My independence has cost me many falls, stitches, and even surgery once or twice. But the reason I sensibly can live alone is because of medical alert bracelets, namely a Philip’s Lifeline bracelet. (I now have Guardian Alarm.) Lifeline was a vital piece of independence, giving me the security of knowing someone was just a ‘press’ away. The velcro band I wore on my wrist (other options include a necklace) was like a mini-intercom to St. Joseph’s Hospital, active only when I pressed it, connecting me to someone who would alert responders, people of my choosing, that I needed help. If I pressed it by mistake, I simply told the ‘dispatcher’ that no, I didn’t need help.

I had 25 years of 100% reliability with Lifeline, but even when it stopped working, it appears that something was temporarily wrong with my electricity or something within my house affecting the base unit, because they tried several different machines before one worked.

At the time I stopped my service with Lifeline, it cost $38.12 per month.