Help & FAQ

Why is my order being declined?

It seems the biggest issue our customers deal with during the checkout process is that their card is being declined for no apparent reason!  More often than not, this is because the name or address entered under the 'Billing' section is not matching the billing information that the credit card issuing bank has on file for the card.  Please check your card very carefully to make sure you are entering all the information correctly, otherwise the system will decline the charge to protect against identity theft.

If you are still having trouble, please call us.  We can often provide a little more information regarding why the order was declined, helping to resolve the issue and get your order correctly placed in a timely manner.

Can I pay for my order with a check?

Please use our Order Form and mail/email it to our Customer Service team, per the instructions on the form. Once we receive your check payment, we will ship your order that same day.

How do bed and chair alarms work?

Most people have never heard of a bed alarm or a chair alarm until the time comes when they have to look after a loved one at home, and are told by their doctor or nursing facility, that they should get a bed alarm!  The first thing you should know is that bed alarms and chair alarms come in many shapes and sizes.  They can really vary in quality and ability to perform the task you need.

Starting with the basics, a bed alarm is used when you need to know if your patient is getting up from their bed.  Some companies make bed alarms or chair alarms. They are basically the same thing, so as we proceed, we are going to use the term "bed alarm" to mean both "bed" and "chair" alarm.  What makes them different is the sensor pad being used with them.  Sensor pads are different because of their size.  They should not be folded or they may cease to work properly. Therefore, if you need to have a pad and alarm for a chair, you should buy a system designated specifically for chair use.  Vice versa, if you need a pad for a bed, then you need a bed alarm with a bed sensor pad.

A bed alarm is usually about 5 or 6 inches tall, about 3 or 4 inches wide and about 1-1/2 inches thick.  Bed alarms can have various features, but they all have the same purpose, to alert you to the fact that your patient is getting up onto their feet.  To silence a bed alarm, all units feature either a reset button or an on/off switch.

Regarding bed alarm systems, a standard bed sensor pad is connected via a cord, similar to a telephone cord, to the bed alarm.  (Some systems are cordless and use radio frequency technology to communicate with one another.  We carry both styles.)  The pad is placed in the bed under the fitted sheet, and the bed alarm is hung onto the bed, or placed on the floor just tucked under the bed slightly, or on a bedside table.  Placement really depends on whether your patient will try to interfere with the bed alarm.  For this type of patient, a cordless system is probably a better choice.

Regarding chair alarm systems, the chair sensor pad connects to the alarm via a similar telephone style cord. (Again, cordless chair alarm systems are available.)  The pad is placed toward the back of the seat area of the desired chair.  A light coverlet of some type can be placed on top of the pad if desired.  Note that we do not recommend using these pads on top of or under pressure relief cushions.  These can interfere with the pad working properly.  The pad will activate the chair alarm when the patient rises up off it.

Our sensor pads are made of a foam material that has been wrapped in vinyl, heat sealed to resist incontinence issues.  However, the area of our pads where the cord exits, (or the transmitter area of our cordless pads), are vulnerable to fluid intake.  Those areas should be routed away from possible urine exposure.  Incontinence pads can be used on top of our sensor pads to this end.  Also, please avoid submerging your pad in any type of liquid, even to clean.  Simply wipe with disinfecting wipes.

How do I program my cordless/wireless system?

Find instructions for how to program/pair your respective cordless/wireless alarm model with your components here.

Where do I place my sensor pad?

We recommend that you place a bed pad across the upper back level of your patient if they are lying down.  This way, the pad will activate the bed alarm whenever your patient starts to sit up, right before they start to swing their legs around to get up.  This gives you the most time to respond to the bed alarm, which can be especially  valuable at night when the caregiver is asleep.

Recommended chair pad placement is toward the back of the seat area of the desired chair.

Why is my alarm delayed?

If you are using one of our cordless/wireless systems, be aware that wireless technology operates off of radio frequency transmissions.  As such, our cordless alarm units can take between 2 - 5 seconds to receive these signals.  This is why we always recommend placing bed sensor pads across the upper back area of the patient's bed, and chair sensor pads towards the back of the seat of the patient's chair.  That placement puts the pad on the surface that patients first remove their weight from as they are trying to get up. 

Certain types of mattresses or pads, such as memory foam, Tempur-Pedic®, air pressure alternating, gel cushions, or other pads designed to distribute pressure away from the body can cause delayed alarm responses.  When our sensor pads are used on these surfaces, the mattresses/cushions distribute body pressure away from the pads, so that when the patient gets up, the pad may not register that weight has been removed from it right away.  Conversely, these mattresses/cushions can also cause false alarm issues, see below.

Why am I getting false alarms?

Certain types of mattresses or pads, such as memory foam, Tempur-Pedic®, air pressure alternating, gel cushions, or other pads designed to distribute pressure away from the body can cause false alarm responses. When our sensor pads are used on these surfaces, the mattresses/cushions distribute body pressure away from the pads, which can cause the pad to think that the patient is no longer upon it, triggering an alarm. Conversely, these mattresses/cushions can also cause delayed alarm issues, see above. If you are using a 10" x 30" bed sensor pad, our 20" x 30" sensor pads seem to be more effective when used with these types of mattresses, so we recommend purchasing one of the larger sensor pads, or if you are within 30 days of your original purchase and your pad is in new condition, call our Customer Service department at 888-254-3444 to exchange, (additional charges apply).

Another possible cause of false alarms is low patient weight. We recommend within our packages to purchase our larger 20" x 30" sensor pad for patients weighing under 120 lbs. If you did not order the correct size, or your patient has lost weight since your purchase, we recommend purchasing one of the larger sensor pads, available here, or if you are within 30 days of your original purchase and your pad is in new condition, call our Customer Service department at 888-254-3444 to exchange, (additional charges apply).

Why is my cordless/wireless alarm not working all the time?

There are two likely causes of intermittent functionality. The first is very easy to resolve. If you have a cordless bed or chair sensor pad, it only has a one year life. If the pad was purchased more than a year ago, it is time to order a new pad.  New cordless pads can be ordered here. If you have a cordless floor mat, the mat itself can last for years if properly cared for, but the mat's transmitter only has a one year life. New transmitters can be ordered here.

Secondly, environmental factors, such as a lot of steel, concrete, or brick in the building construction can cause areas of the home/facility where our cordless/wireless alarms cannot receive signals. Radio frequency signals often are not able to pass through those materials. If you have areas that you feel are within the alarm range, yet the alarm doesn't work, you are likely in a no-reception zone due to the environment. Leave the alarm in a close location within the home/facility where it does work, and turn the volume up to the loudest setting.

For further assistance, please call our friendly customer service specialists at 888-254-3444.