LifeStation Medical Alert Review

LifeStation is approachable, affordable, and effective

Caring for a parent, grandparent, or aging loved one can be a juggling act of priorities and compromises. LifeStation medical alert can shoulder a little of that work by giving your loved one more independence and giving you confidence that help is never far from them. 

This medical alert system offers quality at-home and mobile devices for older adults of all activity levels. And while the equipment is simple, it comes with an army of monitoring professionals and features like “Find My Loved One” and Alexa integration. 

Whether your loved one lives down the street or across the country, helping them transition into a new life stage can be overwhelming. But LifeStation provides the satisfaction of knowing they’re protected wherever they are.

How we reviewed LifeStation

We started by learning everything we could about LifeStation—looking through the website and reading customer reviews. 

We paid the most attention to pricing, equipment, and monitoring details. We then looked at the big picture by comparing LifeStation to the top-rated medical alert systems like Bay Alarm Medical, GetSafe, and Philips Lifeline. 

Learn more about how we approach reviews like this from our methodology.

LifeStation pricing

LifeStation’s monitoring service starts at $21.95 per month for a landline-based at-home system. This price is standard for most medical alert systems, but it goes up from there. Overall, you can expect mid-range pricing from LifeStation after equipment fees, add-ons, and monthly fees are said and done.

Info current as of 06/02/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

LifeStation has two medical alert monitoring options, each with three pricing plans available. The At-Home monitoring station ranges from $21.95 to $36.95 per month, while the Mobile with GPS plan lands between $37.95 to $45.95 per month. 

But these are just the starting prices. You can add extra features like fall detection, a protection plan, and a lockbox. Prices vary for At-Home monitoring stations too (depending on if you choose a landline or cellular-based system). 

Compared to other medical alert systems, LifeStation lands around the middle for pricing. LifeStation doesn’t make you pay for equipment. Its monthly fees fund your connection to the monitoring center and emergency services. Other companies like GetSafe and Bay Alarm Medical charge for both equipment and monitoring. 

We dive deeper into equipment and plans below.

Equipment and packages

LifeStation has all the ingredients of a quality medical alert system: professional monitoring, quality equipment, and options for both at-home and active older adults. 

And while LifeStation lands in the middle of the pack for pricing, none of its packages require a contract or long-term commitment. If you decide to try a different medical alert system or cancel your service, you won’t be subject to fees or penalties. 

We’ve laid out the blueprints of LifeStation’s plans to show you starting costs and what’s included with each plan.

LifeStation At-Home

If your loved one stays at home most of their day, an at-home system may be the best choice. 

The At-Home package comes with a base station and a wearable button. The button itself is about the size of a quarter, so it won’t get in the way of activities like bathing, cooking, or gardening. It comes on a waterproof necklace or wristband and communicates with the base station for up to 500 feet—so wearers can move about the house and yard and still be in range. 

The base station is impressive too. It has a high-volume speaker and sensitive microphone, so users can hear emergency professionals on the other side and speak to them if they’re in trouble. It also has a 32-hour backup battery that kicks in if the power goes out. 

LifeStation offers at-home systems with a landline or cellular connection. Both are easy to set up and come with the same equipment; the biggest difference is the price. Here’s landline pricing.

LifeStation At-Home: Landline

Info current as of 06/02/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

The Standard, Select, and Supreme plans for the At-Home landline plan go up to $36.95 per month. The equipment is the same for each plan (base station and wearable alert button), but the big difference lies in add-ons and extra features. 

The Select plan adds fall detection, enabling the wearable equipment to detect falls. If your loved one takes a fall, the device will automatically call the monitoring center, getting help to them faster. 

The protection plan acts as a warranty and covers the cost of damage and replacement to the system. Without it, expect costs around $300 for a replacement. 

LifeStation At-Home: Cellular

Info current as of 06/02/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

The cellular system works just like its landline-based cousin, but instead of being hardwired to your home phone, it uses cell signals from radio towers. It’s easier to set up, but if your loved one lives in an area with spotty cell reception, it may not be the best choice.

The protection plan and fall detection apply to the cellular system, just like the landline system. These are both optional, as well as a lockbox for important documents.

LifeStation On-the-go 

LifeStation’s On-The-Go kit is a good fit for active older adults who still drive, run errands, and travel. There’s no base station or extra devices, just one lanyard with a waterproof domino-sized emergency button. The battery lasts for up to five days too, so they won’t need to charge it as often while they’re out and about. 

The On-The-Go lanyard uses LTE cellular signals through AT&T’s 4G network (the same network your smartphone uses when you’re not on Wi-Fi). You’ll be able to locate your loved one wherever they go because the mobile device uses GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile LTE to keep track of them.

LifeStation: On-The-Go packages

Info current as of 06/02/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

This mobile medical alert is a good choice for anyone with parents or grandparents who wander or fall into confusion. It goes with them wherever they go, so you can also see their location for yourself. But unlike a regular smartphone, the LifeStation alert is a one-touch system that connects them to help instantly.

The Find My Loved One feature also comes with this mobile plan. It works as a text alert or Amazon Alexa skill. Just ask your Amazon Echo or text the feature to look into your loved one’s location. You’ll find out almost instantly. 

Unfortunately, monthly fees add up fast with this package. Fall detection is only available through the Supreme plan, which costs almost $50 per month. That said, it’s worth it to know that your loved one is safe during their activities.

Notable features 

LifeStation has a few features that make it extra helpful for caretakers and loved ones of older adults. 

• Find My Loved One: This text feature comes with the On-The-Go GPS unit. It’s available as a skill through the Amazon Alexa app. Text it or ask your Amazon Echo to “find my loved one,” and the alert system will locate them through the mobile LTE and GPS features.
• Partnership with Uber: LifeStation’s collaboration with Uber brings independent living into the 21st century. If your loved one no longer drives or you aren’t available to take them, they can call LifeStation to get a ride.
• Five-Diamond monitoring center: In partnership with The Monitoring Association (TMA), LifeStation is part of the Five-Diamond program. This program sets high standards for the professionals looking out for your loved ones. Their commitments include reducing false alarms, continuing their professional training, and improving customer service.

Customer service 

LifeStation has two UL-Listed monitoring centers staffed with trained professionals. These redundant monitoring centers serve customers across the US 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If one fails, the other will be up and running, so help is never far away. 

The gold standard doesn’t stop there. LifeStation is part of the CSAA Five Diamond program. It’s less of an award and more of an initiative program that agrees to random checks, fewer false alarms, and better service. 

Your loved one can call LifeStation’s monitoring pros any time of day or night for questions or help. They can even order an Uber through LifeStation when they have an appointment. 

Be warned that you have to call to order a system. Some customers may prefer ordering over the phone, but it can be a downfall for the phone-shy among us. Either way, rest assured that the customer service rep on the other line will set you up with a system and customize it to your needs.¹

How LifeStation stacks up

Info current as of 06/02/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

LifeStation’s pricing lands just above Bay Alarm Medical and is almost $10 less than Philips Lifeline and Medical Guardian. It’s cheaper up front because only LifeStation leases out their equipment (other companies often require you to buy it all at checkout). So you’ll only have to pay for monitoring instead of monitoring and equipment.

Bay Alarm Medical has the most options for devices and options, while GetSafe is the right choice if you want a purely cellular system (monitoring costs $24.95 per month across the board for every equipment plan).

LifeStation has a couple features the others don’t have like Find My Loved One and its partnership with Uber and Amazon Alexa. But overall, LifeStation lands in the middle of the pricing and equipment spectrum.

Final word about LifeStation 

LifeStation’s prices aren’t the lowest, but these contract-free systems come with helpful add-ons that make it money well spent. The company also requires orders over the phone, which is good news for some but an inconvenience for others.  

LifeStation’s medical alert system leaves caregivers confident in their loved one’s safety and empowers older adults to live at home independently. With two monitoring centers, your loved one can get help from highly-trained professionals in any kind of emergency. 

LifeStation FAQ

Is LifeStation’s equipment water resistant?

Yes. The At-Home and On-The-Go wearable alert buttons are water resistant, making them easy to wear in the shower and tub, to the beach, or in the pool. 

Will my monitoring system still work if the power goes out?

The At-Home medical alert system has a backup battery that lasts up to three days without power, while the On-The-Go mobile medical alert has a battery that lasts up to five days. 

How does help know where to find me?

The LifeStation monitoring station will have your address if you use an At-Home system and use GPS location if you’re wearing an On-The-Go pendant when you call for help. They’ll stay on the line until emergency responders arrive too.

Related articles 

• Best Medical Alert Systems
• Bay Alarm Medical Review
• GetSafe Review
• Best Safety Wearables for Seniors

Sources 

1. Medical Alert Advice, “Why is TMA (CSAA) Five Diamond Monitoring Center Important For Medical Alert Monitoring?”