I agree a necklace is better in my opinion. I couldn't read the watch without glasses and I don't like wearing watches anymore. If I'm having a heart attack, I won't be looking for my glasses and without them forget it. I need something that just takes a press of a button.
This seems to be a combination of what we've talked about above. It works like the dead man alert I mentioned, and also as a life alert type product. It's a cell phone / tablet app, and seems to be pretty flexible. You can set it around the hours you sleep, so it doesn't unnecessarily notify people during that time, and once activated, if no movement is detected, it will start notifications, which can include family, friends, and also emergency services. http://www.mandownapp.com/ It's available for both Apple and Android products. @Yvonne Smith It's interesting to see drones, apps, and other newer technology being used in these ways .
Thanks Diane, I'll have to look into that. I read somewhere that most emergencies happen at night so it wouldnt be good for me to deactivate it then but I'd hate to have fire trucks and ambulance coming just because I didn't move. Forget that, I move all night long, lol side to side.
I'm up and down all night and day, so if there was no movement for 4 hours, I'd either be out of the house or unconscious. But, even in that case, the cats would likely be moving around. Some of the apps give the option to dial a neighbor or friend/family in addition to 911, and that would be nice, since it would save a call. What I haven't encountered yet is an app that works off wifi calling, as well as cell phone service.
I think these medical alert technologies have come a long way - especially on the mobile front for out of home protection. With automatic fall detection improved and GPS location tracking. In the case of a non-emergency, my wifes medical alert company will first call me, then my daughter. However, if she doesnt respond when they reach out to her, they will call emergency responders, and then call me. Here is a good medical alert comparison chart but I think most will do just fine. Make sure it is waterproof and make sure you get cell coverage in every room of your house if you get a mobile system.
Sadly, I think that this depends on each person. I totally LOVE my Apple Watch, and it is my opinion that everyone, most especially seniors, should have a smart watch. However, I have learned (to my dismay) that not everyone realizes this, and some people prefer not to have one, and some seniors just hate anything “techy”, and don’t want to learn how to use one. Another reason would be that some people just are not concerned about their health, regardless. Since you are asking about having a smart watch, I am guessing that you DO care about your health and are not against having one, and I definitely believe that you would be happy with it once you get one. I (of course) love the Apple Watch, but we have people on the forum who have other brands, like FitBit, and they love their watches, too. (We have several threads on the forum about smart watches if you search) Anyway, several years ago, my daughter got a new Apple Watch and wanted to give me her old one (which was the Series 2). At first, I resisted because I was sure that I couldn’t possibly even read anything that was on the watch, and just reading things on the iPhone was already hard. Turns out that you do not have to spend time actually reading the watch, except for seeing what time it is. I use Siri to make phone calls on my watch, and all of the important health information goes right to the iPhone, so I can monitor my exercise, heart rate, heart thythm, and even check my blood oxygen level and take an EKG if I need to do that. As my daughter upgraded her watch (and phones) she gives me her old ones, so I am now on an iPhone 12 and an Apple Watch series 6. My husband (@Bobby Cole ) didn’t want one. At first, either, but now, he hardly even carries his phone with him because he does everything with the watch instead. I have added health apps to my phone, and they have all of the health information that I need or want , right there easy to see, or to show to my doctor when necessary. And I have not even mentioned the SAFETY element of having an Apple Watch. If I could fall or pass out, the watch will sense it and ask me if I I fell and if I need help. If I am unable to answer (unconscious, hurt), then it will call 911 emergency and also alert my emergency contacts.
This is an older video with a group of seniors reacting to seeing an Apple Watch for the first time. You can see that there is a wide variety of responses to the idea.
I never had a watch that cost more than $20. Even then I would take it off while working outside. When we had goats and all the work that entailed, a watch would have gotten ruined quickly. No way I would put a $400 watch on while working in the woods, so that was ruled out for me. I want one in my pocket away from my hands and saws and fences and briars. I don't do as much dirty work now, so it's not quite as important, but I'm still going to try a Samsung Zflip3 next time. OTOH, I suppose you could afford to ruin a couple of watch phones for the same price.
I also have a FitBit Inspire that I use just for tracking steps for my insurance company, and it can just be clipped on, or can be worn on the wrist. My insurance company (Humana) gives me points for gift cards just for walking over 500 steps a day; but they will not sync with an Apple Watch for some reason unknown to me. I got the little Fitbit just to be able to sync with Humana, and I keep it clipped on to my bra. I never even look at it, but it does have smart Watch functions. I do not think that it functions as a phone, but some of the other Fitbit models will do that. You might find that a clip on health tracker would do what you need for keeping track of information for you, @Nancy Hart . Actually, the Apple Watch is surprisingly durable, and you can get cases that protect them from just about anything. Bobby is always working outside in the yard or shop and coming in with cuts and bruises, but his watch survives it all.
Yvonne Smith, I appreciate your feedback. I did get a Fitbit Sense a few months ago and do like it though I don't use it for as much as you do. I know it is great for tracking health. My children got both my husband and I one when he got diagnosed with afib and it is great for him to monitor his heart rate. My problem is I have a bit of health anxiety and tend to check it too much, reading into things. I don't think I'm alone on this. One of my doctors said she had to stop wearing hers for the same reason. Any ideas?
Connie--I also have a Fitbit Sense, as well as an Apple watch. I wear the Fitbit most of the time because it will go for nearly a week between chargings, whereas the Apple needs to be charged daily. I also prefer the app interface for the Fitbit. I use the "reminder to move" that vibrates on my wrist every hour to remind me to get up and move at least 250 steps in the hour. Last year I had chemo which caused a 20 BPM rate increase in my resting heart rate. I found that extremely anxiety-inducing and after having an echocardiogram I stopped wearing the tracker for a while. I was unable to exercise and it was upsetting to see my heart rate climbing. I like features like notifications. If I'm in the back yard I get a notification on my watch from the Ring doorbell if someone is at the front door. I also like seeing text messages on my wrist without having to carry my phone around. So all in all, I do find value in owning a smart watch, but I'll admit that if I lost mine it wouldn't matter much in the grand scheme of things. One annoying thing about Fitbit is that Google bought the company last year. I keep the GPS function turned off because I get tired of being tracked by electronics. Of course I seldom leave the house but it still annoys me.
I guess it just depends on what works for each person. I have anxiety when I know that I am having a-fib or tachycardia episodes, and can’t tell what is happening, so the watch lets me see exactly what is going on. I also had bradycardia (about 2 years ago) and didn’t know it because it was happening at night. With my Apple Watch, I could see that the heart rate was going into the 40’s overnight, and when I saw it go into the 30’s, I called my cardiologist. They did tests, and then put in the pacemaker, which probably saved my life, and I would never have known if not for my Apple Watch. In December, 2021, my heart went back into a-fib, and even though I can feel it crashing around in there, it helps me to be able to see what my heart rate is doing. Instead of that nice 60bpm all night, it now goes somewhere between 40-140, and once i saw that, I called the doctor, and sent in a reading from the pacemaker so he could see what is happening. Next week, I will be going in for a pacemaker adjustment, and the doctor said this should help stop the a-fib, and get me off of some of the dangerous heart medications that I have been on. For me, having the Apple Watch is almost like having my doctor there watching over my heart all of the time.
There is such a thing as too much information... for me anyway. If others want "data", that's up to them but to me, ignorance is bliss. My doctor can tell me how I am doing every six months.
Yvonne, I agree with you. My husband was alerted to his afib by the watch and followed up with his cardiologist. I guess I need to learn a bit more about the information it's giving me. When I first saw the heart rhythm picture, I freaked out with all the ups and downs until I learned that was normal. Lots of things can affect heart rate. I read the Fitbit stuff- maybe they need to have a section for seniors- our bodies work differently than younger people and there are different normals