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Best Bed Alarms

Updated June 2023
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Patterson Medical Sammons Preston Magnet Bed Alarm
Patterson Medical
Sammons Preston Magnet Bed Alarm
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Easy Operation
Bottom Line

Keep your dependents safe with this reliable and easily operable. Use the indicator light on wheelchairs, clothes, and any other surface.

Pros

Spring-loaded magnetic attachment clip makes it possible to use on different surfaces. Indicator light flashes when the alarm is triggered, or its battery is low. Tool-free fitted battery door won’t disconnect even when dropped.

Cons

Alarm is not loud enough, so you won’t hear it if you’re far away.

Best Bang for the Buck
Secure Bed Exit Alarm Set for Fall and Wandering Prevention
Secure
Bed Exit Alarm Set for Fall and Wandering Prevention
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Automatic Reset
Bottom Line

This alarm does not require you to go in to turn it off if the patient returns to the sensor pad.

Pros

Short delay on alarm. Batteries included. Works as promised. Is not affected by wetness. A little larger than some of the other pads at 12 x 30 inches. You do not have to reset manually if weight is placed back on the mattress or chair.

Cons

The alarm is very loud and does not have a volume control button.

Secure Magnet Pull Cord Alarm for Fall Management
Secure
Magnet Pull Cord Alarm for Fall Management
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Detects Every Movement
Bottom Line

An economic and reliable way to monitor someone who could potentially fall.

Pros

A clip attaches to the bed and patient's clothing to alert you that someone is trying to get up. Works well and doesn't go off unless the magnet is moved. Magnet doesn't come out too easily but can pop free from any angle.

Cons

This product is not compatible with people who have pacemakers.

Smart Caregiver Cordless Bed Alarm System
Smart Caregiver
Cordless Bed Alarm System
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Loud Indicator
Bottom Line

Lightweight cordless pad with remote monitoring device resounding up to 300 feet once triggered.

Pros

Cordless. Battery is concealed and lasts up to a year. Inner foam prevents fluid from getting in. Monitors dependents within a range of up to 300 feet. Volume is modifiable to your preferred decibel. Can use remote to monitor more than one device.

Cons

Users complained about the 3-5 seconds delay before the alarm is triggered.

Smart Caregiver Corporation Cordless Bed Alarm Kit
Smart Caregiver
Cordless Bed Alarm Kit
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Portable Option
Bottom Line

Portable to quickly notify you of movements and eliminates noise from patient's room so you can detect relevant sound.

Pros

Startle-free alarm with 3 volume levels and an on/off switch. Detects movement up to 100 feet. Portable design for easy carriage. Made with high-quality vinyl material with incontinence protection and fluid prevention. Comes with a volume regulator and an on/off switch.

Cons

Makes a loud sound when a body part rests on it, prompting removal by irritated patients.

HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

30
Models
Considered
60
Consumers
Consulted
8
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Researched
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Buying guide for best bed alarms

Caring for older parents or other loved ones can be a difficult, round-the-clock process. Illness, stroke, infirmity, and age-related conditions such as dementia can leave a person unsteady on their feet and susceptible to falls. A bed alarm can be an immense help, assisting in monitoring a person who may be in need of a steadying hand, in addition to providing peace of mind when you aren’t able to be at their side to provide constant supervision.

If you are in the market for a bed alarm, you’re going to want a quality product that works the way you need it to. 

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Some bed alarms not only alert you when a patient has gotten out of bed, but they also let you know when the person returns to it.

Key considerations

Types of bed alarms

Most bed alarms incorporate two primary elements — a sensor and a monitor — to alert you when a person is attempting to leave their bed. There are several different ways these two elements work together to achieve this goal.

Pad sensors: Pad sensors are the most common form of sensor used in bed alarms. These are flat pads that typically slide between the bottom sheet and the mattress. When a person is lying on the pad, the pressure from their body keeps the sensor from sending an alarm to the monitor. As soon as the person tries to rise from the bed, the movement or change in pressure triggers the alarm.

Pads ship in various sizes, from chair to bed size. The more surface area, the more sensor area. Any pad you select should be soft.  One vital yet often overlooked element of the bed pad used in a bed alarm system is that it be comfortable to sleep on. It should also be easy to clean. The best pads are antimicrobial and waterproof in case of incontinence issues.

Motion/infrared sensors: These sensors can detect movement in a room, such as from a person leaving a bed or crossing a door threshold, and send a signal to the monitor. One additional factor here is that sensors can be incorporated into the surroundings, so the person being monitored may not even realize it.

A motion sensor should be easy to set up and position, so you can effectively supervise the areas you need to. Some monitors are capable of handling multiple sensors, enabling you to monitor several specific areas, larger areas, or even hook up a device such as a call button. One downside here is that anything breaking the sensor plane, such as a random arm or leg movement, can trigger a false alarm.

Clip sensors: These are usually in the form of a string with a clip on one end. The clip attaches to a person’s clothing, so that if they try to leave the bed, the other end of the string (typically held together by magnets) detaches, which sounds the alarm. For uncooperative patients, clip sensors may be the least effective option for a bed alarm. Clip sensors may also not be the best option for patients who suffer from delusions or paranoia (and might fear the string or clip) and those in the early to middle stages of Alzheimer’s (who can easily remove the clip without triggering the alarm).

Sensitivity

Some bed alarms, particularly pads, are so sensitive that they can be set off by the person tossing and turning in their sleep. Others require that the person physically leave the bed before the alarm sounds. Carefully consider the sleep patterns of the person and what you need the system to do before selecting a very sensitive bed alarm. A bed alarm with a built-in delay can help with this issue.

Features

Durability

Note how long any particular bed alarm is expected to last. Some manufacturers claim their products will only keep functioning for about a year. This is particularly true for some pad-based systems, which will take more abuse than clip-on or motion-based systems.

Wireless

A system that allows for wireless communication between the sensor and monitor provides a few benefits over those that don’t. One big plus of a wireless system is the lack of cords, which cuts down significantly on tripping hazards. A wireless system gives you greater freedom of movement, particularly if the monitoring side includes a remote that you can carry with you. A wireless system also keeps the alarm from startling the patient and protects them from scares or falls as a result of the loud noise. Finally, any false alarms due to sensitivity issues are far enough away that they won’t disturb the patient’s sleep.

If you choose a wireless system, know its range and how effectively the signal reaches you in various parts of your house. Doing a practice run with a wireless system before deploying it can provide you with valuable information concerning both its range and reach through walls and floors.

Volume and tones

The best bed alarms are loud enough that you can hear the alert from anywhere in the house. They also offer volume controls, so you can have the alarm trigger at various decibel levels, depending on your needs. Some bed alarms also provide the option of selecting different types of tones or chimes.

Call button

While not standard on all bed alarms, some do incorporate a call button that allows the patient to signal or talk to the caregiver.

Status lights

If a bed alarm has LED status lights, you can tell at a glance if the alarm is working. Some also include a light that indicates when the batteries are low, so you can easily keep track of when you need to change them.

Bed alarm prices

Inexpensive: You can find simple bed alarms for less than $20. These bed alarms generally have few features, and many are in the form of simple clip alarms.

Mid-range: On average, you can expect to pay around $50 to $75 for a bed alarm. As the price rises, the quality improves, and features such as wireless connectivity are more prevalent.

Expensive: Full-featured alarms cost $150 to $200 and more. At the highest prices, you can find full systems with both chair and bed capabilities, in addition to advanced features such as longer-range wireless connectivity and call buttons.

Tips

  • Be careful about magnets. Sensors that use some form of magnet, like clip sensors often do, should not be used with a patient who has a pacemaker.
  • Position the pad correctly. Smaller bed alarm pads can be used either under the hips (to alert you when a patient is trying to leave the bed) or under the shoulders (to alert you when the patient is trying to sit up).
  • Look for a bed alarm with a built-in alarm delay. This is useful for sleepers who toss and turn frequently because the delayed alarm will return fewer false alarms.
  • Check the alarm volume. A bed alarm with adjustable volume is useful in that it allows you to set the alarm to a level that’s right for you: loud enough to hear but not so loud that it scares or annoys the patient.
  • Consider floor mat sensors. These can be placed next to the bed, alerting you when your loved one steps on the mat while trying to rise from the bed.

 

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A bed alarm is a better option to keep your loved one safe than bed rails, which can result in serious injuries if the patient tries to climb over them.

FAQ

Q. Will a bed alarm run during a power outage?
A.
While some bed alarms do offer an AC option, most are powered solely with batteries, so power outages should prove to be no problem. To really protect yourself, be sure that you get a bed alarm that has a low-battery warning light, so power outages of all types won’t be an issue.
 

Q. Are bed alarm pads waterproof?
A.
Any pad-based bed alarm that you consider should clearly state that the pad is waterproof. This is an important feature to have, particularly if incontinence is an issue.
 

Q. Does a bed alarm continue to sound an alert once a person has gotten out of bed, or does it only sound once?
A.
This is one factor that varies depending on the model of bed alarm you get. Some of them continue to go off until you reset the alarm, either on the monitor or the sensor itself. Other bed alarms offer a minimal alert, usually in the form of one or more tones that do not repeat, requiring you to listen carefully for the tones.

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