ADT Medical Alert System Review 2024

Pros & Cons

Overview of ADT Health

The Buying Experience

Although ADT Health spells out their medical alert systems and pricing on their website, I wanted to dig up more information, so I gave them a call. After a quick automated response, I was connected with a sales agent named Emir, who patiently answered my questions. For any medical alert system, it’s important to me that the company offers language support. When I asked Emir if they offered this, he responded that they would do their best to provide my preferred language but that it wasn’t guaranteed.

He explained that receiving immediate help is more important than trying to find someone who speaks my preferred language during an emergency. While I appreciate that ADT Health prioritizes getting help to their subscribers quickly, I wondered if communication gaps could hinder this good intention.

After ending the conversation with Emir, I realized that I forgot to ask about the cost of adding fall detection, so I tried out ADT Health’s live chat feature on the website. A bot prompted some questions before connecting me with a representative who informed me that fall detection costs $11 per month, which is roughly standard for the industry.

ADT Health offers online promotions and discounts throughout the year, so I’d recommend ordering online after chatting with customer service.

Charging my On-The-Go Emergency Response ADT Health system

Setting Up My System

Medical Alert Plus Setup

I began the setup process with Medical Alert Plus, which included a base station and a pendant help button. To start, I plugged the cellular base unit into an electrical outlet in my living room before turning on the base station’s On/Off switch. The display screen on the base station flashed “System Ready” after I turned it on. During my initial setup test, I pressed and held the test button for three seconds, and it lit up green. “User Auto Test” then flashed across the screen. Next, I pressed the emergency help pendant, and the display changed to “Test Call Sent to Emergency Response Center.” The center acknowledged my test, and the base unit indicated “User Auto Test Completed.”

On-The-Go Setup

As for setting up the On-The-Go system, I plugged in the charging cradle, placed the mobile device on it, and watched a yellow light flash. The mobile device beeped and illuminated within 10 seconds before the red battery light came on, indicating that the device needed to be charged. Three hours and a marathon of “The Office” later, I checked that the red light had turned off.

For testing, I pressed the emergency button on the mobile unit for two seconds until a red light around the button lit up, and the device rang. An operator answered, and I let them know that I was testing the system. I also performed a range test with my partner. I wore the help button pendant and went to the furthest area of my house (our office) while my partner stayed by the cradle charger in the living room. The mobile device on the cradle charger beeped, and an operator came on the line. My partner let them know that we were performing a range test, and we gave each other a thumbs up for a job well done.

Contracts and Warranty

ADT offers a lifetime warranty called the Premium Protection plan that covers normal wear and tear, an industry standard. If your unit is damaged by dust, heat, humidity, or accidental drops and spills, you can receive replacements for a discounted rate. If equipment is lost, you’ll be subject to replacing the device at full cost. Many providers offer some kind of protection plan that includes other perks or discounts. If you think this is necessary for a loved one (for example, for someone living with dementia), take a look at our Medical Alert review.

ADT Health doesn’t offer a free trial period like many other providers. However, if you decide to cancel your service, they will reimburse you for any unused days in the billing cycle. They also send a prepaid mailing label, so you don’t have to pay for return shipping.

ADT Health Systems at a Glance

ADT Health System and Product Details

Medical Alert Basic

Cost

Medical Alert Basic starts at $29.99 per month. It is the cheapest system ADT Health offers. However, this basic landline system is $5 to $10 more expensive than many other brands. For comparison, MobileHelp’s costs start at $19.95 per month for in-home systems.

Setting up ADT Health’s Medical Alert Basic system

Equipment

This system comes with an in-home base unit and a wearable wrist or neck help button. During an emergency, press the help button on the base unit, wristband, or pendant to connect to ADT’s 24/7 monitoring center. You can then use the two-way speaker on the base unit to tell the live operator what’s wrong, and help will be on the way.

While you are wearing the pendant, you need to be within 300 feet of the base unit. This range is somewhat restrictive, as other companies we’ve reviewed, like LifeFone, offer range capabilities up to 1,300 feet with similar in-home systems. One extra feature not seen on many other base units is temperature monitoring, which alerts you if your home temperature drops below or rises above a normal level.

Service and Monitoring

The Medical Alert Basic system is a solid match for homebodies or those who live in areas with poor cell reception, as it’s an at-home system that runs on a landline connection. The drawback to the Medical Alert Basic is that you can’t add fall detection to your system. This could pose a problem, especially for seniors at higher risk of falling, such as those living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson’s disease, or diabetes.

Medical Alert Plus

Cost

If you need an at-home system but enjoy spending time in your backyard, whether you’re gardening or playing with your furry companions, I recommend upgrading to Medical Alert Plus for an additional $8 per month. At $37.99 per month, I think this at-home system provides significant value over the Basic system (more details below).

ADT Health’s Medical Alert Plus system

Equipment

I found the base unit on the Plus less medical-looking and clunky than the Basic system’s base unit. It looks more contemporary and has a display screen that shows important metrics, such as the device’s connectivity status and battery level. Also, for many older adults who live with hearing loss, the voice prompts are loud (as in, you’re able to hear from the other side of the house loud!). And you can always read the system’s status on the display screen as well.

While the range between the help button and base unit is more extensive on the Plus system than the Basic system, its 600-foot range is still on the average-to-low side compared to other similar systems. Still, depending on the size of your yard or house, it may be all you need. And like the Basic system, the Plus includes temperature monitoring, an extra security feature.

Service and Monitoring

While Medical Alert Plus works much like the Basic system, it uses ADT Health’s AT&T cellular connection rather than a landline. And I was happy to see that for an additional $11 per month, I had the option to add fall detection.

On-The-Go

Cost

Priced at $39.99 per month, On-The-Go is similar in price to many other mobile systems that we have reviewed. Of the three systems, the On-The-Go is most in line with industry pricing standards.

Unboxing my On-The-Go Emergency Response system from ADT Health

Equipment

In my opinion, ADT Health’s On-The-Go is the most comprehensive safety system in their lineup. It’s great for active seniors who like long jogs or walks around the neighborhood. The system is wearable, includes GPS location tracking, and isn’t limited by the requirements of a base unit, so you won’t have to worry about going out of range.

When I unboxed the On-The-Go system, I found a help pendant, a palm-sized mobile device, and a cradle charger. The mobile device is water-resistant and lasts up to 40 hours after a full three-hour charge on the cradle, so you’ll want to take the charger with you if you plan to be away from home for more than a day.

Service and Monitoring

On-The-Go operates on AT&T’s cellular connection, so you can use it wherever there is reliable service. Fall detection is available as an add-on, but, unfortunately, ADT Health doesn’t offer a companion mobile app. This perk enables caregivers to track an older loved one’s location in the event of an emergency. If you’re interested in a system that includes this added benefit, take a look at our Aloe Care Health review.

Add-On Features and Accessories

ADT Health keeps it pretty simple with extra products and services. Their short a la carte menu includes the following items.

Automatic Fall Detection

Automatic fall detection costs $11 per month with the Plus and On-The-Go systems, which is similar to that charged by competitors. You can access this feature using a separate pendant. The fall detection pendant is designed to automatically signal for help even when you can’t move or speak. During testing, I dropped the pendant in my living room to simulate a fall. I waited about 20 seconds before the fall detection pendant picked up the movement and alerted ADT Health’s emergency response center. There’s no guarantee that fall detection will identify 100 percent of falls, so it is recommended that you press the help button if you’re able to.

My automatic fall detection pendant from ADT Health

Waterproof Wall Mount Button

The waterproof buttons for at-home systems enable you to call for help when you don’t have access to the pendant or base station. During an emergency, just press the button; it will automatically connect to the base unit and call for help. If you add ADT Health’s wall mount button to your medical alert system, place it in a high-risk area, like the bottom of a staircase or in the bathroom. The good news is that ADT is currently offering its wall mount buttons for free when you order online! You only have to pay $2.99 for the additional monthly monitoring.

Lockbox

Lockboxes ensure that emergency medical services (EMS) can enter your home safely without damaging your door by keeping a spare door key accessible. ADT Health’s lockboxes are rust-free and have a lifetime warranty. All you have to do is set a personal combination and notify the ADT Health team so they can register the lockbox on your account. Each lockbox costs $29.99. If you pay annually, a free lockbox is included with your purchase.

Additional Help Button

For $5 per month plus a one-time $14.99 equipment charge, you can purchase an extra help button. This extra for at-home systems is most valuable for couples or households with more than one older adult. It’s not quite a two-for-one deal, but pretty close. You can order the help button with either a lanyard or a black or white wristband.

Leather Case

ADT Health offers a handy leather case with the On-The-Go system. For an extra $10, you can add this pouch to your order. It includes a compact belt clip, so you can easily carry your device around while you’re out and about.

The Bottom Line on ADT Health

ADT Health’s medical alert systems provide basic-level protection and monitoring. These systems are great for someone in good health who wants some extra reassurance. I can’t say that ADT Health shines in all areas. I would have liked to see fall detection offered with all the systems and a companion app to assist caregivers. ADT’s prices for their basic at-home systems are also a bit high compared to competitors, although they regularly offer discounts on their systems and free shipping. However, adding home temperature monitoring to their systems was a nice bonus. ADT is most well known for its home security systems, but after incorporating their medical alert systems into my daily life, I can say that they offer adequate alert systems when compared to the other big names in the industry.

Our Methodology

As we test medical alert systems, we evaluate several key decision-making factors that users should consider when selecting a system. These criteria include reliability, ease of use, customer service, value for money, response times, and available features. We test every system by hand to give our readers an accurate and in-depth look at the product. We also receive feedback from older adults whenever possible. Then, we use all of our research and testing experience to give the provider a star rating. Visit our medical alert system methodology page for a closer look at our testing process.