Assisted living facilities primarily help residents with non-medical needs. Although minor and infrequent medical services, such as first-aid for a wound, can sometimes be met on-site by nurses. These communities may sometimes also be called ALFs, residential care facilities, retirement homes, or long-term care facilities.
The financial options available to help pay for senior care is dependent on, among other things, the type of care that is required. If you are just beginning the research process on how to pay for long-term care, it is helpful to have an idea about the type of care you or your loved one currently requires, as well as to anticipate future needs. In addition, it is important to be familiar with the associated eldercare terminology.
Can using home care technology help your family save money caring for an aging loved one? The answer is most certainly “Yes”. Our goal is not to provide a comprehensive list, but rather to make sense of those that are available on the market today and can reduce the care hours required by elderly persons. As such, they can reduce a family’s out-of-pocket care costs or reduce the hours they spend providing care themselves.
Medicare Advantage (Part C), a privately offered alternative to Original Medicare (Parts A and B), has grown in popularity over the years. Despite the growing popularity of Medicare Advantage, some seniors face obstacles that prevent them from truly understanding how it works and who it benefits. Common mistakes about Medicare Advantage include misunderstanding its differences from Original Medicare, getting it confused with other forms of private Medicare insurance (like Medigap or Part D), or not understanding how to look up or evaluate plans.
GreatCall’s Lively Mobile medical alert system is a portable medical alert device designed for seniors to take with them whenever they leave the house. The system is lightweight and uses cellular technology to keep seniors connected to the help they need when they need it. It’s also one of the most affordable systems on the market. The original GreatCall Lively device was a big hit, and in 2019 GreatCall released the updated GreatCall Lively Mobile Plus, which is the device we are focusing on in this review.
GreatCall is one of the few medical alert system providers that doesn’t offer in-home products. All of its devices are wearables or portables. This means the company is often overlooked in favor of more well-known brands. Those who ignore Lively Mobile, however, could be missing out on a robust and affordable alert system. The combination of portability, key features and pricing makes GreatCall’s Lively Mobile device a strong contender on our list of the best medical alert systems. Lively Mobile includes GPS tracking via an app, fall detection and access to doctors and nurses 24 hours a day for maximum peace of mind.
GreatCall Lively Mobile Plus: What You Should Know
GreatCall Lively Mobile Plus is aimed at active seniors. It’s a simple, plain-looking device, but it does its job well. The device can be worn as a pendant and features a single button on the front that the wearer can use to call for help. There are no screens or readouts to scroll through, and no other buttons that may accidentally be pressed.
The device is waterproof, allowing seniors to wear it in the bath or shower if they don’t have a suitable in-home alert device to rely on.
GreatCall offers a tiered subscription service for the device. On the most basic tier, users get the Lively Mobile device and access to the 5Star Urgent Response team. This means they can push the button on the device and be connected to a team of operators who will answer questions and provide suitable assistance.
The Lively Mobile device is GPS-enabled. When a user pushes the button to be connected with one of the 5Star Teams, the GPS technology pinpoints the wearer’s location. The agent will talk to the caller, find out what the issue is and stay on the line while it is resolved. Users can call 5Star for any reason, and agents will do what they can to ensure the user gets the help they need, whether by calling roadside assistance for a breakdown, calling emergency services if the user has fallen or injured themselves or simply connecting the user with a family member.
There are two higher tiers, called Preferred and Ultimate. These have extra features such as the GreatCall Link mobile app that allows friends and family to see their loved one’s location and be alerted if the 5Star button has been used or if the device is running low on battery power.
GreatCall Lively Mobile Plus has an up-front cost of $49.99, and a monthly fee for access to the support services. There’s no minimum contract, so users aren’t locked in to paying a monthly fee if they feel the device doesn’t suit their needs.
Basic
The Basic package is $24.99 per month. For this fee, users have access to the 5Star Urgent Response team 24 hours a day. The team is fast to respond, and users can call them for any reason, emergency or otherwise.
Preferred
The Preferred package is priced at $29.99 per month. For this, users get access to 5Star Urgent Response and Urgent Care. The Urgent Care service allows seniors to contact doctors and nurses for urgent medical advice and prescriptions.
The Preferred package also adds a GreatCall Link. This is a mobile app that family members can install to receive updates on the well-being of their loved one. The app allows friends and family to see if the Lively Mobile is running low on battery power or if their loved one has contacted 5Star recently.
In addition, GreatCall Link allows users to see the whereabouts of their loved one at any time. Seniors must give permission for others to use GreatCall Link, giving them full control over their privacy.
The Preferred package is priced at $29.99 per month. For this, users get access to 5Star Urgent Response and Urgent Care. The Urgent Care service allows seniors to contact doctors and nurses for urgent medical advice and prescriptions.
The Preferred package also adds a GreatCall Link. This is a mobile app that family members can install to receive updates on the well-being of their loved one. The app allows friends and family to see if the Lively Mobile is running low on battery power or if their loved one has contacted 5Star recently.
In addition, GreatCall Link allows users to see the whereabouts of their loved one at any time. Seniors must give permission for others to use GreatCall Link, giving them full control over their privacy.
Seniors can record information about medical conditions in GreatCall Link and also provide a list of emergency contacts. Emergency responders can access this information.
Ultimate
The Ultimate package is priced at $39.99 per month. For that fee, users get access to everything that’s in the Preferred package, plus a fall detection feature. This feature detects sudden movements that could indicate that the user has slipped or fallen. The user is then asked to press the button on the device to signal that they are OK. If they’re unable to do so, a 5Star Agent will be contacted immediately.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries to seniors in the United States, and 1 in 4 seniors falls each year, showing that even active seniors are at risk of injury from a fall. The Lively Mobile fall detection feature is particularly useful for seniors who live alone or those who are nervous about falling. By giving seniors peace of mind that help is always just a button-press away, they become empowered to stay fit, active and healthy.
The Ultimate package also includes a discount on device replacement. If the Lively Mobile Plus device is lost or damaged, GreatCall will replace it for just $15, instead of the full $49.99.
Pros
No long-term contracts
Affordable pricing
Waterproof device
Lightweight
5Star support team responds quickly
Easy to use (just one button to press)
GPS-enabled
Support team answers emergency and nonemergency queries
Cons
Fall detection is only available on the highest subscription tier.
Single-button interface means the system is less versatile than some rivals.
Does the GreatCall Lively Mobile Plus come with a warranty?
GreatCall offers a flexible 30-day cancellation period when the device is purchased. There’s a cancellation fee, and there may be other charges if the system was used before it was returned. After that 30-day period, users can cancel their service or change tiers at any time. GreatCall offers a one-year limited warranty on the device itself, and the Ultimate tier includes an additional extended warranty.
What happens when the user presses the alert button?
The 5Star support team keeps an emergency profile on all users, which can include known medical issues and any medications prescribed for that user. Users who are subscribed to the Preferred or Ultimate packages can add information to their profile using GreatCall Link.
When the alert button is pressed, a support agent will talk to the user, keep them calm, find out what their issue or question is and do their best to respond. They will stay on the line until the issue is resolved.
Should I buy the GreatCall Lively Mobile Plus?
The GreatCall Lively Mobile Plus is a good choice for active seniors. It’s affordable, durable and waterproof. The support team at GreatCall responds quickly when the button is pressed, giving seniors peace of mind that they can get help whenever they need it, whatever they need it for.
The device may not be suitable for seniors who are less mobile, however. It’s not a good replacement for an in-home monitoring system or a senior-friendly phone.
For those who simply want access to emergency support while they’re out of the house, it’s hard to beat the durability of this device, the response times or the affordable pricing.
