Yo, old lady!
It is not about being unconscious, but about getting help.
Suppose you were to fall as you were stepping out of the shower. You might have struck your arm on the vanity. Hurt? You bet! Embarrassed (even though no one saw you)? Of course. BUT, you cannot get up without help. You need to have your cell on the counter or some other device to alert people who can assist.
Suppose you are out and about and it has been raining and you slip on wet leaves. Broken hip? Possibly. Embarrassed? You bet!
Based on my experience, they won't 'bother' you. If they do, you need to be assertive and let them know that contacting you for no valid reason is an invasion. You would need to let them know.
Know that something light-weight around your neck is good for the mind.
Big issue nowadays. Many of the companies who have those alerts have been set up that you must have a land line phone. Should you be serious about acquiring one, make sure that you know whether it will work for you in most situations.

This would be the stainless steel type bracelet that lists your allergies, conditions, emergency contact info. Like heart patients and diabetics wear.

I do not but my dad has worn one since he has lived alone which is over 10 years. He has bumped it and set it off a few times but so far has not needed it for an emergency. It gives both of us peace of mind however, as he is 92 and still in his own home. Well worth the price to us and it does not bother him. Mostly just like wearing a watch for him.

If I needed one, I would certainly wear one. Allergies, conditions, etc. If I lived alone, I would have a phone linked alert necklace. We have a 3 story house and none of the stairs are soft carpet, ha!

I have worn one for 25 years, without problem. The medallion has a unique member id number stamped on it, and a telephone number for people to call if you are involved in an emergency. It is not one of those alerts that you wear on your wrist or neck, where you push a button for emergency operator, like if you have stumbled, fallen down or otherwise been hurt.

Of course there are some available OTC that you have inscribed with any type of problem you may have, and in that situation there is no contact number.

The Medic Alert has a yearly enrolment subscription that you buy to have this service.

I appreciate all the answers. I have found one that lets me list my health issues and two lines for ICE numbers. And stainless steel, so good and durable.

I'm asking because out of the blue, and a complete first, I had an asthma attack, and coughed all the way to the car, with my co-worker (a police officer) watching. I wondered, what if I hadn't made it to my inhaler? Would he have known what to do? Hm. He was visibly shaken and stuck around an extra half hour after his relief came.

As an epipen carrier, that's another huge red flag. I really should be wearing one. I am glad to hear it's like wearing a watch and not problematic.

If you want a regular type I highly recommend this company, I ordered from them for years. She would work with me to get much more information on the bracelet than offered on the forms. Great people. This is one of the bracelets I still have. They hold up very well.

Oneida bracelets

Oneida

By the way I made all kinds of beautiful bracelets to attach my plate to. I sold them for a long time when I was still making jewelry. They have some of these types of jewelry bracelets on the site I linked to.

DH wears a bracelet but it isn't large enough to list all of his surgeries, allergies and ailments. I created a page for each of us that includes contact and insurance info, medical history, and medications with dosages. There are copies in a magnetic holder on the fridge for paramedics if needed, copies in the car, and in each of our wallets. I just update them as needed and print out new ones. Did have EMTs here once and they raved about having the info at hand. Sure saved me from trying to hunt it down at a critical time.

Since we often have to fill out so many medical forms, even for doctors we have used for years, we can just write "see attached" in the appropriate spaces. I either take along one of the printouts or have the dr. office make a copy. They are fine with that.

raven, that is one cool bracelet. I really appreciate the option!

wantoretire, that's sort of what my family does. I have mine in my wallet and my mom carries hers around with her. The three children also have it. If she ends up in my hospital, her entire record is there. I have no control over others in town, but she'd be in great shape there. But the above scenario... I truly doubt they would've thought to get my purse out of the trunk (It wasn't on my person since I was parking cars at a car show (son's band fund raiser)) until after I'd made it to the hospital. It really got me to thinking. They'd have been in such a hurry, would it have happened? I don't want to chance that. Just food for thought.

I am on Peritoneal diaylysis. I do it at home while sleeping. The company sent me a necklace and a bracelet for me to wear. But I confess I don't always wear one or the other while at home. They are not attractive. If I am going somewhere I do wear the necklace if I am in the car traveling. I keep all my information in my wallet.

Mary

I'm with you Mary! I guess alive and an ugly bracelet still looks better than not alive? I'm glad I'm not alone in avoiding it.

I ended up getting one with my name, info only. The reviews of the USB bracelet said that sometimes, ERs won't look at it on anything other than your computer. That worried me. But, I'm worried that might happen to you raven! I hope not. Just a head's up. It sounds like you've used it and it's been ok, so I won't worry too much.

It works on any computer with a USB port and has been used and accessed by the urgent care team. It doesn't have to access the Internet or go online it is a file stored on a USB flash drive. The ones that have to be called in are time consuming. This is direct access. I was to the point of not having enough room to engrave everything on the metal plate of the bracelets. I do also have an engraved medic alert dog tag necklace but I don't wear it very much, I don't like wearing necklaces.

I have never heard of hospitals not looking at them. I have only had very positive feedback and response from all the medical community I have been around.

I am considering a new USB one that is stainless steel and can use all my pretty beaded jewelry bracelets that I was using on my regular medic alert plate.

These all contain PHR (Portable Health Record) or EMR (Electronic Medical Record). Which provides as much medical information as you want to include in the file. So I can be certain that they know exactly what they need to know immediately.

If I had only one thing I needed to alert on I would probably still use the metal plate engraved.

They definitely don't have to be ugly anymore! For those who think that you need to look at a few of the sites that offer the beaded jewelry bracelets which the plates attach to, there's some beautiful ones available. I have one I made with lapis lazuli beads and silver it's one of my favorites.

It is great because it makes the young girls want to wear their bracelets since they are so stylish.

See how pretty! I have piles of them I made, easy to change from one to another. Match your outfit.

People said EMTs/ER staff were worried about viruses. Was what they were told. Dang it! I don't want to chance it.

:(

Those are pretty! I'd wear those in a heart beat. I love the way you can change then out with the lobster claw hooking onto whichever you want. No wonder you don't mind wearing one.

Those are nice looking Raven. How do you get your personal information on them? I would be interested in a necklace.

Mary

I wear a road id bracelet when traveling, by bicycle or car. It has my kids and a friends phone number on it. I bought it, after I divorced, an no one would be waiting for me, and thus missing me.

I like the one Raven linked, but since so many places use I-Pads now, and they don't have a usb port, I am not sure how effective they are.
http://www.roadid.com/

Moni

I wear a medic alert bracelet. I am not allowed MRIs since I am a Deep Brain Stimulation patient. Also, ideally before most surgeries, I should have my electricity turned off. I can do that *if* I am conscious and have my DBS control unit with me, otherwise a staff person that has a special control unit has to do it.

I wear my bracelet on my left wrist, since that is the wrist medics normally use to start an IV - this is due to the way most ambulances are set up. They are more likely to see an ID on the left wrist. Necklace IDs are less likely to be noticed in an emergency...yes, I have researched this.

I would be concerned about an ornamental ID being overlooked. Not obvious enough that it's a medic alert. So I have a sturdy, stainless steel bracelet.

My ID is from Oneida - seems like a good company. My only comment is that the font seems a little difficult to read - a different font might be better.

Keeping information in a wallet is nice, but what happens if you are separated from your wallet in an emergency situation?

I am told that I need to wear an ID. So I do - haven't taken it off for over 5 years. It isn't a big deal. People don't look at me with disgust that I have an "ugly" or "unstylish" bracelet. They probably don't even notice. I sure don't.

Grandmamary you have to order the metal information plate from some place like that oneida link I provided, they have a form to fill out for the information you want engraved on the bracelet plate or necklace or whatever you choose. I like the people at oneida the lady I have talked to when I ordered mine was very helpful and nice plus she was able to get more information on mine than the form allowed so they will work with you. I only bought stainless steel and they are good quality.
As long as the plate has a very well marked medic alert symbol I am not worried. I would not trust some I have seen that didn't have the symbol. Mine all have a raised emblem.
I agree I wear one no matter what it looks like because it could save my life. I don't leave home without it. At times at home I will take it off but not for long.