In the event of urgent assistance being required, elderly or disabled people need a way to contact others, and a medical alert system (also known as a medipendant) is a device that allows them to do that. Whilst using a cell phone to call 911 might seem like an acceptable option, it actually far from perfect, and a medical alert system is more useful, reliable and timely.

The first advantage that these devices have over cell phones is their convenience. They can be worn on the wrist like a watch, or hung around the neck; either being a better place than in a pocket, which can easily become inaccessible should someone fall awkwardly. They also lightweight and compact, even more so than the smallest of cell phones.

Medical alert systems offer superior battery life too. Once fully charged up, a cell phone may be used for around 2 days, though much less than that if lots of calls are made on it. The battery life for a medical alert system? A year. Yes, they last for a whole year before needing to be re-charged.

Then, they are more robust and, unlike with a cell phone, dropping one will not cause any damage. They can even be taken in the shower, or worn whilst having a bath, as they are completely waterproof. The manufacturers of them have so much faith in their products that a long-term guarantee is standard.

The size of cell phone buttons is another problem, as they are extremely small, which means those with poor eyesight, or unstable hands, can have real difficulties pressing the right ones. Compare that to a medical alert system, which has just a single large, easy to press button, which needs to only be pressed only once for a direct line of communication to be opened with a health care specialist.

The medical technicians that answer the calls of the users of medical alert systems are trained not only in all kinds of first aid skills, but also on how to deal with a wide range of emergencies. Unlike those who answer 911 calls, who must process callers as quickly as is reasonably possible, so that they can deal with the next person, the medical professionals who answer medical alert system calls will stay on the line as long as the caller needs them to.

Finally, medical alert systems offer more flexibility. It is standard procedure to send out an ambulance when an elderly or disabled person calls 911, as they are considered high risk callers, even though that is not always what the caller really needs. There are more options offered with a medical alert system, such as having a doctor sent out instead of an ambulance, a nurses appointment being made for the following day, or just a friend or relative being contacted.

For more information on medical alert systems, or to buy a medical alert, please visit http://www.TrueMedAlert.com