How We Research, Test and Review Medical Alert Systems

Learn about our evaluation process and how we rate our top picks

Taylor Leamey,

AARP

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Published May 22, 2026

The products and services discussed on this page have been independently tested and researched. AARP may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this does not influence our objective reviews. Proceeds earned go toward supporting our mission.

A woman wearing a medical alert system pendant around her neck

AARP Smart Picks

Older adults overwhelmingly want to stay in their homes, according to a 2024 AARP survey. One tool that could help them do that is a medical alert system, a product and service that connects users to a 24/7-staffed monitoring center with the push of a button.

To help older adults stay active and independent, our AARP Smart Picks team tested 25 medical alert systems, including watches, pendants and in-home units, with a group of adults ages 50-plus. As part of this process, we recorded initial impressions with each device, followed by a series of tests to gauge the quality of metrics such as GPS tracking, fall detection (if included) and audio quality.

Plus, in April 2026, we held a focus group of seven people who had purchased a medical alert system for themselves or a loved one in the last three years. All participants said these devices have helped them or their loved ones to stay active and feel more independent. They also said medical alert systems can help users live at home and carry out their normal activities — such as going grocery shopping or walking in the park — for longer.

In general, our lab team, alongside a group of older adult testers, gave us unbiased feedback on details for each of these tested devices, including things such as ease of setup, discretion, audio quality and more. Read on to learn more about how we vet and evaluate medical alert systems with older adult testers.

Here’s how we vet and test medical alert systems

Research the marketplace. In addition to reviewing existing products that are available, we ask experts: Which companies are popular and why? What are the best types of medical alerts for older adults? Which products have the best reviews — and are these reviews legitimate?
Recruit testers ages 50-plus to test and rate each device. Our testers provide unbiased feedback on how the devices and their components look and feel, how easy they are to set up and if they’re easy to charge.
Purchase and test each device in our lab. Using lab-controlled tests, we assess l features such as fall detection, GPS location tracking (when relevant), and audio clarity.
Contact monitoring center agents. We place test calls to each company to gauge how quickly the device connects to a real person. We also note whether the operators are friendly and helpful.

A woman unboxing the Medical Guardian Home 2.0 medical alert system

Testers set up each medical alert device according to its manual and rate the setup process for each device.

AARP Smart Picks

Products that perform well on these metrics make it onto our lists of the best medical alert systems

Device setup

Each tester starts by ordering a medical alert device. When they receive the device, they unbox it and set it up using the included user manual. They then rate how easy it is to set up the device and follow the instructions on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the easiest.
Testers also charge each device and note features such as battery life and how the device indicates a low battery.

Response time

As part of our assessments, we press the device’s help button to place test calls to each company’s monitoring center and time how long it takes to reach a human. We do this at least three times for each device.

Monitoring center quality

After initiating a call to the monitoring center, testers note how easy it is to cancel the call before a live operator answers. When operators answer, testers then rate each call’s audio clarity by noting how well they are able to hear the assisting agent and their directives.
When speaking with operators, testers also score the operator’s tone and professionalism. Was the operator friendly? Did they answer any questions we aske?

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A woman putting the Lifestation Pearl medical alert pendant around her neck.

Smart Picks testers assess the design of all wearable medical alert devices, noting whether the devices are comfortable, discreet and adjustable.

AARP Smart Picks

Comfort for wearable devices

To get a clear picture of the daily experience with these devices, testers rate each one on how comfortable each device is to wear. They also assess additional features. How heavy is the device? Could you see yourself using this device every day? Why or why not? For watches, do they fit comfortably on your wrist?
Testers also assess each device’s appearance. Does it look like a clinical medical alert device? Does it blend in with the tester’s clothes? We rate discretion and comfort on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the highest.

Fall detection

We also do assessments in our lab. For these evaluations, our lab team conducts a series of test falls for each device. Each device that includes fall detection — a feature that uses sensors to automatically detect when the user has fallen — goes through the test falls described below. And we conduct each of these test falls at least three times. If a device correctly registers nine of the 12 test falls, we give it a passing score. Lab testers simulate four different falls on a fall mat for safety reasons.

The types of falls that our lab testers assess are as follows.

Fall from a chair: Tester sits in a chair and falls forward.
Standing fall: Tester is standing, then drops to their knees and braces the fall with their arms outstretched.
Lateral standing fall: Tester is standing, then falls sideways.
Backward fall: Tester is standing and falls backward.

GPS location tracking for wearable devices

To test a mobile medical alert system’s GPS tracking accuracy, our lab team travels to three locations people may visit daily: a grocery store, a hardware store and an airport parking lot. During these assessments, our lab tester presses the device's help button and connects to the monitoring center. The operator then confirms the device's location, and we rate the operator’s accuracy.

A man putting the Lifeline Smartwatch on its charger.

As part of our assessments, testers rate how easy it is to charge each medical alert device.

AARP Smart Picks

Audio quality

We assess the audio quality and volume of wearable mobile devices by asking testers to note how well they can hear and whether monitoring center agents can hear them through the device’s two-way speaker.
We also assess the speaker clarity of in-home devices. This clarity is important because in-home systems have base units with two-way speakers you use to communicate with monitoring center agents. If the speaker is too weak, and if you’re too far away, you may not be able to hear the agent. So, to evaluate audio and speaker quality, we perform a distance-based test, in which an older adult tester moves progressively farther from the device and notes changes in audio clarity. Testers also note when they can no longer hear the operator and when the operator can no longer hear them.

The medical alert systems that perform well on these assessments make it onto our AARP Smart Picks lists for older adults. Have questions or feedback about our process? Email us at AARPSmartPicks@aarp.org.

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