Recommendations for a simple fall-detecting watch for an elderly parent please

[DownmarketSellingSunset]

I need to find a fall-detecting watch for my dad, who lives in a bungalow adjacent to our house and has advanced MS but maintains some much fought-for independence. He really struggles with learning to use new things so the simpler the better. Easy to put on and take off would be good too. He suggested this solution as he's fallen a lot recently and we all worry that he won't be able to reach his phone and will be there for hours. However, he is struggling to do the research on a suitable model. He has an android phone, so an iphone is out, I think? Has anyone used one in the past for elderly parents and can recommend (or advise against!) a specific watch?

The latest Google Pixel watches have fall detection.

I haven't used it, but I looked at the specs.

Worth looking at what your local authority recommend in terms of pendant/ watch alarms with call buttons.

Your stride watch is excellent. It has fall
detection and he can also press a button to speak to them for help in any other situation. It works away from home also. Really easy to use. We’ve had years of use and peace of mind from it. Recommend

Just a note of caution - they don't work if the wearer falls slowly. My dad was found on the floor. He had probably leant on the wall when he felt ill so there wasn't a sudden impact

Second a proper careline falls alarm - a real human being at the other end and if they can’t get hold of you they will call the emergency services for your dad. You can get ones that go off automatically if you fall, and ones you wear on your wrist.

He needs a care line watch, it's goes on and never comes off even in the bath/ shower. Can detect falls and you press it if you need help. About £20 a month or sometimes local authorities provide them cheaper. They recommended the watch as it doesn't get tangled in clothing like the pendant does and less tempting to take off.

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the replies. I don’t think I’d persuade him to wear a pendant type one, or something that connected to emergency services but I might seed the idea for future years! Despite all evidence to the contrary, he says he isn’t disabled and I know he finds any loss of independence (understandably) very difficult. But some of these sound great so I’ll investigate in the morning.

The care line watch looks just like a fit bit or any other type of watch, wouldn't be any different as far as he's concerned.

You can also get a motion detector that goes on the wall and if it doesn't sense the person passing it alerts a nominated number.

Have you thought about using an Alexa set up to call 999 on command or call next of kin?

@DownmarketSellingSunset I got DM a pendant alarm. When she did fall she was disoriented and didn’t press it, so lay on the floor overnight. Who does a fall detection watch contact? If no-one, it’s the same issue. You have to check on them.

The ones I recommend and use with my own clients (I run a Homecare business) are the ones sold through age UK. There are several options that cover both in and out of the house, pendants and wrist bands.

personally I tend to recommend the pendant one which works both in the house and the community. It has a decent battery life and talks through the pendant not the base unit. It also has fall detection.

I Do not recommend using things like Apple Watches as they have a ridiculously short battery life and are too complicated for many to use

https://personalalarms.ageuk.org.uk/pages/gps-fall-detector-alarm

@MeetMeOnTheCornermost of them you give them a list of people to contact. Usually up to 5 names and numbers in priority order. If the button is pressed or the fall alarm activated they will first try to make contact with the user to find out if they need help. They will then contact the contacts provided in order until they reach someone. If the user needs the emergency services or they fail to reach anyone they will also contact them too.

@DownmarketSellingSunsetthe way I often approach it with reluctant clients is I suggest they just have it in the house. The one I linked comes with 2 pendants the bigger GPS one and a smaller in house one. I often suggest they put the smaller one besides the bed and the other in their coat pocket. Or even just in the house. Then just let them gradually start using it more.
I recently had one put in for a lady who was adamant she didn’t want or need it and was only agreeing to it to shut us (her family and friends) up. She now wears the pendant all the time because she has realised she feels safer with it.

He needs something easy to use and to get on and off, so I agree that a proper watch or pendant is what he needs. It's mostly for when he's transferring from his wheelchair to his mobility scooter or walker or on or off the loo etc. My mum lives there as well but she goes out with friends etc and no one wants him (or her) to feel like a prisoner at home.

I did set up an Alexa in the house but he doesn't seem to use it. Anything new is a struggle for him. I'm more worried about him falling when he's transferring from his walker to his mobility scooter in the garage anyway - that's where he's out of earshot and sight - and although I could set up an Alexa in there I worry he'd forget it's there.

You keep saying he needs to be able to remove it easily. The whole point of these things is they stay on all the time and aren't removed for washing etc as it's likely to be the one time they need help when they aren't wearing them as they've forgotten to put it back on.

They must need to be charged sometime, no?

@notanothernamechange24 I know how they are meant to work but who gets in touch with anyone if there’s no contact made with the call centre? The fall system is fickle and didn’t work but possibly because dm slumped. It’s not foolproof.

No, they link to a hub that's like a router that's plugged in, doesn't need to be charged, status on all the time.

An ambulance is sent if the person can't can't to the centre.

I agree about th fall detector not being fool proof as my dm also slumped and it wasn't picked up.

https://www.yourstride.com/fall-alarm/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=Falls&utm_term=FallAlarmWatch&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21160942764&gclid=CjwKCAjwu53SBhAhEiwAJzSLNvzXXtCeNgM8t2ztgTV2Pm6d-OHMiYoIw0gUjrgD5hdbicMjA0ZmOhoC-54QAvD_BwE

This was recommended to me for my mum by a friend whose mum used it. My mum likes it so has now recommended it to her friends. It's become a bit like a school craze in her village!

Not a watch for falls as such but Alexa is great instead of a watch for knowing the time. My Fil cannot cope with fiddly buttons or peering at a watch face, so we got him an Alexa, and he can just say Alexa what's the time, or Alexa play music, etc. etc. i believe it can be set up to do a lot of things including making phone calls. So as long as your DF's voice reached it (he could have more than one in different rooms) it could be safe for him to just say Alexa, ring X Y or Z if he was in any trouble. Does your DF wear a pendant?

Sorry I missed you have already got Alexa. My Fil is the same - can't be doing with anything new or complicated, but he has learned that ALL he has to do is say Alexa, and ask for what he wants. Its changed his life a lot.🌺

No ambulance for dm until she was found on the floor where she had been overnight and was found by a neighbour.

One big issue that everyone is overlooking is that the very old get confused. They can also get infections that mean their cognitive ability slows up markedly. So, when you or I would press that button, they don’t. They simply forget and go into survival mode. You don’t get the phone call and there is no ambulance called. When dm was ok, she understood perfectly about the button. When she needed to activate it (twice), she didn’t. So both times it really did not help. Other people might stay “with it” and it works, but there’s no guarantee your elderly relative will do what’s needed. Confusion can actually be very very harmful.

Nothing will ever be fool proof! If fool proof is what you’re looking for then you need someone there full time. If someone lowers themselves to the floor or slowly slips then no the fall detection won’t be triggered. But if they can control the fall themselves then they may well be able to press the button!
In terms of who calls the emergency services - the call center do. If a button is pressed or the fall detection triggered and the call centre cannot get through to your relative to check they are ok they will call the emergency contacts. If still there is no response then they will call the emergency services.