Is Life Alert Wireless?

Life Alert is a monitoring system that helps senior citizens and people who live alone live independently. Clients can use Life Alert for medical emergencies and in the event of a fire. The system employs wireless technology and also taps into the home's phone line to allow clients to reach a Life Alert dispatcher.

Overview

• When a senior citizen becomes a Life Alert client, he receives a pendant to wear around his neck while at home. As long as he's in his home, he can press a button on the pendant to notify the Life Alert dispatch office that he needs assistance. Life Alert states that its dispatchers receive an emergency call every 11 minutes and are able to help clients by alerting the necessary authorities.

Pendant

• The pendant that Life Alert clients wear uses wireless technology. The pendant itself is 4 inches square and comes on a lanyard, making it wearable around a client's neck. The pendant has a button that, when pressed, sends a signal to the Life Alert Master Unit, which is installed somewhere in the home and connected to the Life Alert Monitoring Center via phone lines.

Master Unit

• As soon as a Life Alert client presses the button on her lanyard, the Master Unit receives the signal and relays the signal via telephone wires. Therefore, a typical Life Alert setup makes use of wireless technology and wired technology working together. The Master Unit features a speaker and microphone; when you signal that you need help, a dispatcher will talk to you over the speaker and ensure that you have an emergency. If the dispatcher cannot hear you, she will automatically summon the authorities to visit your home.

Benefits

• Life Alert systems are ideal for people who live alone. Because the Life Alert pendant stays hanging from the client's neck, he is always able to reach someone, even when a phone is not handy. This system is ideal because if an elderly client falls in his home or becomes sick, he might not be able to reach a telephone to call 911. With Life Alert, he can place an emergency call from wherever he is located in the home.