Best Medical Alert Systems With Voice Activation
Our tech experts tested the best medical alert systems with voice activation and narrowed down the list to their top picks in 2024.
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- Wide array of customizable systems
- No long-term contracts required
- At-home and on-the-go systems
- One free month of service for veterans
- Prices starting at $39.99 per month
- Unique features: Activity and caregiver monitoring
- Affordable packages
- No wearables
- Noise-canceling microphone
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Frank is an active older adult who regularly takes his mobile medical alert device along with him when he goes out as a precaution. But when he’s at home, he feels encumbered wearing a lanyard or bracelet and doesn’t wear it.
Helen is an older adult who rarely goes out on her own. Still, Helen is resistant to wearing a medical alert device because it makes her feel old. She also struggles with using new technology.
Mary, who lives at home, is in the early stages of dementia. She often misplaces her medical alert device or forgets to charge it.
Frank, Helen, and Mary are all great candidates for voice-activated medical alert systems. Voice-activated systems come in a few different forms. For some systems, voice activation is the central feature of the system. Others embed voice activation within a base unit that provides other functions. And for still others, voice activation is included as an accessory to the base unit.
If you’re in the market for a new medical alert device, a voice-activated system might be an excellent option for you. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at voice-activated systems, who they’re best for, and the popular providers that offer them.
Best Medical Alert Systems with Voice Activation
What Is a Voice-Activated Medical Alert System?
Let’s begin by discussing what voice activation is not. Many medical alert systems enable users to speak directly to a response center agent or caregiver through a base unit or mobile cellular device. This feature is typically referred to as two-way communication. However, two-way talk is not voice activation.
Voice activation works with the sound of your voice. When you say a predetermined word or phrase, such as “Emergency help needed,” out loud, the alert system activates in response to the command and completes a specific task. In this case, a call goes directly to the system’s emergency response center. This is different from other types of medical alert systems, where users need to press a button to call for help.
Quick Tip: If you’re new to medical alert systems, check out our guide to medical alert systems to learn more about the different types, features, and providers.
Most systems with voice activation are limited to the single function of alerting the response center of an emergency. A few systems have more advanced features you can activate with your voice, such as contacting family members or even retrieving health information from a database.
Do I Need a Voice-Activated Medical Alert System?
Voice activation isn’t necessary for everyone, but it is beneficial for the following groups of older adults.
Resistance to wearables
Some older adults prefer not to wear a medical alert device. They may feel stigmatized, find wearables uncomfortable, or just not want the bother. With voice activation, the system stays in the background unless emergency help is needed.
Difficulties with technology
Voice-activated systems are simple to use. You don’t need to remember which button to press or whether the battery needs charging or replacing. (Voice-activated systems are generally plugged in with a backup battery available in case of a power outage.) If you’re not a big fan of high-tech products with confusing bells and whistles, voice-activated systems keep things straightforward.
Physical or cognitive impairment
Finally, voice-activated systems are beneficial to the 6.1 million older adults with vision loss. With a voice-activated system, you don’t wear a help button or have to keep the unit charged, and you don’t need to look for your system in an emergency. They also are handy for those with mobility issues who may have difficulty getting up to press a button or retrieve a device during an emergency.
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1. Medical Guardian - Best add-ons
What we like most
- Wide array of customizable systems
- No long-term contracts required
- At-home and on-the-go systems
Medical GuardianOverview:Overview
Medical Guardian, a leader in the industry, offers a diverse selection of at-home and on-the-go systems, as well as a full menu of add-ons. One of these add-on accessories, the voice-activated wall-mounted button, adds voice activation to your system. You can purchase this wall button with either of Medical Guardian’s at-home systems, MGClassic or MGHome Cellular. The voice-activated add-on has a 1,350-foot range, or as far as your voice carries. If you’re interested in voice activation features within a comprehensive medical alert system, take a look at our recent review of Medical Guardian.
Pros & Cons:Pros About Medical Guardian
- Voice activation up to a 1,350-foot range
- At-home systems include two-way talk
- TMA Five-Diamond monitoring center
- Includes a bracelet or necklace help button
Cons About Medical Guardian
- Higher price than some other at-home systems
- No free trial period
Summary:Pricing
MGClassic costs $29.95 per month and does not include an equipment charge. The newly updated MGHome Cellular costs $37.95 per month and includes a $149.95 equipment fee. While the monthly fee is slightly higher than many other at-home landline systems, the nice thing is that you don’t pay any activation fees. The voice-activated wireless wall-mounted button will cost you an additional $2.99 per month.
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2. Aloe Care Health - Best technology
What we like most
- One free month of service for veterans
- Prices starting at $39.99 per month
- Unique features: Activity and caregiver monitoring
Overview:Overview
Aloe Care Health arrived on the medical alert system scene in 2018. They offer two at-home centered around one piece of equipment called the Smart Hub, plus two on-the-go systems. Using voice activation, the hub keeps things simple for seniors while simultaneously supporting caregivers. The hub’s voice activation has a 10-foot range and also comes with a care button that you can wear as a bracelet or necklace when out of range. Air quality, temperature, and motion sensors provide real-time information through a caregivers’ app, which could provide relief and peace of mind for the 53 million caregivers in the U.S. For more information, read our full Aloe Care Health review.
FYI: Aloe Care Health offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee on equipment and monthly fees. After 30 days, if you return the system, you will receive a refund worth 50 percent of the equipment cost.
Pros & Cons:Pros About Aloe Care Health
- Direct communication with caregivers and the response center, using voice activation
- Includes temperature, air quality, and motion sensors for real-time feedback
- Caregiver collaboration through the caregiver app
- 30-day, money-back guarantee
Cons About Aloe Care Health
- Somewhat high equipment costs and monthly fees
- Fall detection limited to one room
Summary:Pricing
Aloe Care Health offers sophisticated systems and technology, so their prices are somewhat steep. Monthly fees range from $29.99 to $39.99, while equipment prices begin at $99.99 and run as high as $249.99. To help justify the cost, keep in mind that the two most expensive packages are really two systems (at-home and mobile) in one. For a good comparison between the pricing of Aloe Care Health and other systems, read our overview of medical alert system costs.
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3. GetSafe - Best variety
What we like most
- Affordable packages
- No wearables
- Noise-canceling microphone
Overview:Overview
Unlike some medical alert systems that add voice activation almost as an afterthought, GetSafe has incorporated voice activation as a central feature. It's designed specifically for older adults who want the safety of a medical alert system but who don’t want to bother with a wearable. GetSafe offers one type of system in three different packages, depending on the size of your living space. In addition to a base unit, mini-consoles, which include voice activation, are placed in separate areas of the home.
Pros & Cons:Pros About GetSafe
- Affordable pricing
- An effective system for those resistant to wearables
- High-fidelity, noise-canceling microphone is a central feature
- Optional fall detection
Cons About GetSafe
- o Relatively low coverage range if using the system without an add-on pendant
Summary:Pricing
GetSafe charges one monthly price, regardless of the package you order. And it is a price you'll like: only $29.95 per month. The trade-off is that you will pay an equipment fee based on the package you select. This one-time cost starts at $79 and runs as high as $279 for equipment costs. Still, these equipment fees are somewhat lower than we’ve seen with other medical alert systems.
Tips for Choosing a Voice-Activated Medical Alert System
If you think a voice-activated system is the right fit for you, your next step is choosing one brand. Here are a few things to consider:
- The life of the system’s backup battery: We recommend a minimum of 30 hours to ensure that you’ll be covered even if the system is unplugged or a power outage occurs.
- The monitoring center’s average response time: The industry average is around 40 seconds. This response time is vital to ensuring you get the help you need when you need it.
- The coverage range of voice activation: The coverage range you need depends on the size and layout of your house. You’ll want to ensure the range is extensive enough that the system detects your voice in key areas of your home.
- System value: If the system is expensive, does it provide other useful functions for you besides connecting with the response center? Are you uncomfortable with wearables, making voice activation the only type of system that you will use? Do you need this type of system because of health conditions?
After researching and answering these questions, you'll be on your way to picking the best system for you.
To learn more about popular medical alert systems, visit our list of the top medical alert systems for older adults.