud, and I could hear the operator without moving closer to the base station.

Sidekick Setup

To set up the Sidekick mobile unit, I plugged in the charging cradle, placed the unit on the charger, and pushed the power button for an initial three-hour charge. I knew the unit was fully charged when the battery light stopped blinking red. To test the unit after it was done charging, I pressed the silver SOS button on the front of the pendant. I heard a sound alerting me that a call was in progress and was connected to a live operator in no time.

Contracts and Warranty

LifeStation offers a lifetime warranty for all equipment that covers normal wear and tear and product defects. If the system is damaged or lost, you’ll have to pay for the replacements. If you buy the protection plan for $7.95 per month, you’ll receive two complimentary help button replacements or one system replacement every year. There are a few caveats to this protection plan. It is not available with the Luxury system, and the Sidekick Smart system comes with the protection plan included. LifeStation doesn’t have long-term contracts, so you can cancel your service at any time.

LifeStation Systems at a Glance

LifeStation System and Product Details

In-Home No Landline

LifeStation Mobile LTE

Cost

Starting at $35.95 per month, the In-Home No Landline unit is an affordable medical alert system that doesn’t require a landline. For comparison, Medical Guardian’s monthly prices start at $37.95 for the MGHome Cellular, a cellular at-home system, so LifeStation is on the slightly more affordable side.

Equipment

In-Home No Landline comes with a wearable help button and a base station with a two-way speaker. One of the advantages of this system is that the base station can be put anywhere in the home regardless of where the phone jack is, as it runs on a cellular connection instead of a landline. This system works well for homebodies, older adults who don’t have a landline, and those who want the freedom to easily move the system anywhere in the house.

Service and Monitoring

This system runs on AT&T’s cellular connection, so make sure that AT&T has reliable service in your area. LifeStation's monitoring center offers 24/7 support, so all you need to do in an emergency is press the help button on your pendant or base station. During my tests, I had no trouble connecting to the monitoring center throughout my home, and I found that the operators were always friendly and quick to help.

Sidekick

LifeStation Sidekick

Cost

The Sidekick system starts at $39.95 per month, comparable to other mobile units on the market. For instance, Aloe Care Health’s prices for a mobile system start at $42.95 per month, while Medical Alert charges $47.95 per month.

Equipment

The Sidekick is best suited for on-the-go users or families who want to keep track of their loved one’s whereabouts. The Sidekick pendant is bigger than the At Home pendant, weighing under two ounces and measuring a few inches long. It’s an all-in-one system with a built-in microphone, speaker, and emergency help button, so there’s no base station or other equipment required except a charging cradle. You can wear the system like a necklace or put it in your pocket or purse. During my testing, I noticed Sidekick was smaller and more compact than some other mobile units, which I appreciated. I tucked the pendant into my sweater, and it was barely noticeable!

Service and Monitoring

The unit is equipped with GPS, Wi-Fi, and AT&T cellular technology to update your location in real time, so help can be dispatched no matter where you are. The unit’s batteries last for a full five days, meaning you won’t have to worry about charging it all the time. Plus, it has voice prompts and will vibrate to alert you when it’s time to charge the system.

While this feature is useful, I wish LifeStation had their own mobile app where family members and caregivers could easily check their loved one’s location at any time. Other top brands like Bay Alarm Medical and Medical Guardian have companion mobile apps.

Luxury

LifeStation Luxury

At $47.90 per month, the Luxury systems combines the Sidekick system with a jewelry pendant and chain. This is great if you want an attractive and discreet casing for your system. Both the chain and the case, which includes a lapis blue resin stone in its center, are brass. It offers all of the safety functions and features as the Sidekick system.

Sidekick Smart

LifeStation Sidekick Smart

Cost

Sidekick Smart, LifeStation’s latest smartwatch system, starts at $47.90 per month. I’ll be honest: This is fairly expensive compared to other popular smartwatch systems on the market. For comparison, Bay Alarm Medical’s monthly rates for a similar smartwatch start at just $39.95, plus a one-time $199 equipment fee.

Equipment

I was excited to see that LifeStation added Sidekick Smart to their lineup, as more and more companies are offering high-tech smartwatch systems. Sidekick Smart is a touch-screen watch that can track your steps and monitor your heart rate, making it an excellent option for active seniors. The system is water-resistant, with Bluetooth technology and a built-in two-way speaker. If you’re hesitant to purchase a medical alert system because of the way it looks, know that Sidekick Smart is a discreet solution. It looks exactly like a regular watch, so no one will know it’s a medical alert system!

Service and Monitoring

Sidekick Smart runs on AT&T’s network with GPS and Wi-Fi tracking. That means help can be sent no matter where you are, whether you’re taking a jog, golfing, or running errands. If you need assistance, simply tap the “emergency call” button on the touch screen or hold down the knob on the side of the watch to connect to the monitoring center.

Add-on Features and Accessories

Most of LifeStation’s add-ons are typical for the industry. Though they don’t offer more techy features like medication reminders, activity sensors, or a mobile app, they offer all of the essentials to keep you protected.

LifeStation Wearable Pendant and Watch

Fall detection

According to a study by the CDC, 36 million older adults experience a fall every year.4 For this reason, I think automatic fall detection is the most important add-on to consider. A fall detection pendant will automatically detect if you fall and send an alert to the monitoring station, even if you’re unconscious or unable to press your help button. LifeStation’s fall detection pendant is available with a Supreme plan and runs $15.90 per month for the Sidekick and the In-Home system.

Lockbox

If a first responder or family member needs to enter the house during an emergency and doesn’t have a key, this lockbox makes it easy. Instead of breaking down the door, causing expensive property damage, they will receive a code to unlock the LifeStation lockbox and retrieve a key. LifeStation charges $2.95 per month for this lockbox.

Protection plan

With this protection plan, you won’t have to pay the full price for lost or damaged equipment, which could save you hundreds of dollars. For $7.95 per month, you’ll be eligible for two help button replacements or one system replacement every year.

The Bottom Line on LifeStation

LifeStation offers products built for solid, straightforward performance. The equipment is simple and user-friendly. Customer testimonials speak to the company’s fast response times, kind and compassionate representatives, and the peace of mind these systems offer. While most of the systems aren’t exactly stylish, LifeStation focuses on the features that matter for keeping you safe, like fast response times, location tracking, and 24/7 professional monitoring. Plus, LifeStation offers a new smartwatch system for active older adults. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, LifeStation will surely be around for years to come, keeping you safe as you age in place.

Our Methodology

When testing medical alert systems, our team evaluates several key decision-making factors that users should consider when shopping for a system. These factors include reliability, ease of use, customer service, price and value, average response times, and features available. We test every system to give our readers a hands-on look at the product. We also request feedback from older adults about the systems whenever we can. Then, we use all of our research and testing to give each company a star rating out of five so that readers can easily compare systems. Want to learn more? Read our medical alert system methodology guide, which details our review process.