Here Are The Best Personal Alarms For The Elderly
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A personal alarm for the elderly keeps track of your loved one’s condition and alerts others if an emergency occurs, such as a fall. Using an alarm will allow your loved one to remain independent in their own home for longer, while also providing the peace of mind that they’ll be able to quickly access help.
Here, you can find the best elderly personal alarms from a range of retailers. We’ve also explained everything you need to know about these alarms, including the benefits, the different types and what else to consider.
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In this article:
- What is a personal alarm for the elderly?
- Different types
- Benefits
- Best personal alarms for the elderly
- Where else can you buy elderly personal alarms?
What Is a Personal Alarm For the Elderly?
A personal alarm for the elderly allows older adults to call for assistance if they have an accident, a fall or a similar emergency. They’re designed to be very simple to use and can potentially be life-saving. They also offer peace of mind to family and friends that their loved ones will receive the help they need when required.
A personal alarm often comes in the form of a small wearable pendant or watch.
The simplest personal alarms will have a large button that can be pressed whenever you require assistance. Pressing this button will either emit a loud noise, or it’ll send a notification to your emergency contacts.
Some alarms are directly linked to a 24/7 monitoring team that’ll quickly work out what’s wrong and what help you require. This could be something as simple as a neighbour checking in on you, or calling you an ambulance.
The best elderly personal alarms are packed with useful and innovative features, such as fall detection, GPS tracking and the ability to speak directly to the monitoring team through the device.
The Different Types Of Elderly Personal Alarms
Basic alarms
When you press the emergency button on a basic alarm, it’ll alert those nearby through a loud noise.
Fall detectors
Falls become more likely as we age. The purpose of a fall detector alarm is to offer reassurance that if you do have a fall, help will be quickly available. Fall detectors work automatically, meaning you don’t have to worry about pressing anything or alerting anybody.
A fall detector uses a motion sensor to detect any sudden downward motion. When this is detected, it sends an alert to your loved one or a call centre. Through more advanced fall detectors, you’re also able to speak directly to an operator at the call centre.
Fall detectors often have 24-hour monitoring services, so are paid for through a monthly subscription fee.
GPS tracking alarms
A GPS tracking alarm means an individual’s location can be instantly worked out, regardless of where they are and how far they are from home. Some personal alarms have a limited range, while GPS tracking alarms aren’t bound by these restrictions, so can be used anywhere.
Elderly GPS tracking alarms also have SOS buttons which will connect you to a 24-hour monitoring team, who will then alert family members or the emergency services.
GPS tracking alarms tend to be one of the most expensive options.
Pendant alarms
A pendant alarm will connect you to an emergency response centre, should help or assistance be required. All you need to do is press a button on the pendant and an alert will be sent via the base unit in your home (this base unit will come with your pendant).
This centre provides 24-hour monitoring and is available around the clock. They’ll determine whether you require an emergency service such as an ambulance, or if your loved ones can instead be contacted to provide assistance.
This personal alarm service comes with a monthly or annual fee.
What Are the Benefits Of An Elderly Personal Alarm?
Customisable - To meet your or your loved one’s specific needs, many personal alarms can be customised, often with a range of unique features. One of the most common features is fall detection, which automatically detects a fall, before calling for help without the user needing to press the emergency button. Other features include reminders and GPS tracking. Personal alarms are also available in various sizes and styles
Easy to wear - Most personal alarms are worn around the wrist or neck, making them easy to carry around with you. This portability means that a personal alarm can be comfortably worn when carrying out daily tasks such as cleaning and cooking, or when on the go
Excellent value for money - The majority of personal alarms are very affordable. These can either be purchased outright, or monthly with a subscription. Using an elderly personal alarm is often a cheaper alternative to live-in care, other forms of home care or living in a care home
Maintain independence for longer - Having a personal alarm allows older adults - including those with certain medical conditions - to remain independent for much longer while also being able to continue living in their own home, rather than having to move into a care home or somewhere similar
Peace of mind for you and your loved ones - One of the biggest benefits provided by a personal alarm is the peace of mind it gives, both for the person using the alarm and their family members. Knowing that help is the click of a button away during an emergency is incredibly reassuring
Quick emergency resolution - Quickly receiving the help and support you need greatly boosts your chances of making a full recovery. Personal alarms are perfect in this sense, as they reduce the time spent waiting for assistance. Through a 24-hour personal alarm, emergency systems are immediately alerted when help is needed
The 9 Best Personal Alarms For the Elderly
Careline Essential Personal Alarm Plan
Careline365 have three personal alarm packages, and this is the most basic option, starting from just £11.99 a month when paying annually. You can also add automatic fall detection to this package for an additional £2 per month.
The Careline Essential Personal Alarm Plan is connected to Careline’s in-house 24/7 emergency care team who will be on hand to speak to you or your loved one through the alarm base unit.
Your loved one can easily get in contact by pressing the large button on their pendant or the alarm base.
Key features:
- 100-metre alert range
- 24/7 monitoring included as part of the plan
- Can be worn on the neck or wrist
Careline Essential+ Personal Alarm Plan
The Careline Essential+ Personal Alarm works in largely the same way as the previous plan we discussed. However, it does have a few notable upsides, the most important of which is a much higher alert range (600 metres compared to 100 metres). This impressive range means you can be assured of 24/7 support for your loved one, wherever they are in their home or garden.
Automatic fall detection is also available for an additional £4 per month.
The Essential+ boasts an incredibly fast connection time too. Their speedy digital service means you can expect to be connected to their system in less than 10 seconds!
Key features:
- 600-metre alert range
- 24/7 monitoring from Careline’s team
- It has a 24-hour backup battery
Careline Complete Personal Alarm Plan
Careline’s most premium product is their Complete Personal Alarm Plan which starts from £19.99 per month when paying annually. Through this plan, you or your loved one will benefit from 24/7 monitoring from Careline’s in-house care team, with an average call-answer time of under five seconds!
Other features include automatic fall detection and a pendant that’s both lightweight and waterproof. The fall detector can work out when your loved one has fallen, and will then automatically send an alert to the Careline365 team. If your loved one is injured and unable to press their button, the team will still alerted, helping to keep your loved one far safer in the process.
Key features:
- 100-metre alert range
- 24/7 monitoring from Careline’s team
- Automatic fall detection sensors
Alerta Wireless Motion Detector
A very intelligent and intuitive device, the Alerta Wireless Motion Detector works best when placed at your loved one’s bedside or by a doorway. It then uses infrared technology to detect movement within the beam’s range. This detection software will help your loved one stay safe within spaces of their home they spend large amounts of time in, while also providing yourself or a caregiver warning if they’re to leave this safe area.
The Alerta Wireless Motion Detector can either be used by itself, or it can be connected to a nurse call system by working alongside the Alerta Wall Point Receiver (this can be purchased separately by clicking on the link).
This motion detector can be powered by batteries or through the mains. If using batteries, it’ll give an alert to let you know when battery power is running low.
Key features:
- Infrared motion detector
- Low battery alert
- Can be powered by battery or through the mains
Taking Care Sense
The Taking Care Sense personal alarm system will monitor your loved one within their home. It’ll detect and report any sudden behavioural changes, such as if your loved one isn’t out of bed at the time they normally would be. Upon detecting an issue, the Taking Care Team will alert one of the nominated contacts.
Taking Care Sense is perfect if your elderly family member is still independent, but could still benefit from some daily monitoring. The system can also provide you with weekly email summaries to review changes to their activity and routine.
Key features:
- Choose from a monthly or annual subscription
- Changes in day-to-day activity are automatically detected and reported
- Monitoring is available around the clock from the Taking Care Team
FallSafe Fall Detector Alarm
One of the best personal alarms, the main feature of the FallSafe watch is its automatic fall detection. If the person wearing it falls, a call for help will be automatically made, without the need to press any buttons. If you purchase this product, the whole personal alarm package includes one year of monitoring, while you can also pay every month and have 24/7 monitoring for as long as necessary.
If your elderly loved one feels unwell or experiences an emergency, they can also call for help through the single touch of a button. With a range of 100 metres from the base unit (this will be installed upon purchase), this alarm can be used in the home and garden alike.
Key features:
- 24/7 monitoring
- It can be worn around the wrist or neck
- Showerproof
- A range of up to 100 metres
Doro 3500 Alarm Trigger
This personal alarm button from Doro can be worn around the wrist or neck and is really comfortable for older adults to wear. The large alarm trigger makes it easy for Doro smartphone users (or those with a different compatible mobile) to quickly sound an alarm.
This alarm has a range of up to 10 metres, while the integrated powering base unit has a battery life of around two years. It’s also waterproof, so your loved one can keep it on while showering or bathing.
Key features:
- Waterproof in the shower and bath
- Up to 10 metres of range
- The base unit has a battery life of up to two years
Go! GPS Alarm
The Go! GPS Alarm is an invaluable product for older adults, particularly those who have experienced wandering and medical emergencies in the past. This alarm includes GPS tracking, so in the event of an emergency, the Telecare team will be able to quickly determine your loved one’s location, allowing assistance to reach them even quicker than similar devices.
The GPS tracking feature makes this alarm best for older adults who are regularly on the go. There’s also an automatic fall sensor that works alongside the GPS alarm.
The alarm even has a built-in speakerphone, allowing your loved one to speak directly to a team of highly trained carers.
Key features:
- Automatic fall alarm system
- Rechargeable with a 1-2 month battery life
- Location is sent to the Telecare team when the alarm is triggered
SureSafe 24/7 Connect
The SureSafe 24/7 Connect can be worn as a wristband or pendant. You can either purchase this personal alarm pendant and get 12 months of monitoring included, or you can pay a smaller amount and have ongoing monitoring for as long as needed.
With a 100-metre range and automatic fall detection as an optional extra, help will always be on hand for your loved one. The SureSafe team is available around-the-clock to answer any alarm calls. The alarm can be sounded through the single touch of a button.
Key features:
- Waterproof in the bath and shower
- 24/7 monitoring and communication
- The pendant has a 100-metre range
Careline365
Careline sells a variety of alarms, and we've shared a range of these in this article. These include pendant alarms with a 24/7 emergency contact centre, fall detectors and GPS trackers. Their basic plug-in unit and pendant begins from just £11.99 per month on a subscription, while their ‘complete plan’ subscription with a fall detector starts from £19.99 per month.
Where Else Can You Buy Elderly Personal Alarms?
Aside from Careline365 and the other elderly personal alarms we’ve shared above, here are some of the other places you can find them:
LifeConnect24 - LifeConnect24 sell personal alarms, fall detectors and pendant alarms. They’re a really affordable option, with subscriptions beginning from just £11.25 a month. Some of the features of their Lifeline Personal Alarm include 24/7 monitoring, a waterproof design and a 100-metre alert range
SureSafe - SureSafe sells pendant alarms, GPS trackers and pendant alarms. These products have a range of helpful features as well, including automatic fall detection, 24/7 monitoring and alerts sent directly to family members. Their flagship product is the SureSafeGo 24/7 Connect. This can be purchased from £149.95, or from £21.99 a month with 24/7 monitoring included
Taking Care - Taking Care sells several personal alarm packages which begin from around £17 a month (for their in-home personal alarm which can be worn as a neck pendant or on your wrist). Their products are waterproof and also have lengthy battery lifespans
We’re on a mission to support individuals and their loved ones throughout each stage of their later living journey. For more information, check out everything Lottie has to offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a free personal alarm?
You can’t get a personal alarm for free, but there are several ways to get one of these at an affordable price, such as through your local council or an organisation like Careline365 or LifeConnect24.
Are personal alarms worth it?
There are numerous benefits to personal alarms. Not only will they give you peace of mind that your loved one is safe at home and assistance is just the press of a button away, but they also allow older adults to maintain their independence for longer.
What is a basic personal alarm for the elderly?
In its simplest form, a personal alarm for the elderly is a small, wearable watch or pendant that an older adult can use to signal for help if they fall, feel unwell or require assistance for any other reason. Many of these alarms will have a large button that can be pressed to signal for help.
