AARP Hearing Center
Medical Guardian Review 2026: Our Testing Experience
We assessed two devices from this medical alert company —a GPS-enabled mobile device and an at-home unit
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AARP Smart Picks™
For older adults who want to maintain independence while staying connected to help when they need it, medical alert systems can be a practical tool — not just a last resort. That’s because these devices can provide immediate assistance during emergencies and may be particularly useful for older adults managing balance concerns.
In order to recommend the best devices on the market, our AARP Smart Picks team worked with older adult testers ages 60 to 65 to assess more than 20 devices on important factors like call response time, GPS tracking accuracy (when applicable) and speaker audio quality. Medical Guardian, a company with over two decades of experience in the medical alert space, emerged as our best overall choice for its range of device types, discreet design and easy setup. It’s a well-known company — and the third most popular system on our April 2026 survey of medical alert system users.
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Medical Guardian's offerings include a GPS-enabled smartwatch and an at-home medical alert system that comes with wearable help buttons. These devices connect to a 24/7 monitoring center if you press the help button. Once you’re connected, monitoring center agents can call emergency services if you need help. You can also add automatic fall detection to specific devices, which will call for help for you if it detects a fall — even if you don’t press the help button.
If you’re wondering whether Medical Guardian could be a fit for you or a loved one, you’ve come to the right place. We evaluated two devices the company offers: the MGMove which is an on-the-go devices — and the MGHome 2.0. (Medical Guardian is currently launching a new device, the Guardian Flex. We're testing it and will update this page once our vetting is complete.) Read on to learn how the MGMove and the MGHome 2.0 performed on our assessments.
Comparing Medical Guardian models
What to know about Medical Guardian
According to our testing, medical alert devices from Medical Guardian stand out for their quick response times, accurate GPS tracking (when applicable) and feature-rich caregiver app.
We tested two Medical Guardian devices: one mobile device you can wear in your home or on the go and one at-home device. We liked their performance on various measures.
For instance, as a part of our assessments for each model, we press a device’s help button to initiate at least three test calls to the monitoring center. We consider devices that connect to a monitoring center agent in under 60 seconds to be ones that have passed this test. Both Medical Guardian models we tested passed, and their overall average response time was less than 30 seconds — one of the fastest averages of any medical alert company we've tested. We also evaluate the professionalism of monitoring center staff, and while we generally had a good experience testers did note that some staffers spoke very casually.
In addition, accurate location tracking for mobile devices worn outside of the home can be crucial for ensuring you can get help quickly if you’re on the go. So we liked that the mobile Medical Guardian device we tested, the MG Move, passed our GPS tracking test with flying colors. We assess GPS tracking by pressing the help button to initiate at least three test calls in three locations: a suburban grocery store, a hardware store and the cell phone lot of a major international airport. For each test call, when we connect to the monitoring center, we ask the agent to verify our address. Agents correctly identified the address at all three locations.
Another feature we like? This company’s app, which shows users' historical and real-time location data as well as medication reminders, device battery level and step totals. Caregivers can communicate with each other and with users through the app using the Care Circle feature, which lets you add up to four contacts you can text through the app for an additional $5 per month. These can be family members, caregivers, friends or even a trusted neighbor.
Testers also praised the look and design of Medical Guardian devices, saying they were discreet and comfortable to wear daily.
- Pros and cons
- Features
Pros
Stellar design and comfort
Smartwatch with touchscreen
Extra features and health metrics
Cons
Fair sound quality
Home screen doesn’t show exact battery status
Device type: Smartwatch
GPS tracking: Yes
Waterproof: No, but it is water-resistant and can be worn in the shower
Key takeaways from our testing
The MGMove is a GPS-enabled smartwatch with a touch screen, giving it a different look from traditional medical alert devices. Donna, a 60-year-old tester, noted the MGMove resembled an Apple Watch, only with a circular face. “It’s stylish and has a clean, simple design,” she said. So this device may appeal to active older adults who are looking for mobile GPS tracking during walks, travel or everyday errands. Donna said the watch was just as comfortable to wear as a regular smartwatch, and didn’t feel bulky on the wrist.
Tester Donna said the MGMove smartwatch (seen here) was easy to use and that she appreciated its stylish, simple design.
AARP Smart Picks
Tester Donna said the MGMove smartwatch (seen here) was easy to use and that she appreciated its stylish, simple design.
The MGMove has a touchscreen display. Its swipeable screen lets you see the weather forecast, track steps and set medication reminders. The help button is on the side of the watch face. It looks like a red oval with the letters “SOS” written in white. Caregivers can track information, like step count and medication reminders, through the free Medical Guardian app. Another cool feature? Users can send voice-to-text messages through the watch as part of the optional Social Circle apps package. This feature — which costs an extra $5 per month — allows care partners to connect directly with the watch user and each other. To set up your Social Circle, add up to four different contacts, like family members, neighbors and caregivers. In our testing, Donna said this watch was easy to use, but she did note that the touchscreen could be slow at times while swiping.
Donna said it was sometimes hard to hear when she pressed the help button and was connected to a monitoring center operator. The speaker is located on the side of the watch. "The agent sounded quieter and somewhat muffled, and at times the audio was slightly garbled," she said. Given these notes, if you — or a loved one you’re shopping for — has hearing loss or an auditory processing disorder, this device may not be the right fit. Another knock? Users don’t see an exact battery percentage on the home screen at a glance. Instead, they only have a green, yellow and red battery indicator light. To see precise battery percentage, you must swipe your finger from the top of the screen to the bottom. If users forget to check the exact battery status, they could experience unexpected watch shutdowns. So if you choose this device, you may want to charge it as soon as the status turns from green to orange, instead of waiting for it to turn red.
- Pros and cons
- Features
Pros
Affordably priced
Long at-home device range
Standout operator tone and clarity
Cons
Device setup was confusing for some testers
Buttons weren’t intuitive
Device type: At-home
GPS tracking: No
Waterproof: No, but the wearable help buttons are water-resistant for use in the shower; the base unit is not waterproof or water-resistant
Key takeaways from our testing
Home devices are base stations with two-way speakers that come with wearable help buttons. The base unit stays plugged into an outlet, and the pendants run on lithium batteries, so there is no need to charge devices. The base unit has a backup battery that lasts up to 32 hours. At $38.95 a month for monitoring — using cellular data to connect to the monitoring center — the MGHome 2.0 is the most affordable Medical Guardian device on this list. If you have a landline connection, that monitoring price drops to $31.95 per month. You can mount the base to a wall or place it on a stable surface like a table or nightstand — and both the wearable device and the base have a help button. If you press the help button on the base unit or the wearable device, the system initiates a call to the monitoring center when activated within its range — 1,400 feet, or about the length of four football fields. We appreciated this long range during our testing. In addition, Donna said the wearable device and base unit looked clean and modern.
Tester Donna said the two-way speaker on the MGHome 2.0’s base unit (seen here) was loud and clear.
AARP Smart Picks
Tester Donna said the two-way speaker on the MGHome 2.0’s base unit (seen here) was loud and clear.
In our tests, this at-home unit offered strong call volume and clarity, which can help older adults with hearing loss. "I found the voice range to be pretty strong overall, and the operator could hear me well from a reasonable distance," said Donna. She noted that the setup could be particularly useful in her bedroom or bathroom, where she said she is more worried about falling. Another advantage of this at-home device? Because the base unit stays plugged into a wall outlet — and has a backup battery that lasts up to 32 hours — and the pendants run on lithium batteries, there is no need to charge devices.
Despite its simple design, Donna rated the setup process as midrange because she said there were many similar-looking buttons on the unit that were not intuitive. "I wish they were labeled, because I ended up pressing the wrong button a couple of times,” she said of the MGHome 2.0. “The red and pink buttons in particular are pretty similar, which could be confusing." On the back of the device are a circular red power button, a pink volume button and a white pairing button. All of the buttons are about the same size, and the red and pink ones are also very similar in color. It can be difficult to tell at a glance, without having the manual open in front of you, which buttons to push and for what action.
How we test medical alert systems
To test medical alert systems, we work with testers ages 60 and 65 and ask them to provide unbiased feedback. They test call response times and GPS tracking accuracy, as well as comfort, design, ease of setup and operator professionalism.
Testers also answer questions like: Was this device easy to set up and use? How comfortable is it to wear daily? Could you see yourself using this device every day?
In addition, we perform a series of lab-controlled tests assessing the following criteria, which survey respondents, focus group participants and subject matter experts told us were most important:
- Fall detection
- Call connection speed
- Audio clarity
- Operator professionalism
- GPS location tracking
For more details on our process, see our medical alert testing methodology page.
Does Medicare cover Medical Guardian medical alert systems?
In general, original Medicare — Medicare Parts A and B — does not cover Medical Guardian medical alert systems. These systems do not fall under what is known as durable medical equipment, which includes medical devices like canes and wheelchairs.
Full or partial coverage may be available under some Medicare Advantage plans and Medicaid waivers may offer some degree of coverage. But individual policies vary, so check with your plan to confirm your coverage.
In addition, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may provide benefits for medical alert systems for older adults who qualify. The VA recommends talking with your health care provider about the option of a medical alert device to see if you qualify.
Does insurance cover Medical Guardian medical alert systems?
Most insurance plans do not cover medical alert systems. But some private insurance policies or long-term care insurance may pay for medical alert devices. You can check your individual policy to see if you qualify and confirm whether your insurer would require a letter from your health care provider to reimburse you for any costs.
How much do Medical Guardian medical alert systems cost?
Medical Guardian medical alert systems range from $149.95 to $199.95 for the initial equipment fee and from $38.95 to $42.95 for the monthly subscription.
You can see a breakdown of the equipment and monitoring costs in the chart below. This monthly monitoring price increases if you add on extra features such as automatic fall detection, which costs $10 extra per month, or certain app features like Social Circle, which runs an additional $5 a month.
How to save money on Medical Guardian medical alert systems
In general, Medical Guardian charges an equipment fee for devices as well as monthly monitoring fees. If your insurance doesn’t cover the cost of a medical alert system, there are ways to help offset some of the cost.
- Watch for sales events. Medical Guardian sometimes runs sales around holidays. We’ve seen sales up to half off the monthly subscription price for the first three months around major holidays like the Fourth of July and Labor Day.
- Use FSA and HSA funds. Another option may be to use your health reimbursement account (HRA), flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), if possible. These tax-advantaged accounts can help you pay for medical expenses not covered by insurance. While these savings plans may cover medical alert systems, it’s best to check your account terms to be sure.
- Pay for monitoring in advance. If you pay for three months or the whole year of monitoring up front, you can save on your subscription cost vs. just paying monthly. For example, if you buy the Medical Guardian Home 2.0 device, you can save $4 per month on monitoring if you pay for a year in advance. You can still cancel anytime and Medical Guardian will refund you for months you’ve paid for but won’t be using after you decide to cancel.
Is Medical Guardian right for you?
If you’re trying to determine whether Medical Guardian fits your needs — or those of a loved one — your lifestyle, budget and how you plan to use a medical alert device are all worth considering. For instance, whether you want a system that can call for help anywhere you go or a straightforward setup for use at home, Medical Guardian offers an option in both categories.
To figure out whether a Medical Guardian device may be right for you, consider asking yourself these questions:
- Do I usually stay at home? If so, you may want to consider the MGHome 2.0 rather than a device that works on the go.
- Do I want a more advanced device, like a smartwatch with a touchscreen? If so, you may want to look at the MGMove.
- Do I want a discreet device I can take on the go? If so, we’d recommend the MGMove, since it’s a GPS-enabled smartwatch with an inconspicuous design resembling an Apple Watch.
In general, if you’re leaning toward a smartwatch, you’re not alone. “Medical alert smartwatches can be especially appealing for older adults,” says Vania Carter-Strauss, a family nurse practitioner and director of Latinx Nursing Advocacy and Advancement at the University of Nevada Orvis School of Nursing in Reno, Nevada. “Some combine fitness tracking, communication and emergency response to help reduce stigma and increase consistent use.”
Carter-Strauss also notes that one of the biggest misconceptions about medical alert devices is that they’re only for people who are “frail” or “very elderly.” In reality, she says, medical alert devices are tools for independence. “The best medical alert system is the one that fits naturally into your life and is consistently used — one you'll actually wear every day,” she explains. Since medical alert smartwatches look very similar to an Apple Watch, older adults may be more likely to wear them without feeling self-conscious.
While some features may be nice to have — such as health tracking, caregiver alerts before emergency workers arrive and smartphone integration — Carter-Strauss says a few features are essential, including:
- A one-touch emergency call button for at-home and mobile devices
- GPS tracking on mobile devices for active older adults
- Clear two-way communication on speakers and microphones for at-home and mobile devices
These elements are important because they can help a user call for assistance, even if they are alone. In addition, for older adults with arthritis or limited hand strength, a simple device is key, notes Anneli Kumpula, a board-certified family and psychiatric nurse practitioner and the co-founder of Elevate Hospice in Scottsdale, Arizona. “Wrist or pendant devices that don’t require fine motor control are usually easier to use,” says Kumpula.
FAQs
Yes, Medical Guardian offers automatic fall detection, which automatically alerts the monitoring service if it detects a fall and the user is unable to press the button. This feature costs an extra $10 per month. It’s important to note that no automatic fall detection technology is 100 percent accurate.
In general, Medical Guardian’s initial equipment fees range from $149.95 to $199.95, and the monthly subscription cost for the connection to the monitoring center ranges from $38.95 to $42.95. Extra features such as caregiver alerts, protection plans and automatic fall detection cost more. You may be able to find sales, however, on device prices or subscription fees. And paying for an annual subscription can save you about $50 per year. So make sure to purchase a device that suits your needs, check for sales before you buy and carefully consider the higher cost of add-ons like protection plans before purchasing.
Generally, Medical Guardian and other medical alert systems are not covered under original Medicare, but some coverage may be available through a Medicare Part C plan. If you’re not sure if you have coverage, you can check with your plan to confirm.
Questions or feedback? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.
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