LifeStation Medical Alert Review

We share our testing experiences and dive into the details on LifeStation’s pricing and features.
Lifestation
LifeStation medical alert logo
3 out of 5 stars
3
Starts at$32.95/mo
  • pro
    30-day money-back guarantee
  • pro
    Find My Loved One feature
  • pro
    Free equipment lease
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For over 11 years, SafeWise experts have conducted independent research and testing to create unbiased, human reviews. Learn how we test and review.

Cathy Habas
Nov 28, 2022
Icon Time To Read5 min read

LifeStation's medical alert systems are simple but get the job done. There's no complicated pricing to worry about, and the monthly fees are standard for the industry. There's no landline option, but LifeSation offers unique integrations with Uber and Amazon Alexa devices.

pro
Pros
pro TMA Five Diamond certified
pro Alexa integration
pro Partnership with Uber Health
pro Jewelry pendants
pro Free lease of equipment
pro Discounted spouse monitoring
pro Fall detection option
pro No contract
pro PAPA Pals program
con
Cons
con No pro-rated refunds
con No landline option
con Activation fee for mobile devices
con No price lock guarantee

LifeStation costs, systems, and policies for 2022

LifeStation’s monitoring service starts at $32.95 per month for an at-home system without automatic fall detection. This price is standard for most cellular medical alert systems, but it's not the most affordable option on the market

How much does LifeStation cost?

The main LifeStation cost you have to worry about is the monthly monitoring fee, which starts at about $33 to $44 depending on your chosen equipment.

You don't pay any equipment fees—all LifeStation products are provided to you for free, and you send them back to cancel the service. However, you'll need to budget for a $99.95 activation fee if you choose LifeStation's mobile devices.

LifeStation offers just a couple of add-ons that increase the monthly cost:

  • Fall detection: about $12/mo.
  • Spouse coverage: about $4/mo.
  • Wall buttons: about $3/mo.
  • Lockbox: about $3/mo.
  • PAPA Pals service: about $5/mo.

Shipping costs about $12.50 but is waived if you pay for several months of service in advance.

Compare LifeStation pricing and systems

Product
Starting monthly cost
Fall detection cost
GPS tracking
Battery life
Equipment
Learn more
Icon No  LightNo

32-hour backup battery

• Base unit
• Wearable alert button
• Wristband and necklace attachments

Icon Yes  LightYes

5-day battery

• Wearable GPS button

Icon Yes  LightYes

1-day battery

• Medical alert watch

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Thumbs Up
There is no one-size-fits-all

Feeling overwhelmed? Take a step back and learn How to Choose a Medical Alert System before you start shopping. We dig into what makes a medical alert system a good match for you and your family.

LifeStation's refund and return policies

LifeStation requires no long-term contracts, but you're welcome to pay on a quarterly or annual basis if that's easier for you. You can cancel any time. 

LifeStation offers a 30-day money-back guarantee with no pro-rated refunds. Expect to pay return shipping. If you're unable to return the equipment or it's damaged, LifeStation may charge an extra fee of around $300.

A closer look at LifeStation products

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.

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

1. LifeStation In-Home Medical Alert System

In-home medical alert system

If you stay at home most of the day and don't go out alone, an at-home system may be your best choice.

LifeStation's In-Home package comes with a base station and a wearable help button. The button itself is about the size of a quarter, so it shouldn't be too heavy or irritating.

It comes on a waterproof necklace or wristband and communicates with the base station for up to 600 feet—so wearers can move about the house and yard and still be in range. If you choose a fashion pendant instead, the range drops to about 200 feet. Expect to pay about $10/mo. for the jewelry pendant too.

The base unit has a 32-hour backup battery that kicks in if the power goes out.

2. LifeStation Sidekick Mobile GPS Device

Mobile GPS system
LifeStation Sidekick
Starts at$37.95/mo

This LifeStation medical alert system 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 you won’t need to charge it as often while you're out and about.

The Sidekick uses LTE cellular signals through AT&T’s 4G network (the same network your smartphone uses when you’re not on Wi-Fi). Automatic fall detection is available for an additional monthly fee.

The Find My Loved One feature also comes with this LifeStation mobile GPS device. 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.

3. LifeStation Sidekick Smart Medical Alert Watch

Medical alert watch

The LifeStation Sidekick Smart is a medical alert watch that also doubles as a basic fitness tracker for seniors thanks to its built-in pedometer and heart rate monitor.

Other features include a weather app and location tracking through the Find My Loved One feature. Fall detection isn't available with the Sidekick Smart. 

This water-resistant watch should be charged once per day.

Our SideKick Smart testing experience

Image: Alina Bradford, SafeWise

Our tester had some mixed feelings about LifeStation's Sidekick Smart. She liked how bright and crisp the screen is, noting that it should be easy for older adults to read at a glance. 

But she wasn't impressed with the size of the watch. "It stands up off my wrist by almost a solid inch. I feel like I'm wearing a ring box on my wrist." 

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. (Check out other rideshare options for seniors.)
  • PAPA Pals: LifeStation's trained PAPA Pals help with appointments, grocery shopping, system installation, and more. They're not quite in-home caregivers—think of PAPA Pals as LifeStation's concierge service.

LifeStation 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 TMA 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.

We're happy to share that LifeStation finally supports online ordering. You may still want to call to talk to a sales rep to ask about discounts or customizable features. 

LifeStation vs. the competition

Because LifeStation offers just three products for average monthly fees, it tends to get lost in the shuffle compared to other medical alert companies with much larger catalogs and more enticing policies, like Bay Alarm Medical and Medical Guardian. For example, LifeStation doesn't offer a landline option, caregiver app, or price lock guarantee. 

That said, LifeStation is a great option for seniors who don't have a support network of family and friends thanks to its unique PAPA Pals program and Uber integration. 

Compare LifeStation to other medical alert systems

Brand
Lowest monthly monitoring
Location tracking for caregivers
Fall detection available
Landline connection available
Learn more
Read review
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon No  LightNo
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon No  LightNo
Icon No  LightNo
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes
Icon Yes  LightYes

Info as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Final word

LifeStation’s prices aren’t the lowest, but these contract-free systems come with helpful add-ons that make it money well spent. And thanks to the company's new online ordering platform, you can easily compare prices without feeling pressured by a sales rep.

LifeStation FAQ

Members of these organizations get a discount on LifeStation's monthly monitoring fee:

  • VFW
  • AFSCME
  • Elks Lodge
  • American Legion

Yes. All of LifeStation's wearable alert buttons are water resistant, making them easy to wear in the shower and tub, to the beach, or in the pool.

The At-Home medical alert system has a backup battery that lasts up to 32 hours without power. That's about as good as it gets for medical alert backup batteries

The LifeStation monitoring station will have your address if you use an At-Home system. If you have the Sidekick or Sidekick Smart, the monitoring center receives your location thanks to GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular location data, and Bluetooth. They’ll stay on the line until emergency responders arrive too.

Learn more about how GPS trackers work.

How we wrote our LifeStation review

Image: Alina Bradford, SafeWise

We started by learning everything we could about this medical alert company—looking through the website and reading LifeStation reviews from customers. We also called the customer support line to speak with a LifeStation care specialist.

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 Lifeline.

Finally, we tested the LifeStation Sidekick Smart hands-on. We tested its health-monitoring capabilities, waterproof claims, and battery life.

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

Cathy Habas
Written by
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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