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| Time Spent Testing | 168 Hours |
|---|---|
| Starting Price | $24.99 per month |
| Contract Minimum | 1 Month |
| Average Response Time | 13 Seconds |
| Customer Service Response Time | 15 Seconds |
Lively, a company widely known for its Jitterbug phones for seniors, offers a mobile medical alert system called the Lively Mobile Plus. This device promises to protect people both in their homes or on the go, but how does it really perform? Let’s take a closer look.
AARP Discount: AARP members can get a $60 discount on Lively Health and Safety Packages.
| $19.99/mo + one time $37.49 activation fee Basic Plan |
| $24.99/mo + one time $37.49 activation fee Preferred Plan |
| $34.99/mo + one time $37.49 activation fee Ultimate Plan |
Lively offers two different medical alert system devices: their mobile system and a medical alert smartwatch. Here’s a closer look at both.
FYI: The Wearable 2 is only compatible with iOS devices 11 or higher or Android devices 7.0 or higher.
Features: All in one cellular medical alert system with a two-way speaker including 5Star Urgent Response.
Extras: Lively Link app, fall detection, and product replacement protection can all be added.
Battery: 24-hours
In-home range: n/a, since this is a cellular unit, coverage works anywhere with cellular service
Cost: Starts at $19.99/month
After ordering my Lively Mobile Plus through Lively’s website, I was excited to start testing it out. Once it arrived at my house, I opened the box and found the following:
Installation Tip: Since mobile medical alert systems should be charged every day, I recommend putting your charging dock on your nightstand so you’ll remember each night to plug it in.
As with most mobile systems, the setup process was quick and easy. I plugged my charging dock into an outlet, placed my device on the charger, and waited until my device said, “Setting up device; please wait.” A few moments later, my device flashed a green light, and then said, “Welcome to 5Star.”
After this, I received an automated test call from the monitoring center, confirming that my device was activated and ready to use. I’d recommend installing the Lively Link app on your smartphone (or that of a loved one). This way, any of your loved ones can keep tabs on your system.
With my system installed and charged, I started testing its basic features. First I placed a series of test calls in my home. Each of them was answered promptly and politely by agents at Lively’s U.S.-based monitoring center. To test out the waterproofing on this device, I brought it into the shower and found it still performed flawlessly.
To test out the cellular connection, I took my Lively Mobile Plus on a trip around town. At the park, the library, and even on a short hike through the woods, I found that my calls were able to go through. On average, I only had to wait about 12 seconds for a monitoring agent to respond.
One of my favorite parts about my Lively Mobile Plus was that I could place an urgent response call both in emergency situations and for general assistance. Each time when I connected to a 5Star agent, they took the time to understand my situation and plan a proper response. For example, if I had fallen and needed medical attention, they would have contacted emergency responders; however, if I’d simply locked myself out of my home, they would contact a loved one to come help.
Another impressive feature of the Lively Mobile Plus was its fall detection. Each time I simulated a fall (which is about as glamorous as it sounds), my device automatically called Lively’s 5Star service and connected me with an agent. A couple of times, my device detected a fall when this was not the case. Luckily, when this happened, I could easily cancel the call by pressing my device’s call button.
Fall Detection Tip: If you want to use fall detection on your Lively Mobile Plus unit, you’ll need to wear it as a lanyard. Otherwise, it won’t be able to detect falls accurately.
In addition to its professional monitoring, my Lively Mobile Plus also came with some more advanced features, including medical advice and caregiver tracking.
Through Lively Link, their smartphone app that was part of my plan, I could choose a group of loved ones who had access to information from my device. For example, every time I made an emergency call, my husband received a notification on his smartphone. Additionally, my husband and kids could keep track of my location through this app, as well as receiving notifications when my device’s battery went low.
Another feature I appreciated was Lively’s Urgent Care. With this feature enabled, I could use my Lively Mobile Plus to connect directly to a hotline with real doctors and nurses. To do so, I simply had to place a call to the monitoring center and ask to be connected to urgent care. Once connected I spoke to a nurse practitioner who was able to answer some questions I had about medication.
While certainly not standard for medical alert systems, I appreciated that Lively included these optional features in their device. Especially for a person who lives alone, the addition of a caregiver app is a great way to give loved ones peace of mind.
If I needed help or had any questions about my Lively Mobile Plus, I could either call the company directly, check out their online help center, which I found really useful, or fill out a form online. I didn’t run into too many problems testing it out, but it was good to know that if I did, I had options.
FYI: In addition to their medical alert systems, Lively is also one of our favorite cell phone providers for seniors.
On a monthly basis, I paid $39.99 per month to use my Lively Mobile Plus, although there are cheaper options available for $24.99 or $29.99 with the Basic or Preferred plans, respectively. But again, I wanted the Ultimate package mainly because it’s the only plan with fall detection, which, in my opinion, makes it more than worth the extra $10 a month. The Lively Mobile Plus also costs a one-time $24.99 for the device itself. Luckily, this meant that I owned my device rather than leased it.
Additionally, if you’d prefer to purchase your device in person, Lively medical alerts are available at both Walgreens and Best Buy.
If you want a more detailed breakdown of Lively’s pricing, check out my Lively pricing page.
Overall, I had a really good experience buying, setting up, and testing out my Lively Mobile Plus. It’s certainly a top pick when it comes to the best medical alert systems, even if the battery life left something to be desired. Still, for active older adults, it’s a functional and reliable way to keep safe just about anywhere you go.
Lively sells the Lively Wearable2, the Lively Mobile Plus, the Jitterbug Flip2, and the Jitterbug Smart3, currently.
Medical alert systems from Lively cost $49.99 for the equipment, and on a monthly basis, they cost $24.99 to $39.99.
It depends on what you get. For the medical alert systems, the Lively Wearable 2 and the Lively Mobile Plus, the monthly cost will range from $24.99 to $39.99 a month, but for either Jitterbug phone, the monthly cost ranges from $24.99 to $30.99.
Lively medical alert buttons are very easy to set up, in my opinion! Basically, all I had to do was plug in the charger, charge the device, and make a test call to get started.
You can return Lively within your first 30 days after purchasing to receive a full refund.
