The 6 Best Medical Alert Systems with Fall Detection in 2023

• Medical alert systems with fall detection are worth considering if you or someone you care for lives alone or is at a high risk of falling.
• Most companies charge about $10 per month to add fall detection to a medical alert device.
• Fall detection works by sensing when the user has fallen and automatically contacting the medical alert company’s monitoring center for help.

More than one-fourth of Americans who are 65 and older experience a fall each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).¹ And whether it’s with or without injury, falls can carry a heavy quality of life impact. The best fall detection devices, such as Medical Guardian, Bay Alarm Medical, and others mentioned in this guide, can provide extra security for older adults who are at a high risk of falling.

Medical alert systems with fall detection use technology that senses when you fall and sends an immediate alert to get you help. Although you’ll have to pay $5–$10 more per month to add this feature to most medical alert systems, fall detection can give you and your loved ones added peace of mind and help you age in place longer.

Our Reviews Team researched and tested the best medical alert systems with fall detection to help you find the best device for your needs. See what companies made our list of the best medical alert systems with fall detection.

• Best Device Range: Medical Guardian
• Most Cost Savings: ADT Health
• Best Battery Life: Bay Alarm Medical
• Best Extra Features: LifeFone
• Best Smartwatch: UnaliWear
• Best Value: Medical Alert
• Most Accurate: Lifeline

Our Reviews Team spent more than 2,500 hours conducting in-depth research on medical alert systems. During our process, we:

• Researched and tested each system independently
• Consulted with licensed professional caregivers and doctors who specialize in older adult care
• Mystery shopped six medical alert system brands
• Surveyed medical alert system users
• Read hundreds of verified customer reviews from trusted third parties, such as Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot

Read more about our medical alert systems review methodology.

Based on its industry-leading device range for its at-home system (up to 1,400 feet, the longest on this list), we named Medical Guardian “Best Device Range.” You can be up to 1,400 feet away (about four football fields) from the base unit (a small device that links to the company’s monitoring center and connects to your fall detection necklace or bracelet), and the device will still register a fall and automatically contact the monitoring center.

Medical Guardian also has a competitive combination of features, performance, and value that makes it one of the best medical alert systems with fall detection on the market. It ties with LifeFone for the most connection types on this list (landline, AT&T, and Verizon cellular), its on-the-go devices have a high five-day battery life, and it has one of the fastest response times in the industry at 1–15 seconds, which is well below the 30-second industry average based on our internal testing. This may be why a majority (43%) of our survey respondents use Medical Guardian for their medical alert system—the second most popular system is Bay Alarm Medical (26%).

When we tested the Medical Guardian fall detection option, we found it successfully detected simulated falls from a standing position. Be aware no fall detection will detect 100% of falls.

Automatic fall detection isn’t included in the monitoring plans, but you can add it for $10 per month. Also, fall detection isn’t an option for all Medical Guardian devices—the MGMove smartwatch is the only product without a fall detection option. Other companies on this list offer fall detection as an optional add-on for all their devices.

Check out our Medical Guardian versus Medical Alert and Life Alert versus Medical Guardian articles to compare these popular brands. Or, take a deeper dive with our Life Alert review.

Customer service and payment options

We had an excellent experience with Medical Guardian customer service. A representative helped us set up our MyGuardian app account and answered all our questions during our call.

The customer service team at Medical Guardian is available by phone, email, or chat on its website. The team is available by phone at 800-480-1357 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

You can also email the customer service address at MGCustomerCare@medicalguardian.com. For quick questions, Medical Guardian has a chat service on its website that quickly connects you to an agent. Chat availability is the same as phone availability.

Medical Guardian accepts payments in the form of check, credit card, or check by phone.

We selected ADT as “Most Cost Savings” because even though its medical alert systems have a starting fee of $29.99 (the average starting fee of all the companies on this list is $32), you can save up to $48 annually by choosing an annual plan ($312 per year versus $360 per year). The company also earned “Best for No Extra Fees” in our best medical alert system review for its no activation, equipment, or processing fees.

ADT does not have medical alert watches but offers three medical alert systems: Medical Alert Basic System, Medical Alert Plus System, and On-the-Go System. The only system that doesn’t have the optional fall detection add-on is the Medical Alert Basic System.

For the Medical Alert Plus System and On-the-Go System, the fall detection costs $11 per month, and the battery lasts 18 hours. Though this feature isn’t guaranteed to detect all falls, when we tested ADT fall detection by dropping it in both a sitting and standing position, within 10 seconds, the device gave a voice prompt, “Fall detected. Press and hold button to cancel.”

To learn more, check out our ADT medical alert review.

Customer service and payment options

We used the online chat and phone options when speaking with ADT customer service representatives. The customer service phone number was very accessible: it was in large print on a sticker on the at-home base station. When we had a connection issue with one of our systems, we called customer service, and the representative figured out our issue quickly and efficiently.

With ADT providing security systems and medical alerts, it can be confusing to know who to reach out to when you need help. We contacted ADT to clarify, and the representative informed us that you can reach any department (sales, customer support) at 800-238-2727.

Chat support is available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, Fridays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET.

You can purchase an ADT medical alert system through the ADT website, by phone, or by chat. The company accepts major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.

Bay Alarm Medical is one of the oldest and most trusted names in medical alert systems for older adults. It was founded in 1946 and has reputable products and high customer reviews. Among the medical alert systems with fall detection we tested, Bay Alarm has the highest BBB rating (4.3 out of 5 stars) with 138 reviews.

But it’s the long battery life in the company’s fall detection necklace that makes Bay Alarm Medical stand out, which is why we named it “Best Battery Life.” The company states the batteries in wall buttons and necklaces should last five years, and the battery in the at-home fall detection device lasts up to two years. Compare that with the next-longest fall detection battery life on this list, Lifeline, with a one-year maximum.

A long battery life in your fall detection necklace helps ensure it’s always working, and wearing it becomes second nature because you don’t have to worry about regular charging. Bay Alarm Medical also monitors and automatically replaces your batteries, so you should never have to worry about a low battery.

Bay Alarm Medical offers clip-on accessories called Bella Charms that look more like jewelry than medical alerts.

Its automatic fall detection costs $10 per month in addition to standard monitoring fees.

Check out our Bay Alarm Medical versus LifeStation comparison for more information about these two medical alert system companies.

I also tested the fall detection necklace that pairs with the All-in-One system. The necklace didn’t connect to the monitoring center during my initial drop tests. I called technical support to troubleshoot the issue, and a representative was able to activate fall detection over the phone. While I’m thankful it was a quick fix, fall detection should have been automatically activated in the necklace when I received it.

Customer service and payment options

Every time we called customer service, it took us less than a minute to reach a representative. A representative explained how to add emergency contacts and instructions for monitoring center staff to contact them in our online portal. We were pleased with the efficiency and helpfulness of each call with Bay Alarm Medical customer service.

The customer service team at Bay Alarm Medical is available by phone, email, or chat on its website. The team is available by phone at 877-522-9633 Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT and Saturday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT.

You can also email the customer service address at cs@bayalarmmedical.com. For quick questions, Bay Alarm Medical has a chat service on its website that quickly connects you to an agent. Chat availability is the same as phone availability.

Bay Alarm Medical accepts payments in the form of debit card, credit card, or check.

The LifeFone medical alert system includes many features for those who are comfortable with technology. You can think of LifeFone as both a medical alert system with fall detection and an all-in-one home monitoring system. It includes several extra features not available from other companies on this list, which is why we named it “Best Extra Features.”

LifeFone works as an all-in-one home monitoring system, with the following features included in all of its devices:

• Fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide sensor
• Medication reminder (reminders are added through the app)
• Personal lockbox
• Activity tracking system

There are also additional features that come with extra costs. Caregivers or users can schedule a daily test ($6 per month) for the system that can be turned off with the push of a button. If there’s no response, the call center will contact you.

You can also schedule a daily check-in call ($19 per month), and a call center operator will call your phone just to make sure everything’s okay. In addition, there’s a caregiver app (free) to help you stay connected with loved ones. These types of extra features are valuable to medical alert system users, according to our survey: 40% of respondents said the biggest challenge with their medical alert system is it doesn’t have enough special features.

The company’s devices have a long battery life, a range of 1,300 feet, and low-cost automatic fall detection. Although monthly monitoring starts at $25 a month, fall detection is $5, or about half of what other companies charge.

One drawback with LifeFone is, like Medical Alert, fall detection is a separate necklace. That means you’ll have to wear two devices (your normal medical alert device and the extra fall detection necklace). But it may be worth it given the extra features.

Customer service and payment options

The LifeFone customer service phone number was listed throughout our user guide and activation instructions, so we never had to search for the number when we had questions while setting up our medical alert systems. The representatives were knowledgeable and able to answer our questions during our calls. Only one instance involved multiple calls to resolve an issue—we didn’t receive an email code right away to set up the caregiver app.

The customer service team at LifeFone is available by phone or email. The team is available by phone at 800-331-9198 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET and Saturday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

You can also email the customer service address at info@lifefone.com.

Lifefone accepts payments in the form of credit or debit card, and it offers an online bill pay option.

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The UnaliWear Kanega Watch is one of the only medical alert systems with fall detection designed for your wrist. This specific fall detection technology, called RealFall, actively learns your movements to help improve accuracy and reduce false falls.

“We are constantly updating our algorithm with real fall data,” said Richard Hirsch, chief marketing officer of UnaliWear. This dynamic technology offered by a smartwatch earned the Kanega Watch “Best Smartwatch” from us. See the section, “How does fall detection work?” to learn more about wrist-based vs. necklace fall detection.

Fall detection is automatically included with the Kanega Watch and not charged as an extra monthly fee. The black, water-resistant watch is available in three accent colors: black, champagne gold, and rose gold, and connects to a 24/7 monitoring center via Wi-Fi and Verizon cellular service.

This dual connection keeps your watch connected to the monitoring center at all times, so if you have poor reception or lose connectivity, your watch will still be able to connect with the monitoring center. There are three ways to contact the monitoring center: You can press the button on the side of the watch face, trigger fall detection, or use your voice.

You can also use voice commands to ask for the time and date, but voice-to-text messaging features are not available.

The Kanega Watch includes four rechargeable batteries—two to place in your watchband while the other two charge. That way, you can swap the low batteries with fully charged batteries without taking off your watch to charge it.

When testing the Kanega Watch during our medical alert system testing summit, we liked how simple it was to insert and remove the batteries. There are no screws or small latches to open since the batteries attach to the watchband, which may be helpful if you experience arthritis, dexterity issues, or reduced vision.

Unfortunately, the $69.95 starting monthly price is nearly $30 more than other medical alert systems in this review. There is also a one-time $299 equipment fee. By choosing an annual subscription, you can reduce your monthly fee ($59.95) and equipment fee ($199), but you’ll have to pay for the 12-month subscription upfront.

This reduced monthly fee is still higher than Medical Guardian and Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch monthly fees, but unlike the Kanega Watch, those watches don’t support fall detection.

Customer service and payment options

Since the Kanega Smartwatch doesn’t have an app or online portal, UnaliWear encourages users to contact the company over the phone for any maintenance issues or changes that need to be made to their accounts. We asked a few quick questions using the online chat, but most of our interactions were over the phone.

You can reach the UnaliWear customer service team by phone (888-343-1513), email (community@unaliwear.com), or live chat on the company website.

Customer service representatives are available via phone and live chat Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. They are also available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday.

You can order your Kanega Watch over the phone or online. The company accepts the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, and JCB.

Unlike other medical alert systems on our list that only offer fall detection with certain systems, Medical Alert lets you add fall detection to all of its plans. You can even get automatic fall detection with the on-the-go GPS medical alert system button.

The service is $20 a month in addition to your monitoring fee. But if you pay for an annual subscription, the cost drops to $18.30 a month for monitoring and $9.20 for fall detection. In other words, you get emergency monitoring with automatic fall detection for just $27.50 a month. This makes it the lowest price on this list, which is why we named Medical Alert as “Best Value.” If price is a priority for you, check out our full medical alert system cost comparisons for more information.

The downside: Fall detection comes in a separate necklace with the company’s on-the-go product (the at-home system uses a stationary base unit and a fall detection necklace). This means for on-the-go devices you’ll have to carry both a medical alert button and a smaller fall detection necklace. The medical alert button is a small, handheld device with a help button and two-way speaker. It’s about the size of a deck of cards.

The fall detection necklace is smaller and about the size of a half dollar coin. The medical alert button can stay in your pocket or purse, while you should wear the fall detection necklace around your neck for accuracy. Although using two devices is not ideal, if you’re watching your budget it may be worth it in exchange for the low monitoring fees.

Customer service and payment options

Our experience with Medical Alert customer service varied. The representative who helped us purchase our medical alert system was friendly and helpful. They even gave us their direct extension if we had any other questions. A different customer service representative called us to clarify something with our account, but we were busy and unable to take the call. We told the representative this and asked if they could call us back later, but they immediately hung up on us.

The customer service team at Medical Alert is available by phone or email. The team is available by phone at 800-800-2537 every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. You can also email the customer service address at customerrelations@medicalalert.com.

Medical Alert accepts your first monthly payment in the form of a credit or debit card. After that, the company also accepts automatic payments from your bank account or paper billing.

Lifeline developed AutoAlert fall detection technology for its Lifeline medical alert system. Its high accuracy earned it our designation of “Most Accurate.” Fall detection is included in the HomeSafe AutoAlert and On the Go systems with no extra fee.

AutoAlert combines three fall detection technologies. First, the device can tell how quickly a person falls, which is the same as most other fall detection systems. Second, Lifeline added a barometer to pick up on any tiny differences in air pressure. The barometer is fine-tuned enough to sense differences in air pressure at various distances from the floor.

Finally, Lifeline uses a formula to double-check the sensor for accuracy. This helps AutoAlert detect falls other systems sometimes miss. It also helps cut down on the number of false alarms or missed falls, when the user actually does fall but the device fails to recognize it. The company claims its technology detects 95% of falls, but remember no fall detection is 100% accurate.²

Customer service and payment options

We had an excellent experience with Lifeline customer service when mystery shopping the brand. Our representative was friendly and knowledgeable and answered all of our questions without pressuring us to buy a medical alert system. We also liked that our representative shared that their family member is a Lifeline user. They drew from their experience when answering our questions, which was a lovely personal touch.

The customer service team at Lifeline is available by phone, email, or chat on its website. The team is available by phone at 855-332-7799 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

You can also email the customer service address using the contact form. For quick questions, Lifeline has a chat service on its website that quickly connects you to an agent. Chat availability is the same as phone availability.

Lifeline accepts payments in the form of check, credit card, or debit card. Paying by check costs an additional $3.50 per month.

Fall detection (also called automatic fall detection) uses sensors such as accelerometers, which detect motion, to identify when you fall and then send an alert to the medical alert company’s monitoring center that you need help.

Nearly every company includes a disclaimer on its website stating no device is 100% accurate, so many fall detection devices include a help button as well in case the device doesn’t record your fall.

How does fall detection work?

Fall detection uses a wearable device (typically a necklace) to detect when the wearer falls and automatically sends help. While some medical alert smartwatches, including the UnaliWear Kanega Watch and Apple Watch, support fall detection, research from 2016 shows fall detection worn around your neck is more accurate than fall detection worn around your wrist.³

Experts generally agree the best way to wear a fall detection device is as a necklace high on your chest and on top of your sternum for accuracy.

Fall detection technology typically includes an accelerometer and other advanced sensors such as barometers to sense slight changes in speed, angle of descent, and air pressure to detect a fall, according to this 2021 systematic review.⁴ The devices take the data from those sensors and plug the information into an algorithm to determine whether a fall actually occurred. If the device confirms a fall did occur, it contacts the company’s monitoring center to send help.

To learn more about ambient sensors and monitoring centers, read about how medical alert systems work.

How accurate is fall detection?

Be aware that false positives can occur (when the device mistakenly detects a fall that hasn’t happened) if you drop your device or the device falls off a table.

This 2020 research survey found an average accuracy rate of 93% for fall detection devices, but numbers vary. This 2017 study⁵ found an average accuracy rate of 80%, and this 2018 review of 22 different studies⁶ found that, in order to arrive at a standard accuracy rate of fall detection systems, more real-world research is needed. Generally, researchers agree it’s not 100% accurate, but very close.

In the event of a false positive with your fall detection device, the company will reach out and verify whether you need assistance. Companies also encourage you to test your fall detection device monthly to ensure it’s still working. For step-by-step instructions on how to test a fall detection device (also known as a “drop test”), see this guidance from Medical Guardian.

All medical alert systems have a button for you to press in the event of a fall or other emergency. But if you fall, you may be unable to press the button yourself. That’s why fall detection is so important.

After all, falling is a common experience for older adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).⁷ “Impairments in vision, hearing, and balance can make an older person more vulnerable to falls than others,” said Liron Sinvani, MD, director of the hospitalist service at Northwell Health and associate professor of medicine at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in the New York City area. “Those who have conditions such as osteoarthritis or dizziness or take multiple medications also have a greater risk of falling.”

Fall detection devices can prevent negative consequences, like dehydration, hypothermia, and pressure sores if someone falls and is lying on the ground for a long time.

Having a medical alert system that can sense a fall and contact emergency personnel will help you to quickly get the help you need. It’s a popular feature among medical alert customers. In our survey, automatic fall detection was the most popular special feature our respondents wanted in a medical alert system. To gauge your risk of falling and get tips on how to prevent falls, use NCOA’s Falls Free CheckUp tool. And for guidance on how caregivers can discuss falls prevention, use NCOA’s Falls Prevention Conversation Guide for Caregivers.

Combined with a medical alert system, fall detection can provide an important second layer of protection. You will have peace of mind knowing help is on the way even if you don’t push the help button.

If you’re looking for the best medical alert systems with fall detection, we recommend Medical Guardian for its long device range, Bay Alarm Medical for the best devices and longest battery life, and LifeFone for the best extra features.

Consider ADT Health if you’d like a simple device with no extra fees. We recommend the Lifeline fall detection necklace for the highest accuracy, Medical Alert for the lowest price, and UnaliWear Kanega Watch if you’re interested in a smartwatch with fall detection.

We do not recommend Life Alert since it doesn’t offer fall detection, in addition to other major drawbacks, like a three-year contract, high fees, and pushy sales tactics.

Going with any of these companies can give you more confidence to go out on your own and do the things you enjoy. It also can assure your friends and loved ones that you have access to help when they can’t be there.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Falls. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
2. Lifeline. Automatic Fall Detection. Found on the internet at https://www.lifeline.philips.com/medical-alert-systems/fall-detection.html
3. Gjoreski, et al. How Accurately Can Your Wrist Device Recognize Daily Activities and Detect Falls? Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4166886/
4. Warrington, et al. Are wearable devices effective for preventing and detecting falls: an umbrella review. Found on the internet at https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-12169-7
5. Aziz, et al. Validation of accuracy of SVM-based fall detection system using real-world fall and non-fall datasets. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5498034/
6. Broadley, et al. Methods for the Real-World Evaluation of Fall Detection Technology: A Scoping Review. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6068511/
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Facts About Falls. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
8. Pannurat N, et al. Automatic fall detection: A review. Found on the internet at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4166886/
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older Adult Falls Data. Found on the internet at https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data/index.html