Pros & Cons
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- Simple voice-guided setup.
- Good audio quality.
- Fast response time.
- Volume control.
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- Requires activation fee.
- Base unit help button is small and could be more conveniently located.
- Middling pendant button range.
Designed for people who spend most of their time at home, the Philips Lifeline HomeSafe ($29.95 per month) is a one-touch medical alert system that uses your landline to call an emergency response center and connect you with a live agent when you press the help button. As with other medical alert systems we've tested, the HomeSafe offers voice-guided installation instructions and delivered fast response times and clear audio communication. However, it requires a one-time activation fee and the portable help pendant doesn't provide the extended range that you get with the Bay Alarm Medical In-Home, our Editors' Choice.
Design, Features, and Pricing
The HomeSafe system comes with a base unit dubbed the CarePartner Communicator 6900AT, a wearable waterproof help pendant, an RJ-11 phone cord, a user guide, and a quick setup Guide. The off-white base unit is wedge-shaped and measures 6.5 by 7.0 by 6.5 inches (HWD). It sports a speaker and an oversized reset button on its face, a microphone on its base, and an antenna around back, but its red help button is relatively small (around the size of a nickel) and tucked away on the right side. With most other systems the help button is larger and typically located on the face of the unit where it can be pressed without much effort.
There are three LED indicators; one for the reset button, one for the help button, and one for power. The reset button is employed during the setup process and can be used by responders to inform the response center that they have arrived.
The volume slider on the left side of the unit is a nice touch and a feature missing from other systems we've reviewed. Around back are two RJ-11 jacks for connecting to both a phone jack and a telephone, an on/off switch, and a power jack. The unit acts as a hands-free speakerphone; simply press the help button during an incoming call and use it as you would any speakerphone. Inside is a rechargeable battery that will last up to 30 hours in the event of a power outage
The HomeSafe landline system requires a $29.95 monthly subscription, or you can order a cellular system for $41.95 per month. You can also upgrade to a system with an auto-fall detection pendant for $44.95 per month (landline) or $56.95 per month (cellular). Unlike the LifeFone and LifeStation systems, Philips doesn't offer a price break if you pay quarterly or annually, and this is the only system we've reviewed that requires a one-time $50 activation fee.
Additional pendants cost $10 per month ($12 for a cellular system). A lockbox that contains your house keys and hangs on your door, carries a one-time fee of $29.95. You can also order a voice extension unit that you can place anywhere in the house for an additional $10 per month.
Installation and Performance
The first time you power up the communicator and connect it to your phone jack, you'll hear voice-guided setup instructions that are basically identical to the included printed quick setup guide. When prompted, press the blinking reset bar. The system will verify power and phone line connectivity, and have you perform a series of portable help button range tests throughout your home. Once you've given your profile information to an agent, you're ready to go.
The agent will ask you to provide specific profile information such as medical issues, medications, and a list of contacts. In an emergency, press the unit or portable help button to initiate a call. You'll hear a series of beeps and a digital voice message stating that the call is being dialed. The voice also informs you when the call is connected. An agent will then greet you by name and ask if you need assistance. If you are unable to answer, the service will attempt to call the people on your contact list before calling 911 to have an emergency responder dispatched. If you pressed the button by mistake or are conducting a test, just let the agent know and they will reset your system on their end.
In testing, the Lifeline HomeSafe averaged a speedy 35-second wait time from when the help button was pressed to when I was connected to a live agent. That's identical to what I saw with the Bay Alarm Medical In-Home, and faster than both the LifeFone (48 seconds) and LifeStation systems (42 seconds).
The help pendant worked in every room of my three-bedroom, single-story house and in my backyard, but once I ventured more than 150 feet away it no longer worked. By way of comparison, the Bay Alarm Medical pendant was able to initiate a call while positioned 400 feet down the street. Audio communication with the base unit was loud and clear on both ends. As with the other systems we've tested, the response center agents were courteous and friendly.
Conclusions
With the Philips Lifeline HomeSafe medical alert system, you can rest easy knowing that help is a button press away. The system offers quick response times and voice-guided installation instructions, and it's the only one we've tested equipped with a volume control slider. That said, it's also the only one that charges an activation fee, and the base unit's help button is surprisingly small and positioned out of the way. If you can live without volume control, our Editors' Choice for in-home medical alert systems, the Bay Alarm Medical In-Home, is also very responsive. It sports a big red help button that's easy to reach, and its pendant button delivered the longest range we've seen.
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Further Reading
Final Thoughts
Philips Lifeline HomeSafe Medical Alert System
The Philips Lifeline HomeSafe is an in-home medical alert system that delivered quick response times and crisp audio quality in our testing. It's a cinch to set up, but it requires a $50 activation fee and its help button could be bigger and easier to reach.