Wearable Safety Devices: 'What will you do if you/your loved one has a fall?'
Considerations, features and my experience.
Hi! Thanks for spending some of your precious time here reading Carer Mentor.
Welcome to our new Carer Mentor community members, it’s great to have you with us.
I’m Victoria. You can read why I’m publishing Carer Mentor here: Who Started Carer Mentor and Why?
Summary
This article offers my thoughts and experience of buying a wearable device for my father and then for my mother. We had the first device in 2015 and continued using it after Dad passed away in 2020 until last year. The new device works inside/outside the home and has a monitoring team 24/7 for alerts.
Having experienced several traumatic fall events, this offers us both reassurance, particularly during respite or when I’m not in the house.
Like many situations during caregiving, it’s worthwhile to align on the specific step-wise actions if an emergency happens. Scenario-planning may seem tedious or obvious, but believe me, the devil is in the details!
Table of Contents
In the desktop version, you can use the lines on the left of the screen to jump to different parts of the article.
I decided to write this now for my friend , who wrote this article Alone and wondering if this is the end. When your body scares you. She asked for reader recommendations/advice about wearable devices.
1. Connecting Articles
Caregiving Hacks & Tips: A Rolling List of Ideas from my personal experience and recommendations from others
Resource/Tools: 'Home-aids' What's worked for us. Food for thought, not a promotion.
Personal reflection: 'Home-aids & Starting the Care Discussion'. You can’t un-see risks once your lens is turned.
2. The first device experience we had
Reasons for buying:
To have an emergency team on hand to pick Dad up after a fall and/or to alert emergency services.
To have a 24/7 monitoring service.
Key features:
A key safe was a requirement
Fixed to a wall outside
Button press code (not digital)
Key inside
The red button small pendant was on a cord that was hung around Dad’s neck
The ‘homebase’ system was plugged into the British Telecom analogue telephone hard line, where the master socket entered the house.
This is now outdated in many cities as the lines have become digital in the UK.
The homebase had to have a continuous power supply. It would tell you if the power was switched off.
The service included an annual check: test the homebase, check the pendant battery and the response team’s connection
When the button was pressed, a response person would speak through the homebase. If we didn’t manage to get to the homebase and respond, they were instructed to call an emergency contact (me), if I didn’t answer, they would immediately call for an ambulance
Verdict:
We evolved the instructions over time
The service providers changed, and it was separated into two pieces - the response team became separate from the device providers. Each piece required a subscription. I think it was around £30 total per month. I don’t know what the starting cost was.
Ideally, the monitoring response team and device team are the same. Don’t assume, ask how the service is managed and executed!
I stopped this service before the switchover from analogue to digital.
Important: Some services in the past have provided a ‘team’ of people who would come to your home in an emergency. If this is an option, I highly recommend asking them for specifics:
How would their team identify themselves to you in an emergency at your home
What is their medical training or general training in terms of aid support? A very important decision-making point. You may decide not to have a response team if they’re not appropriately trained and regulated. If you or your loved one has medical issues, responders who are not paramedics could exacerbate issues or worse, create injuries.
What equipment would they bring with them, and how would it be used? In what circumstances?
We had thought that a team of 2 trained people would use an inflatable mat or cushion to help Dad if he’d fallen on the floor. It was clear on a couple of occasions that this was not guaranteed or available. In fact, during one fall when the button was pressed, one person came, but they had no equipment and were unhelpful (understatement).
But, the pendant was still very useful as it became the safety net when I wasn’t available. The monitoring call team would call an ambulance when the button was pressed. Once something is ingrained into the care routine and familiar as the go-to action, it’s best not to create friction by changing it if possible.
(Update confirmed Aug 5 2025) Paid care workers are not allowed to get people up off the floor. They have training to support and assist patients/people in moving around. However, if there is a fall, they can only try to talk through getting up safely, if they think the person can. The carer has to call an ambulance for medical reasons.
3. The second device experience
Reasons for buying:
Fall emergency detection, in and outside the house.
Can be used outside the home on trips in the UK, e.g. out for lunch with friends
24/7 available monitoring service (no call-out team)
Key features:
Wifi pendant, with a built-in speaker. So, it’s like a mobile phone, but without a keypad or screen, and with only one automatic action.
No homebase system
If the pendant has a hard jolt or bump, or rapid fall (air pressure sharply changes), it emits a few beeps and starts dialling the call centre. The call centre asks questions, and if there’s no response, they call for emergency services and stay online until the services are on site. Meanwhile, I’m also called.
There is a geofence system. I can imagine that for caregivers of loved ones with dementia, this offers a lot of reassurance. (But I also know some dementia sufferers don’t like to wear devices - Apple’s Airtags are a good substitute).
The pendant has a base charger that can sit on the nightstand to make an overnight charge and be close to the bed.
There is an app for the device on my phone. It was quick to set up, but it could be difficult for others. There’s a support team that you can talk to to resolve issues.
The pendant is a ‘chunk’ but can hide between a blouse and jumper, or under a coat if people are worried about the aesthetics. There’s less stigma about wearable devices these days, I think, given all our wearable tech!
Verdict:
We use the SureSafe pendant device. They have a great service team here in the UK. Initially, we tried the bracelet. It’s pretty, but relatively heavy for a slim wrist, plus it tended to get in the way. The service team made it very easy for me to return the bracelet and switch to the pendant.
The subscription is similar in price to the pendant we had before, but in many ways, this is much better. The setup and call team are good. The pendant is quite sensitive to knocks, which I take as a good sign that it works well!
I’ve no personal experience of devices and services in the US, but US readers made these two suggestions: Life Alert and Bewell Medical Alert
There are always discounts and offers, so I highly recommend getting clear on your needs and shopping around.
This is the video for SureSafe. I don’t receive any commission for sharing this. The GPS and fully mobile features mean it can be worn on walks or trips outside the home.
The SureSafe Go Family monitoring or 24/7 monitoring product.
4. Apple Watch can detect falls, an option for you?
We decided against this option for my mother because
the battery life of the pendant is longer
using a watch and setting up and maintaining a phone, the information etc is a lot to navigate for someone who is less ‘Apple-savvy.’ Feels complicated
Our SureSafe principal scenario:
fall detected in the UK, alarm signalled after jolt and immobility
someone monitoring 24/7 calls via the device, dials for emergency services and directs them to the GPS location of the wearer
The call operator stays online until services are on site, and calls me as the emergency contact.
The SureSafe monitoring team have specific medical data that I’ve provided for them to share with emergency services.
The Apple Watch can call emergency services, after a countdown. However, I can’t identify the details of the automated message or information shared with emergency services. It seems data is encrypted to Apple first, then sent to emergency services and decrypted as needed.
Does anyone have experience, outside the US about how emergency services are activated and locate someone via the Apple Watch?
I’m unsure of what happens if someone cannot respond to the call.
Apple Watch can use, cellular, WiFi or Satellite to contact emergency services. You or someone near by can talk to the operator.
The Emergency contact defined in the Health App and Medical ID is always called after the emergency services
The Apple Watch Falls Detection, emergency SOS calls and crash features are great for me but not comfortable, easy options for either of my parents.
Use Fall Detection with Apple Watch
If Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 4 or later, or Apple Watch Ultra or later detects a hard fall while you’re wearing your watch, it will tap you on the wrist, sound an alarm and display an alert.
If your Apple Watch detects that you’re moving, it will wait for you to respond to the alert and won’t call the emergency services automatically. If your watch detects that you’ve been immobile for about a minute, it will make the call automatically.
If your Apple Watch detects that you're immobile for about a minute, it will start a 30-second countdown, while tapping you on the wrist and sounding an alert. The alert will get louder so that you or someone nearby can hear it. When the countdown ends, your Apple Watch will contact the emergency services automatically.
When the call connects, your Apple Watch will play an audio message informing the emergency services that your Apple Watch has detected a hard fall. It will then share your current location as latitude and longitude coordinates.**
**Only available in the United States and Canada. When you call or text the emergency services, your location and encrypted Medical ID information will be sent to Apple. Your location will be used to determine whether Enhanced Emergency Data service is supported in your area. If it's supported, Apple will forward your information to a partner for delivery to the emergency services.
After the call has ended, your watch will send a message to your emergency contacts with your location, letting them know that your watch has detected a hard fall and dialled the emergency services. Your watch gets your emergency contacts from your Medical ID. You can’t set the emergency services as an emergency contact.
Manage Fall Detection on Apple Watch
With Fall Detection turn on, Apple Watch can help alert emergency services when a hard fall has been detected and notify your emergency contacts. If Apple Watch detects a hard fall and that you have been immobile for about a minute, it taps your wrist, sounds an alarm, and then attempts to call emergency services.
To call emergency services, your Apple Watch or nearby iPhone needs a cellular connection, or needs to have Wi-Fi calling turned on and Wi-Fi coverage available.
If cellular and Wi-Fi coverage are not available, and your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, or later is near your Apple Watch, Fall Detection uses your iPhone to send the notification using Emergency SOS via satellite, where Emergency SOS via satellite is available. See the Apple Support article Use Emergency SOS via satellite on your iPhone.
Set up your Medical ID in the Health app on your iPhone includes How to edit emergency contacts
Contact emergency services with Apple Watch. When you start an Emergency SOS call while abroad, your watch connects to local emergency services, but it doesn’t send your location or a text message to your emergency contacts. In some countries and regions, international emergency calling works even if you haven’t set up cellular service on the watch.
5. Some helpful information and tips about falls
If someone has fallen on the floor, it can be dangerous for them AND you to try to move them from where they are. Always check if they have pain in their joints, or if they are feeling nauseous or sick or dizzy.
It’s a shocking experience and traumatic for us as caregivers. I’ve experienced this too many times. Always calmly insist on taking time to check their body and try to calm them if they’re agitated or scared.
Remember, when someone is on the floor, they are often a ‘dead weight’ and you cannot simply lift them off the floor. You need some leverage and support.
Here are two helpful videos with advice on how to get up from the floor after a fall. Remember: if you use a chair or any furniture, make sure it’s stable or against a wall. Don’t grab the chair, as you can end up back on the floor.
Creative Ways to Get Off The Floor!
Brad and Mike demonstrate 7 creative ways to get off the floor. (July 9 2023)
HOW TO GET UP AFTER A FALL - 3 BEST METHODS
Balance Rehab by Doug Weiss, DPT (January 15, 2024)
6. Personal thoughts and warnings
My father had several falls. His vascular dementia together with his rheumatoid arthritis made his mobility unsteady, he had little/no muscle and his mental-orientation could be unpredictable. Meaning that sometimes, in his recliner chair he’d wake up and try to get up whilst it was still reclined. This caused two or three falls.
Be careful of recliners that can tip forward or back. When your loved one is disoriented they may think they’re in their bed.
Similarly, in bed, a couple of times Dad rolled too hard and became stuck between the bed and the bedside table/drawers. I know it sounds strange but its scary and difficult to manoeuvre from that position. Even without vascular dementia I highly recommend bedside rails to help anyone who has less upper body strength, or has issues getting up and out of bed. The rails prevented some bedside falls.
Bathmats and rugs need to have rubber underneath to stop them from moving on tiles, but even then they can curl up on tile or carpet and become a hazard. I always helped Dad to wear bedsocks that had rubber on the soles - they kept his feet warm and gave him better footing.
One traumatic fall at the bottom of the stairs where he fell backwards was awful. a bump to the head around 8 or 9 pm and we waited hours for the out of hours doctor to come and check him over. The worst part was Dad shouting and insisting I get him up off the floor.
Please resist trying to pick someone up off the floor yourself. Use the information from the videos and try to calmly walk through the steps to help yourself or your loved on who’s fallen, off the floor.
You can be easily injured if you try lifting them. I recommend watching the videos. Be prepared to employ the recommendations and walk around your home to figure out what you can use.
Emergency services could get the fire brigade who have equipment to get people off the floor, paramedics are also trained for this.
Please ‘❤️’ LIKE the article, to guide others to these hacks and tips.
Over to you:
Do you or a family member have a wearable device as a falls alert?
Would you recommend a specific device and service?
What have you done when you or someone had a fall? Do you have any specific tips?
Thank you for this detailed information!
My mom currently has two fall devices.
One is a Life Alert that she wears around her neck and can also be switched to a watchband. However, she's so tiny, the band doesn't go small enough. I also recommend having one that is round and smaller. She wouldn't wear the first one because it was so big. She said she refused to wear the 'Cow Bell'!
This system also has a machine that we keep in her living room where she can talk to someone after she presses the button.
Her cell phone is through Lively Link which has a red star on it. She can press that if she forgets that she has a button around her neck. They call one of us or emergency services in case of a fall.
She still reverts to calling us when she falls instead of pressing a button. So perhaps a fall detection system would be better but at least we have covered a few ways to contact us.
Thanks for this Victoria. I'm actually in the middle of a caring 'surge' since my mum fell twice last week in 36 hrs, the last one in her bedroom and she couldn't get off the floor. Lay there for 4 hours whilst we waited for the ambulance.....so I haven't alot of time right now, but in short, my mum has had an alarm device on her wrist for many years which she's used only a couple of times and the last time it didn't work! If she presses it, i get called and if i don't answer the call goes to 999.
She's v good at having her phone on her most of the time, so she calls me but its been good to have the alarm too in case she's somewhere like the bathroom.
I would also say that having a key safe outside the house has been essential, for ambulance/doctors/carers to get in. This has been the most useful 'device' for us.