Personal medical devices have come a long way in recent years. From traditional bracelets and pendant devices, we now have options that are more similar to smartwatches in terms of aesthetics and function. If someone you love has a medical condition or simply wants the peace of mind that comes from a medical alert watch, this guide is for you.
In the following sections, we will explore the features of modern medical wristwatches. We’ll also cover the most important things to look for when buying a smartwatch for seniors, along with some medical alert watch reviews to give you an idea of what’s out there.
From fall detection watches to an advanced medical alert watch with GPS, here’s everything you need to know.
What is a Medical Wristwatch?
A medical wristwatch is a specialized emergency watch for elderly people and those who suffer from disabilities or serious medical conditions. These devices can send an alert to a family member or a live dispatch service in the case of a medical emergency.
The devices available today range in function, from simple fall detectors to advanced smartwatches that also incorporate everyday functions. Later in this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best medical alert watch reviews so that you can make an informed purchasing decision for yourself or somebody close to you.
What Are The Benefits of a Medical Smartwatch for Seniors?
With age comes an ever-increasing risk of accident and injury. For some people, assisted living or even a nursing home might be the best solution to ensure safety. However, for seniors who can still maintain independence, but want to know that help is at hand when needed, a medical device like a wristwatch is a better option.
A medical alert system will ensure safety without sacrificing independence. Let’s take a look at ten unique benefits of choosing a smartwatch for seniors.
1: Independence is Maintained
With a life alert wristwatch or similar portable device, elderly or disabled people can continue to live independently without having to worry about the “what if” factors of life. Even if something goes wrong, help will be available, and this can keep your parents, grandparents, or other senior family members living without assistance.
2: Medical Wristwatches are Affordable
Modern devices are designed to last and are reasonably affordable. Even when taking advantage of a monitored medical wristwatch service, the plans will be within the means of most families. The biggest expense will be the device itself. Most companies sell devices for an initial upfront cost, with optional monitored service subscriptions.
3: A Wristwatch Can Keep Seniors Out of Assisted Care Facilities
Assisted care facilities provide excellent services within a residential campus for the elderly. While many seniors enjoy living in these facilities, the truth is that they aren’t for everyone. Whether it’s your parents or grandparents, they may simply not be ready to give up their home and the comfort and familiarity that it provides. With a wristwatch, everyone gains peace of mind, which can prevent the need for assisted living.
4: Life Alert Wristwatch Devices Provide a Service That Cell Phones Don’t
Smartphones are great but they’re also complicated and sometimes difficult to operate. In an emergency, can you be sure that your senior parent, grandparent, uncle or aunt would be able to call for help using a smartphone? Medical wristwatches are simple to operate function with the touch of an easily accessible button. You simply don’t get that kind of flexibility with a smartphone.
5: Devices are Discreet
Because modern devices look just like a smartwatch, they are discrete and won’t come with any embarrassment or social stigma. Wristwatches are even more discrete than the pendant devices that were popular up until a few years ago.
6: They Work Virtually Anywhere
Traditional medical alert systems used bulky devices much like traditional telephones. They were only usable inside the home as they used base stations attached to landlines. Modern devices use cellular networks and GPS, ensuring that they work everywhere that coverage is available.
7: They Can Prevent Expensive Ambulance Trips
Even with comprehensive insurance coverage, an ambulance trip could attract significant out of pocket costs. With an emergency watch for elderly, the device can send an alert to a family member, friend, or neighbor, etc. to get help when it’s needed.
8: Medical Wristwatches are Simple to Operate
A modern medical smartwatch for seniors can be intuitive, so there will be no concerns about a learning curve or everyday usage.
9: They Work Without Power
Because the devices are inherently portable, they don’t require a stable power connection. Many of the best devices have batteries that can last for days at a time. We’ll cover some of these in our medical alert watch review section.
10: They Are Reliable for Everyday Use
A key benefit is the reliability that is offered. The best smartwatch for seniors features water resistance, shock resistance, and other features that ensure reliable function in times of need.
With so many benefits, you’re probably wondering if there’s any reason not to by a medical smartwatch for seniors. The answer, of course, is a simple no. If a loved one has a need for extra peace of mind and easy access to help for falls or other medical emergencies, then a medical wristwatch will be one of the best investments you make this year.
Things to Look For When Comparing Medical Alert Watch Reviews
You now understand the benefits of an emergency watch for elderly. Now you want to start exploring the options that are out there. You can purchase watches online and through traditional retailers. We will cover two of the best options in our medical alert watch review.
Before you take a look at these devices, consider the following points:
- Can the watch display both analog and digital. Having the option can improve readability for different people.
- Does it operate on a cellular network? You may need to purchase a plan to go along with the watch.
- What is the battery life?
- What does the watch look like? Will the style suit the wearer?
- Can the medical wristwatch connect to a caregiver service, and how much is monthly monitoring?
- What is the upfront cost for the watch?
- Does it come packaged with a cellular plan? If so, is there a lock-in period and any cancellation fees?
Smartwatches are becoming more popular with consumers, but medical wristwatches are a relatively new development. Out of all the options out there, the two companies leading the way are MobileHelp and Medical Guardian. Each has a unique approach to a smartwatch-based medical alert system.
Let’s take a look at both…
MobileHelp Smart Medical Alert Watch Review
The MobileHelp Smart consistently featured in the top medical alert watch reviews of 2019. It’s no surprise considering the features that it offers. This is a watch based on Samsung’s Gear Watch technology. This has been proven in recent years to be reliable and high powered.
When adapted to a medical wristwatch, we find that the underlying technology provides excellent usability, although there is a slight learning curve due to the user interface. This watch would be best suited to active seniors who are familiar with technology. Anyone comfortable using a smartphone or tablet device can easily adjust to using the MobileHelp Smart.
There are some key features to consider when looking at this life alert wristwatch.
- It uses a 4G cellular connection and has built-in GPS.
- The battery lasts up to 2 days with normal use.
- It features IP68 water and dust resistance.
- It uses a rotating steel bezel to aid with app navigation.
- Integrated emergency alert button.
The MobileHelp Smart retails for $349.95, which purchases the watch and the software outright. There is an additional $24.95 monthly monitoring plan on top. MobileHelp is a leader in medical alert devices and their monitoring plan is worth the additional expense for anyone who is at risk of suffering falls or other emergencies or medical events.
Some will see the cost of this watch as a downside, but it is a one-off expense and is comparable to other smartwatches. Some may also look at the additional features and decide that they’re simply not necessary. For example, this medical wristwatch has in-built fitness tracking, meal tracking, and other features. Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you find these suitable for your loved ones.
If you’re interested in the technology and think it would be usable for someone in your life, the MobileHelp Smart would be a great choice. If you’re looking for something more intuitive but equally as effective, the Medical Guardian could be the perfect fit.
Medical Guardian Freedom Guardian Medical Alert Watch Review
Medical Guardian is another company that has been making waves with medical alert watch reviews in recent months. It is a trusted company that offers a broad selection of medical alert devices.
The Freedom Guardian has been designed from the ground up to be intuitive for seniors. It features a simple menu structure, a large bright emergency call button, and oversized on-screen icons. It can provide daily reminders for appointments, social events, and medications. It even features a text-to-speech system to read SMS messages from loved ones.
The watch is affordable with an initial purchase price of $129, and ongoing monitoring costs of $44.95 per month. There are discounts available for quarterly, semi-annual, and annual subscriptions.
Standout features include:
- Fast and intuitive interface.
- Two-day battery life before recharging.
- Connects to a companion mobile app for added functionality.
- Excellent GPS and cellular coverage.
- Easy to read icons and analog watch face.
- Manual emergency call button.
The Freedom Guardian is also sturdy and features a pleasing design that looks like any other consumer-focused smartwatch. Of course, the fact that it includes specialized medical watch features makes it a much better buy if you need an extra safety net for an at-risk elderly person in your life.
Where Are the Fall Detection Watches?
You will note that the Freedom Guardian and MobileHelp Smart don’t include fall detection. In fact, none of the medical smartwatches aimed at consumers currently incorporate fall detection. While we are confident that this feature will be added in the future, it appears that manufacturers have chosen to go with traditional panic buttons rather than an automated system. There are key reasons for this:
- Fall detection systems aren’t 100% reliable and could result in false alarms and associated medical callout costs.
- Normal movement could trigger a fall detection warning.
The Apple Watch 4 is a notable smartwatch that does include fall detection, but this is not a medical-focused device and the implementation is limited. When the Apple Watch detects a fall, it sounds an alarm and displays an on-screen alert. The user can choose to call emergency services or close the notification. Due to the Apple Watch’s limited capability as a medical watch, expense, and locked carrier plans, we feel that it is not a suitable option for anyone looking for a medical wristwatch.
Give the Gift of Safety and Peace of Mind to a Loved One
Mobile technology has changed the way that we live and communicate. Now it will change the way that we keep our loved ones safe.
Life alert wristwatches like the Freedom Guardian and MobileHelp Smart have been designed to fill a niche that was previously only served by outdated panic alarms. Now users have more control over the alerts they send, and they get extra bonuses like reminders, SMS messaging, and smartphone companion apps.If you have a loved one that would benefit from an emergency watch for elderly, then our medical alert watch reviews will be a great starting point. When you give a medical wristwatch to someone in your family, you give convenience, security, and complete peace of mind.