Medical Guardian Reviews

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Editor's Rating
Monitoring Services
Alert Equipment
Customer Service
Pricing
Overall

Positives

• Terrific, fast monitoring service
• Reliable fall detection
• Mobile monitoring solutions
• Stellar pricing, no hidden charges
• Refunds for unused months

Negatives

• No pill reminders
• No CO, smoke detection

Medical Guardian has over 30 years of experience in providing medical and security monitoring services, and aims to grant elderly the chance to age gracefully and independently in their own home. Their medical alert systems offer accurate fall detection functionalities along with wireless and mobile monitoring units for those without a phone line. Along with an array of monitoring equipment, Medical Guardian offers various personal emergency services to cater to the needs and wishes of all elderly. The company doesn’t work with long-term contracts but choosing so rewards elderly with numerous benefits, such as free shipping and a free month of service. The payment plans are customer-friendly with services starting from $27.45 per month without any additional shipping or activation fees. Helping seniors live an independent life in their preferred environment in all safety is what Medical Guardian strives for and excels in through customized alert options and fast service.

Monitoring Services

Medical Guardian knows better than anyone else that a lightning fast control center is the heart of any alert system, and therefore only relies on well-trained operators manning the center 24/7/365. Its monitoring center doesn’t outsource anything, and has been certified by Underwriter’s Laboratories and the Department of Defense. All operators are 911/EMT trained professionals who are ready to assist in any case of emergency with caring help. The personnel on service knows how to deal with language barriers and anticipates on the provided medical health history on file to provide the best and fastest help possible in case of an emergency. The company has immediate access to all emergency services, and gives you the possibility to list doctors and other caretakers who should be contacted in case of an emergency in all states.

This medical alert system not only guards over the health of elderly; it provides assistance in other non-medical related issues too, such as burglaries, fire, disasters of nature and other threats. The operators are also alerting other family members if the senior desires so. A press on the emergency button will make sure help is underway with the two-way speaker in the necklace or pendant allowing the control center to communicate with the elderly. The central emergency unit is capable of detecting a fire through a smart temperature sensor that will trigger an alert to ensure that help is underway.

Fall Detection

Living in constant fear of falling not only makes elderly reserved and depressed, but little movement could also lead to collapsing due to weak muscles. To take away the fear of falling and not being able to get help, Medical Guardian offers fall detection as an add-on for the Home Guardian and Premium Guardian base stations. The technology behind the system uses accelerometers and barometric pressure meters to track the carrier’s speed and movement. In case a change goes below the normal level, the pendant interprets it as a fall, and automatically notifies the monitoring center. Although the system is made to be as accurate as possible, the pendant isn’t 100% failproof. It’s recommended to always press the button manually if possible.

Monitoring Equipment

The medical monitoring equipment available with Medical Guardian is of the highest quality available, matching with the company’s top monitoring services. Every system comes with a central monitoring console that works through a classic phone connection and selected VoIP services, with a wireless emergency unit available that works through AT&T’s cellular network as well for homes that don’t have a phone line. All quality waterproof emergency buttons provided by Medical Guardian have a lengthy battery life of 18 months and come as both pendants and watches.

Classic Guardian

True to its name, the Classic Guardian represents all the necessary characteristics of an in-home medical alert system. It works through your traditional landline, and the range between the console and the help button can be extended up to 1,300 feet. The base station sports a slick look, and houses a sensitive two-way communication system, allowing the elderly to talk to the operator from the far end of the room.

Home Guardian

The Home Guardian is a step-up to the previous version. It doesn’t require a landline to work, as it functions using the cellular network if necessary. The unit is capable of remaining functional during a prolonged power outage thanks to the 30 hours of backup battery. It’s capable of supporting multiple buttons at the same time – including the fall detection button – thus senior couples or groups stay protected using the same base unit.

Mobile Guardian

Mobile Guardian brings the personal safety net outside the house. This completely mobile base station is perfect for active seniors who like to take road trips and holidays, as it incorporates advanced GPS tracking to help the operators pinpoint your location.

The portable unit has only 24 hours worth of battery time, but the cradle charger is able to restore the power in 2 hours. The mobile station can be carried in a bag or in its special leather case, and it maintains a connection with the help buttons in a 350 feet long radius.

Premium Guardian

Last but not least, Medical Guardian’s latest innovation Premium Guardian unites all the above-mentioned advantages of the Mobile Guardian, and adds fall detection to the list. This unit is the pinnacle of mobile alert systems, as the light pendant is completely free of any base stations, and allows elders to speak with the monitoring center through the built-in microphone.

Setup

Getting started with Medical Guardian is a breeze, both in terms of ordering the system and setting it up. The caring customer service team will help you select the best equipment and monitoring approach for your personal situation, and will ensure that a profile for you or the senior you’re caring for is carefully filled in with contact details for preferred doctors, emergency services and family members and other caregivers in case of non-emergency situations. When you receive the medical alarm equipment, all you need to do is plug the central control unit in the power outlet and phone jack. If you’ve opted for a wireless monitoring unit, you will of course not even have to plug it into a phone jack. Once the system is connected, you can test your system by pressing the alert button connecting you with the control center to verify the test.

Pricing

Various subscriptions and system options are available to cater to the different needs and situations of all elderly. Whichever package you pick, you aren’t forced to commit to a long-term contract thanks to the monthly and quarterly subscriptions. Even though the monthly payment plan allows a more adaptable management of your chosen medical alert service, opting for a longer period has its advantages too. The longer the chosen payment period, the bigger the discount you earn for the monthly price. The annual plan has other benefits, including a free lockbox and a free month of service.

With Medical Guardian, you always receive the equipment for free, and only need to pay for the monitoring service. The Classic Guardian has the most cost effective payment package, as it only costs $27.45 for a month on the annual plan. Home Guardian comes for $32.04 per month, while the Mobile Guardian offers protection for as low as $36.62 for a month. Premium Guardian is the most expensive, but it’s the one with the most features: it is available from $45.79 per month billed annually.

Medical Guardian makes a firm promise that it won’t increase the price of your service. There are no activation fees, and all alert systems are shipped for free if you choose the annual package. There are no hidden fee’s either, but keep in mind that ordering extra help buttons or any other add-ons such as a fall detection or a wall button will slightly increase your monthly fee. Extra standard buttons costs $2 per month each, while the company charges $10 per month for adding a fall detection button.

Customer Service

Medical Guardian has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating, and proves to be very prompt in handling customer requests through the wide array of communication channels it is using. Medical Guardian’s operators are available 24/7 via email and over the phone (800-310-5997) to help you pick the right medical alert system. The website itself is a great source of information with the possibility to receive more detailed recommendations in a free brochure. You can send them a Facebook message or a Tweet with a question. The homepage also contains useful introductory videos about the system and the service itself.

Bottom Line

Medical Guardian is a leading force in medical alert systems, and it ensures its strong position by constantly rejuvenating its service. The company provides a fast and responsive monitoring service and four stellar medical alert units. Each base station boasts different specifications, catering to seniors with all sorts of different lifestyles and activity levels. Each base unit has its varying degree of battery time and range, but only two (Home and Premium) are compatible with their top-notch fall detection. Medical Guardian sadly lacks additional equipment that we always appreciate, such as a medication dispenser and smoke detectors, although the highly trained monitoring staff makes up for it, since they can be contacted in non-medical emergencies as well. Medical Guardian works with competitive prices, and doesn’t shackle customers with lengthy contracts, though opting for a longer service promises further benefits and savings, such as free shipping.