Since entering the medical alert market in 2020, Aloe Care Health has been offering peace of mind for older adults and their caregivers. With high-tech components such as a voice-activated Smart Hub (think Alexa), motion sensors, and a caregiver app, this device is a great choice for seniors who have family members involved in their care.
A device should never be a replacement for human interaction, but when someone can’t be there, it can offer peace of mind to know a loved one is safe and secure.
What Does Aloe Care Health Do?
While most medical alert devices only let you connect to an emergency response center, Aloe Care Health systems allow you to contact family members or friends through a Smart Hub. It also features an advanced mobile app that caregivers can use to monitor activity and conditions in your home, including room temperature, air quality, and motion. If they suspect a problem, they can either go to your home or contact emergency personnel for help.
Tammy Ennor, quality compliance director of Family Hospice in Belleville, Illinois, said being able to check on loved ones remotely can be a huge benefit for concerned caregivers.
“A device should never be a replacement for human interaction,” Ennor said. “But when someone can’t be there, it can offer peace of mind to know a loved one is safe and secure.”
Aloe Care Health System Components
Smart Hub
Aloe Care Health system’s Smart Hub serves as the central communication center, which is similar to a base station on other medical alert systems such as Medical Guardian. But along with a “Help” button that you can push in an emergency, the Smart Hub also offers voice activation. This feature lets you speak to family members or emergency personnel. If your phone is out of reach, you can simply say, “Call my family” for less urgent needs or say “Emergency” several times to reach Aloe Care’s call center.
The Smart Hub also syncs to a Care Circle app, allowing family members and friends to keep tabs on:
- Air quality—A monitor measures CO2 and VOC and sends an alert through the app if those numbers are dangerous.
- Home temperature—If the home gets too hot or too cold, the app alerts family members.
- Movement—The Smart Hub’s motion sensors keep track of your normal movement patterns. If movements stop or seem concerning, anyone with the app can call emergency personnel for help.
- Power outages—If the electricity goes out, the Smart Hub runs on a battery backup. This notification will be sent to caregivers so they can ensure you’re okay without power.
The Smart Hub has five buttons:
- A large button in the center can be pushed for emergencies. The button turns blue when caregivers call and lights up when it senses movement in the dark to prevent tripping.
- A button in the 2 o’clock position requests a check-in from a primary caregiver.
- A button in the 5 o’clock position requests a check-in from anyone in the Care Circle.
- A button in the 7 o’clock position answers “no” to any questions from emergency personnel or caregivers.
- A button in the 10 o’clock position answers “yes” to any question from emergency personnel or caregivers.
Wearable Help Button
For times when you’re out of earshot from the Smart Hub and need help, you have a small waterproof button you can snap into a wristband or pendant. As long as you’re within 200 feet of the hub, pushing the help button alerts a response team to an emergency. The help button doesn’t have a microphone or speaker, so voice conversations aren’t possible. However, it comes in handy if you aren’t able to speak or are too far from the hub for it to hear you.
Smart Fall Sensor
Falls are the leading cause of injury and death for adults ages 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Aging.com reports that says that 80% of senior falls occur in the bathroom. To protect older adults in these scenarios, Aloe Care Health offers a fall sensor that you can mount in high-risk fall areas such as the bathroom. You can activate it by pressing a help button or saying “Emergency” several times in a row. The sensor creates a 3D image of the surrounding area and uses radio waves to determine if someone is on the floor and has stopped moving. When a fall is detected, it will ask you to stand up. If it doesn’t detect someone standing within two minutes, it will notify the emergency response station.
Although automatic fall detection adds a sense of security, it’s important to note that seniors who have fallen multiple times should not be living on their own. Stacey Zerban, administrator at Friendship Village Senior Living in St. Louis, said many residents move to her facility after taking a few tumbles.
“Fall detection is a great feature because, after someone falls, chances are they’ll be too disoriented to push a help button,” Zerban said. “But if falling has become a regular occurrence, it’s a red flag that you shouldn’t be living alone.”
Mobile Companion
Active seniors who garden, drive, or simply move more than 200 feet away from the Smart Hub may benefit from using Aloe Health Care’s Mobile Companion. The companion is included in the Essentials Plus and Total Care packages, or you can purchase on its own. The device uses cellular data, so its range is unlimited. You can wear it around your neck. Caregivers can rest easy while you’re out and about, knowing Mobile Companion has GPS tracking, detects falls, and allows two-way voice communication.
Aloe Care Health App
As we discussed while explaining the Smart Hub, the Aloe Care Health app allows a primary caregiver and other caregivers to monitor things like power outages, air quality, home temperature and movement—but it also does much more.
There’s no limit to the number of family members and friends that can join the Aloe Care Health app, so even inviting your nearby neighbors can offer more peace of mind since they are the ones that can usually get to you most quickly. Everyone on the mobile app receives a notification when others check in or have a concern, so it’s great for coordinating care. For instance, if your son called the Smart Hub at 10 a.m. and you told him you weren’t feeling well, he can ask someone you have registered as part of your care network on the Aloe Care Health app to check on you at noon to make sure you’re okay.
Using the mobile app also allows caregivers to:
- Monitor motion detectors and get fall detection alerts
- See if the Smart Hub is connected properly
- Share updates with other caregivers
- Pay the monthly Aloe Care Health bill
Pros and Cons of Aloe Care Health
There’s a lot to love about the Aloe Care medical alert system, especially for concerned caregivers. But there are also a few drawbacks to consider:
The monthly fee starts at a reasonable $29.99 and requires no contract.
Pros
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No landline is needed since the Smart Hub runs on 4G cellular service.
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Monitors temperature and air quality.
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Detects activity and movement.
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Offers voice-activated emergency response.
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Built-in backup batteries ensure the system functions in a power outage.
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App keeps caregivers in the loop and allows them to communicate with each other.
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The caregiver check-in system prevents unnecessary emergency calls.
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Optional pendant-free fall detection ensures someone is notified when you fall.
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Mobile Companion offers on-the-go protection with fall detection, GPS tracking, and two-way talk capability.
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The monthly fee starts at a reasonable $29.99 and requires no contract.
Cons
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Multiple buttons on the Smart Hub can be confusing.
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You must say “Emergency” several times to elicit an emergency response from the Smart Hub or Fall Detection sensor.
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In-home fall detection is only available in one room unless you buy the Mobile Companion.
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The up-front equipment cost, starting at $149.99, may be expensive for some.
Health and Safety Features
- Room temperature sensors
- Air-quality sensors
- Motion sensors
- Battery backup
- 24/7 response team monitoring
- Caregiver notifications and check-ins
- Optional fall detection devices
Customer Support
The response team who monitors Aloe Care Health’s 24/7 monitoring center is Five Diamond–certified by the Monitoring Association, which means they completed rigorous training and testing. After calling for help via voice activation or a help button, you should receive a response within 20 seconds. An emergency attendant will assess the situation and either contact someone in the Care Circle network or send emergency help.
Aloe Care Health Systems
There are three separate Aloe Care Health packages and a mobile device available, so be sure to evaluate each one carefully when deciding which is best.
