Abstract: The invention provides exemplary monitoring systems and methods for their use. In one exemplary method, a person is provided with a transmitter having an actuator. The actuator is operated to transmit a wireless signal of about 900 MHz. The signal from the transmitter is sensed with a receiver/caller unit which sends a digital signal over a telephone line to a monitoring center. This alerts the monitoring center of the actuation of the transmitter. A return signal is sent over the telephone line from the monitoring center to a speaker of the unit to verbally inquiring regarding the actuation of the transmitter.