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Personal Alarms For The Elderly – Understanding Your Options

Looking after the elderly in our communities has always been a worrysome challenge.

Having the peace of mind that vulnerable family members can receive help when needed, while allowing them to hold onto feelings of independence is a difficult balance.

And whereas this was easier to do in years gone by – when we used to live in smaller communities, often with extended families living together or nearby – nowadays families are more widely dispersed and tend to live further apart from each other.

Medication and medical care have played their part too, in a good way.

With the development of medicines and other interventions, many ailments that would have led to needing to be cared for or even death can now be controlled with medication and care.

While it is unquestionably brilliant to have our loved ones around for longer, it creates a problem of vulnerable people living independently and raises the question of what we can do to facilitate this while making sure assistance is there when needed.

Fortunately, technology can help when an unfortunate situation arises where a loved one cannot use a phone to get help, such as after a fall, when suffering breathing difficulty or if they experience sudden pain.

A simple yet effective solution is to introduce a personal alarm system.

Personal alarms have been around for a few decades, now. And while they were simple and unfancy when first released, the internet age has given rise to many exciting and useful innovations. Though not all are as good as they first appear.

There are now household monitoring systems, for example, that have monitors all around the home to see when doors have been opened or which rooms someone has been moving around in. At first, this may sound appealing, but as well as being intrusive, these systems interpret data in a way that means it can take some time to realise anything is amiss.

Against this background, we at Acticheck decided to create The Acticheck Life-Saving Wristband – an attractive, life-saving wristband suitable to be worn all the time and uses the latest technology to offer comprehensive protection.

Our years of experience have allowed us an insight into what makes a truly great personal alarm for the elderly, what to look for and how to protect your loved ones.

Let’s take a closer look…

 

What Personal Safety Alert Systems are Available?

There are many senior alarm systems available on the market that focus on elderly safety.

Their goal is to ensure that if accidents do happen, help is at hand, reducing the risk of serious consequences.

The main devices on the market include:

  • The Acticheck: Lifesaving Wristband
  • Canary Care
  • Pendant from Age.co
  • Buddi Connect

There are others available, but these tend to be among the most popular.

Let’s have a look at them in a bit more detail…

Buddi’s Connect comprises SOS calls and fall alerts, but will not check in on the user for regular welfare checks. It works by being within Bluetooth range, meaning that it may drop signal on occasion. And one of the other biggest downfalls of this device is its short battery-life, lasting only a few days before needing to be charged. This creates a major concern because the user may not be wearing it when they need it most. Overall, consumers rate it 3.8/5.

Canary Care is a home monitoring system for people who cannot interact with others well, for example, if they have mid to late-stage dementia. One of the main issues with this system is that it is slow and only works within the built environment, meaning it does not connect in the garden.

The Pendant by Age.co has a battery that can last up to seven years, which is a great feature. However, it is limited in its other features by not including “I’m OK” wellness checks and it won’t work beyond the home. The stigma attached with the pendant device is also problematic as many customers report that they only wear this particular type of personal alarm when their families visit, just to stop them from worrying. For those people, the pendant  wouldn’t be able to help in the event of a fall or other emergency. Overall, consumers rate it 4.7/5, making it the second most recommended on our list.

If you look at the amazing features and consumer ratings however, by far the best option when it comes to personal alarms for seniors is the Acticheck.

Firstly, it offers the widest range of features for an affordable price. The Acticheck Life-Saving Wristband provides SOS Calls when the wearer squeezes the button on their wrist. It also automatically detects falls and uniquely can vibrate at chosen timesinviting the the wearer check-in by pressing a button to confirm they are OK. This is an ideal way to confirm the wearer is OK in the morning and before bed.

Furthermore, it has a larger range than most other options on the market, ensuring that the wearer has a signal in both the home and garden, and connecting to a smartphone (via an app) when out and about.

On top of this, instead of the battery lasting a few days, The Acticheck’s battery works for a full 12 months, and is waterproof meaning you get uninterrupted protection.

Most importantly, reviews of the product sit at an impressive 4.8/5, showing that current customers are incredibly happy with their decision to use The Acticheck Life-Saving Wristband.

 

What are the Most Common Issues with Elderly Safety Alarms for Seniors?

One of the most common problems elderly people experience when using elderly personal alarms is that they don’t wear them the way they were designed to be worn. Whether that is because they don’t like the “old-person” stigma of wearing a pendant, or if their life-saving device needs to be charged regularly and is therefore not with them at all times.

This creates an issue because if an elderly relative were to fall or suffer an injury, they might not be able to access the system to get help, leaving them lying for hours until they are discovered by chance. The longer a person is left lying, the more likely they are to develop more serious medical problems.

Therefore, it is vital to ensure your elderly friends and relatives wear the device at all times.

When selecting an elderly personal alarm, consider choosing one that is easy to put on and will stay on securely. The Acticheck Life-Saving Wristband, for example, can be securely fastened around the wrist and left on throughout the day, night and even in the shower. For an entire year!

 

What are Some Issues with Senior Safety Software?

The biggest issue when it comes to elderly safety software is a lack of clarity and understanding.

With so many options on the market, it can be extremely difficult to determine which is best. And this is where Acticheck can help, as we have years of experience in producing market-leading alarms for seniors and we have great reviews to back up our service.

Additionally, it can be an issue when working out what systems work with other technologies and which do not.

For example, some personal safety software can only connect to devices via Bluetooth, which causes issues when the Bluetooth is not turned on or when it’s out of range. The Acticheck Life-Saving Wristband, however, connects more easily to smartphones or can be connected directly to a stable internet connection within the home.

If you’re looking for more information on the Acticheck personal alarm for the elderly, contact us today via our website, which has a great online chat feature.

Or you could send us an email: info@acticheck.com or give us a call on 0345 25 75 080.

We are here for you and aim to deliver the very best product for senior safety. Reach out to us today to get started.

Conclusion

Personal safety software for seniors can allow elderly people to maintain their independence, while simultaneously providing their relatives’ with priceless peace of mind.

The best ones will ensure that they are safe in their home and that help will be there quickly if needed.

With so many personal alarms for the elderly on the market, however, it can be confusing. This is where we come in. We treat your family as if it was our own, ensuring that any problems are handled quickly and easily. Contact us at any time for advice or support with your elderly safety alert system on 0345 25 75 080.

Get the peace of mind you and your family deserve