Medical alert button or fall sensors: what is the difference?
From MyIntel. Updated .
The short answer
A medical alert button gets help when the person presses it. Fall sensors in the room can send an alert even when the person cannot press anything. The button works anywhere they wear it, as long as they can press it. Room sensors only work in the rooms where they are set up, but they do not need to be worn or remembered. Many families use both, so there are two ways to get help fast.
How a help button works
The person wears a small button on the wrist or around the neck. When they press it, a trained person at a response center answers, talks with them, sends help if needed and calls family. It is simple and works well, but only when it is worn and only when the person is able to press it.
How fall sensors work
Fall sensors are small devices placed in a room, like the bathroom or bedroom, where falls are most likely. They notice when someone has fallen and send an alert on their own. Nothing has to be worn or pressed. The trade-off is that they only cover the rooms where they are installed.
Side by side
- Help button: works anywhere it is worn, but needs a press, and only helps if it is on.
- Fall sensors: nothing to wear or remember, but only cover the rooms where they are set up.
- Both together: a fall in the bathroom can still get help even if the button is on the nightstand.
Noticing changes before a fall
Some systems also learn a person's usual day, like when they get up and how they move around the home. If something changes, such as a late start or more trips to the bathroom at night, family hears about it early. That can mean help comes before a small problem turns into a fall.
How MyIntel does it
Every MyIntel plan includes a help button answered 24/7 by a trained person at a UL-listed response center. HomeProtect and HomeComplete add fall sensing in key rooms and sensors that learn the usual day and notice when it changes. There are no cameras. No system can promise to catch every fall, which is why we use more than one way to get help.
Common questions
Do fall sensors use cameras?
Ours do not. MyIntel room sensors notice movement, not faces, and nobody can see into the home.
Do I still need a help button if I have fall sensors?
We recommend both. The button works anywhere it is worn, and the sensors cover key rooms even when the button is not within reach.
Will every fall be found?
No system can promise that. Fall sensors work in the rooms where they are set up, and the help button works when it is pressed. Together they give two ways to get help fast.
Questions about your home? Call (720) 989-1123 or send us a note.