Medical Alert Systems.

I just wanted to add to this piece that a reader wrote me that she ordered a system for her parents which she is very happy with. So I wanted to add their link for others to look at. Please check out 'Medical Alert Advice'. Thank you for your suggestion.



I have been assigned the task of gathering information about medical alert systems as my father-in-law, 92, is again in the hospital. My mother-in-law has had company at night but will not always have that companion. When my father-in-law comes home, it would be nice to have a way for them to have access to help right away since all the sons, daughters, & in-laws work & grandkids are all over the place as well. They have in the past said 'no' to this idea but the children all think 'just put the system in place, it is best for them'. So since I am resting from surgery, I get to check into different companies and set-ups.
So the following contains my thoughts & feelings on this, taking into consideration what they are looking for. As a caregiver, you can take the information as you see fit but decide what your particular situation is and what you are trying to accomplish for your elderly parents in order to make a decision. Maybe one of these will work for you, maybe none. A lot of information is online and pretty easy to read. My suggestion: call the company and make sure you understand how it works, payments, contracts (if any), how many contacts can be on the system, cost of additional buttons (sometimes only 1 is free & you need to pay for a second & it may affect the monthly charge), if there is a trial period, any discounts available to AARP members or veterans, etc. There was additional information given to me that I did not see on the site!! All will require agreements to be filled out before sending a system and/or installing.
My mom had an ADT system. I am not pushing this over any other - basically her reasoning was: she had heard of it, other senior people she knew had it % liked it, & they were local. It ended up being a positive experience - the call center was great, the price was right along with everyone else, it was easy to install, uninstall & return when needed, the product worked well.
Now for the companies & systems I checked out.

Medi-Share: A Healthcare Sharing Program.

I overheard my husband talking to someone who is looking into some type of health coverage about a program he heard about on a radio station. It is called Medi-Share, a Christian Care Ministry, & it has been in business since 1993 with over $750 million being shared and discounted amoung its members. "It is a healthcare sharing program where Christians share financial resources to pay each other's medical expenses." It is not-for-profit, members make the rules.

How does it work? Your monthly share is matched with another's bills. Christian Care Ministry takes care of the sharing of costs & provides members with a secure way of seeing who you are sharing with so you can pray for them & encourage them.
Based on an Annual Household Portion (AHP), your share amount is 'the annual amount of eligible medical bills that a household is responsible for before medical bills will be published for sharing'. This amount is for the entire family. There are portion options listed here.
They offer a health incentive which allows for a monthly share reduction of 20% for those meeting certain health criteria. This also has a special provision making Medi-Share members EXEMPT from the mandate to purchase insurance by 2014 or pay fines. Guidelines are here. There is a program for seniors. They also offer a plan for groups: churches and Christian employers. Take the time to review it to see if it may be a good fit for you and your family.