A call pendant is a small device carrying a large promise. A resident who falls in a hallway, a bathroom or a courtyard should be able to press a button and know that someone will respond. When pendants fail, the failure is usually invisible until the moment it matters most.
Reliability is not just about buying good equipment. It depends on coverage across the building, battery habits, how alerts are routed and how quickly staff respond. This checklist helps administrators and wellness directors test the whole chain, not just the device on the resident's neck or wrist.
A pendant alert passes through several links, and any of them can break:
The resident wears the device and presses the button.
The signal reaches a receiver, repeater or wireless network.
The system identifies who pressed it and where.
The alert is routed to staff by pager, handheld, phone or display.
A staff member sees it, acknowledges it and responds.
Testing only the first step misses most of the risk.
Radio coverage is rarely uniform. Walls, elevators, kitchens, metal doors and distance can create weak spots.
Walk the building with a test pendant. Press the button in every resident room, bathroom, hallway, dining room, activity area, laundry, stairwell and outdoor space where residents may go.
Record results. Note any location where the signal fails or the location reported is wrong.
Check edges. Courtyards, parking areas and walking paths often fall outside coverage.
Retest after changes. Renovations, new equipment or furniture rearrangement can affect radio signals. Test again after any significant change.
A dead battery means a device that does nothing. Build a routine instead of relying on memory.
Check manufacturer guidance for expected battery life and set a calendar reminder to replace batteries before they fail. Devices that report low battery to the system are helpful, but confirm that those warnings reach someone who acts on them.
Keep a list of each pendant, who it is assigned to, and when its battery was last replaced or tested. A simple spreadsheet can work. A system that reports status automatically is better.
Have staff test pendants at an interval your policy defines, such as weekly or monthly. Pair this with other routine rounds so it does not get skipped. Record who tested what and when.
Even a perfect signal is useless if the alert reaches the wrong person or no one.
Confirm who receives alerts at each time of day, including nights, weekends and shift changes.
Verify handhelds and pagers are charged, on and in range. A device in a charging dock down the hall does not help.
Define escalation. If the first person does not acknowledge within a set time, who is notified next?
Keep contact lists current. Staff turnover means assignments change often.
Test during busy and quiet periods to see how alerts behave when staff are occupied.
Many systems record when an alert is triggered and when it is answered. Review that data for patterns, such as slower responses at shift change. Use findings to adjust staffing, routing or training, not to blame individuals.
Technology is only part of reliability. Consider:
Will the resident wear it? Comfort, appearance and ease of use affect whether a device is worn in the shower or at night.
Can the resident press it? Residents with limited dexterity or cognitive changes may need a different style of device or approach.
Do residents and families understand how it works? A short explanation at move-in, repeated periodically, prevents confusion.
What is the plan for residents who cannot use a pendant? Alternative monitoring and rounding approaches may be needed.
Even well-managed systems fail. Plan for outages:
Know how staff will be notified if the system is down.
Increase rounding temporarily when you cannot confirm the system works.
Keep spare pendants and batteries on site.
Know how to reach the vendor quickly and what support they provide.
Document the issue and what you did, which helps with state licensing expectations and your own quality review.
Many pendant systems rely on your wireless network, power or internet connection. Include IT when selecting and maintaining the system, and confirm network changes do not disrupt it.
UnityCare IT supports senior-living communities with the wireless networks, power protection and monitoring that call systems depend on, and can help test coverage and document results alongside your vendor.
An outsourced IT department with proactive maintenance and one number to call.
Call or text: 405-285-3845
New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: UnityCare Technologies, 2524 N Broadway Ste 554, PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034-4172