Medical Alerts & Home Sensor Systems: Older Adult Perspectives

The Impact Theme series: Longevity Explorers Discuss.

Increasingly we see the two categories of Medical Alert Systems and Home Sensor Systems merging in the future. Our analyst team has done a lot of research on both of these categories.

In this series of discussions with older adults you can hear for yourself what they like and dislike about current products, and what their ideas about the ideal products are.

Hear what Older Adults Think: Medical Alerts & Home Sensor Systems

Explorer Recommends Lock Box to Save Your Door

Explorer Geri shares the idea that people who have some type of emergency alert should have a lock box with a house entry door key, so first responders can gain entry in an emergency without kicking in the door.

Listen to: "Explorer Recommends Lock Box to Save Your Door"

Medical Alert Show & Tell, SF Explorers

Explorer Shirley shares a news article highlighting some of the problems making an emergency call via an e-call device. And the explorers handle and discuss a couple of new medical alerts.

Listen to: "Medical Alert Show & Tell, SF Explorers"

CallToU Replaces Shouting for Help at Home

Explorer Don describes an in home call pendant system that sounds remotely when activated, saving the user from having to shout loudly in an effort to alert a helper.

Listen to: "CallToU Replaces Shouting for Help at Home"

SRC Explorers Assess a New Medical Alert Device

The group is introduced to a MobileHelp medical alert device designed as a wristwatch.

Listen to: "SRC Explorers Assess a New Medical Alert Device "

Medical Alert Smartwatches @ SFV

The SF Longevity Explorer group is shown several versions of medical alert devices in the form of smartwatches.

Listen to: "Medical Alert Smartwatches @ SFV"

Explorer Withdraws His Endorsement of a Medical Alert System

Explorer John no longer likes the LifeStation Medical Alert system due to his annoyance with a malfunctioning component.

Listen to: "Explorer Withdraws His Endorsement of a Medical Alert System"

This PERS Outperforms My Former Favorite

Explorer John gives his high opinion of his latest personal emergency response system.

Listen to: "This PERS Outperforms My Former Favorite"

More Reactions: Lively Wearable Medical Alert

The group scrutinizes the Lively Great Call emergency call system, an iteration which incorporates several upgrades to its previous models.

Listen to: "More Reactions: Lively Wearable Medical Alert"

Jitterbug Smart Phone: Explorer Shares

Explorer John brought his Jitterbug Smart smartphone to share with explorer circle.

Listen to: "Jitterbug Smart Phone: Explorer Shares"

Lively Wearable Medical Alert: First Impressions

The SF Village Longevity Explorer circle plays with and discusses a new product from GreatCall: the Lively wearable activity tracker and medical alert system.

Listen to: "Lively Wearable Medical Alert: First Impressions"

SequiasSF explorers check out the Lively Wearable

At our last circle, this group of explorers were interested in the new Lively Wearable device. This month, we brought one along, and the explorers tried it out, and discussed it features and positives and negatives.

Listen to: "SequiasSF explorers check out the Lively Wearable"

This Explorer Likes the Jitterbug: Medical Alert and Phone

Explorer Brenda reports that although she doesn't have a smartphone, she has a robust medical alert function on her Jitterbug phone, and really likes it.

Listen to: "This Explorer Likes the Jitterbug: Medical Alert and Phone"

New Lively Alert Looks Promising

Several explorers have asked about the new Lively Medical Alert just introduced by GreatCall. We all discuss why it looks promising and agree we need to try it out.

Listen to: "New Lively Alert Looks Promising"

Professional Responder vs Friends & Family @ SRC

Do we want a professional responder to answer our medical alert call buttons (for a monthly fee) or do we want them to ring our friends and family (no monthly fee)?

Listen to: "Professional Responder vs Friends & Family @ SRC"

Different Medical Alert Form Factors @ Comm Club

The group asks questions and offers comments about the variety of medical alert systems available from 'Dick Tracy' two-way voice communication to silent call buttons which summon help.

Listen to: "Different Medical Alert Form Factors @ Comm Club"

Why would you want a Medical Alert Device? Explorers discuss

If using a medical alert device is not for everyone, then what type of person is most likely to want one?

Listen to: "Why would you want a Medical Alert Device? Explorers discuss"

Emergency Alert Apps for Smartphones

EVC Explorers are introduced to the idea of using a smartphone app to summon help in an emergency.

Listen to: "Emergency Alert Apps for Smartphones"

More on emergency alerts @ EVC

Eskaton Village Carmichael Explorers review and handle a variety of personal emergency alert devices which are being studied by Tech-enhanced Life.

Listen to: "More on emergency alerts @ EVC"

Emergency Alerts discussed @ SF Village

The SF Village explorer group is introduced to a variety of personal emergency response systems (PERS) which have different qualities and capabilities.

Listen to: "Emergency Alerts discussed @ SF Village"

Choosing the Right Emergency Call Device

The Explorer circle examines and discusses a variety of emergency call devices with the purpose of selecting the ones that best meet their individual needs.

Listen to: "Choosing the Right Emergency Call Device"

Reasons for Having an Emergency Alert Device

Explorers discuss the reasons why one might want an emergency response pendant.

Listen to: "Reasons for Having an Emergency Alert Device"

PERS hands-on @ SSF

Longevity Explorers at Sequoias, San Francisco have the opportunity to handle and discuss several types of emergency call devices now on the market.

Listen to: "PERS hands-on @ SSF"

PERS hands-on @ EVC

Eskaton Explorers view, handle, and discuss a variety of personal emergency response systems (PERS) now available in the marketplace.

Listen to: "PERS hands-on @ EVC"

How can I get help in an emergency?

Explorer Kai is seeking a simple device to summon help in an emergency.

Listen to: "How can I get help in an emergency?"

Emergency Apps and Call Systems

Listen to the group having a lively discussion of emergency apps on phones and smartphones). Cost is always a consideration, and when John mentions monthly pricing, someone calls it 'more than your electric bill'. John counters by saying that the cost is a matter of one's priorities: When it comes to emergency calls, "I would rather be alive without electricity than dead with it."

Listen to: "Emergency Apps and Call Systems"

Topic Hub

Medical Alert Systems: Selection Guide

Medical Alert Systems selection guide. Independent, objective, comparative evaluations, reviews, selection tool, and online tutorials and lecture. Includes actual hands-on testing.

Read: "Medical Alert Systems: Selection Guide"

About the Impact Theme Series

Our Longevity Explorers (hundreds of older adults with ages ranging from 60-95 years old) meet regularly to discuss topics at the intersection of aging and technology.

Among the many topics we discuss in these meetings, we have been exploring some specific themes which we think are going to be very important for older adults in the future, and which in our opinion are ripe for innovation. These make up our Impact Themes, and Medical Alerts & Home Sensor Systems is one of these themes.

In these discussions:

We share how we do things today;
We explore and critique existing products;
We talk about challenges we have that we wish products could solve; and
We dream up product concepts we wish someone like you would develop.

If you are developing products or services for older adults in the category of Medical Alerts & Home Sensor Systems, listen to the Longevity Explorer discussions on this page to get insights about how to develop better products and services for older adults.

More Explorer Discussions

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Topics (broader coverage of this theme):

Safety

Medical Alerts & Home Sensor Systems: Older Adult Perspectives

The Impact Theme series: Longevity Explorers Discuss.

Hear what Older Adults Think: Medical Alerts & Home Sensor Systems