Rethinking home safety for the elderly became a burning issue during a lockdown caused by COVID-19 nationwide spread. Even now, with the pandemic peak left back in 2021, many of us feel concerned about our family members’ well-being.
In this article, we’ll cover the key considerations for choosing a personal emergency response app. Read on, and learn how to choose a proper safety monitoring solution for your elderly relatives or yourself.
Why a Personal Emergency Response App Can Save the Day
Most health emergencies and accidents that happen to people are preventable injuries. CDC statistics point out that around 300,000 older adults end up at the hospital with fall-induced injuries.
In one incident out of five, people injure their heads or get a bone fracture. As a result, they might struggle with dialing 911 by themselves. For that reason, personal emergency response tools are a must to call out the ambulance or reach emergency responders right away.
The Need for 24/7 Personal Safety Monitoring
Besides immediate emergency response, the above-mentioned alert devices provide various helpful features.
Personal Emergency Response Apps
Applications leverage Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity to transmit emergency alerts from literally everywhere. They also read device sensors to detect markers of emergency development. Such is, for instance, AllsWell’s specific inactivity tracking feature.
Wearable SOS Buttons and GPS Trackers
Water-resistant GPS tracking necklaces and keychain alarms are practical for daylong use. People can take a shower, wash dishes or enjoy leisure time outdoors without taking them off.
Home Medical Alert Systems
These allow you to equip your elderly relative’s residence with numerous security alert sensors connected to the base unit. Whenever sensors spot any sign of a health emergency, the SOS call will be sent to a certified monitoring center, and responders will arrive.
But how to find out which product will be the right fit for your parents or grandparents? In our overview of home safety alarms for the elderly, we already mentioned that in-home alarm kits wouldn’t fit the thin budget. Thus, an emergency response app can be an affordable alternative.
Reconsider Daily Risks Older People Might Face
Obviously, we all do care about our older parents and grandparents. Knowing that they do well on their own fortifies our peace of mind. So even if your relative uses a personal emergency response app, teaching them indoor and outdoor safety practices is crucial.
On top of that, we strongly recommend you check our list of essential tips on making your home safe for the elderly. Use them to foster a risk-free environment for your elderly loved ones from scratch.
Choosing a Personal Emergency Response App for Elderly: Prime Considerations
To kick off, we’d recommend you check all the features of emergency alert apps before opting for one product or another. You can also check the videos, social media accounts, and onboarding tutorials to understand better how the personal emergency response app works. For instance, we’ve posted a comprehensive guide on permissions required for the stable functioning of the AllsWell Alert app.
Now, let’s see what prime consideration can guide you when choosing a particular app.
1. User-Friendly and Simple to Setup
User-friendliness is above all. Your grandparents might lack a decent knack for mobile app use. Thus, you better ensure that requesting a personal emergency response via the app won’t be puzzling for them.
Try out the software with a free trial period first. In such a way, your older relative will have enough time to test it and decide whether they can go on with the product.
2. Combined Emergency Detection
The SOS call button might not be enough to ensure a prompt personal emergency response. That’s why some applications support sensor-activated alarms. Specifically, AllsWell detects unusually lengthy inactivity periods to inform caregivers and relatives of possible emergencies.
This feature works outstandingly well if the person is:
- Incapable of reaching the phone (passing out, getting badly injured, and partially immobilized);
- Lost their device and can’t call for help any other way.
3. Precise Location Tracking
No personal emergency response is possible without precise location detection. Modern emergency response apps leverage Wi-Fi, cellular, and GPS signals, so location service is accurate within 16 feet / 5 meters.
AllsWell Alert notifies emergency contacts about the user’s geolocation via email. You can export the geotag attached to the email body directly to Google Maps without any extra payments.
4. Robust Privacy Protection
Forbes recently highlighted that about 53% of medical alert companies’ clients have some concerns regarding their privacy. Well, it’s complicated. Medical Guardian, Bay Alarm Medical, and other providers are intermediaries. To provide a personal emergency response, they need to disclose customer data to emergency services.
That said, you might not want to disclose your entire location history to providers or third parties. AllsWell Alert offers you and your loved ones top-notch privacy protection. The GPS tracking algorithm verifies actual coordinates every 5 min. We save no location data except the last record.
5. Global Coverage
Globally supported personal safety apps should be your choice on any occasion. Even if you can’t provide an instant personal emergency response on-site, the other helpers can. Therefore, we recommend you read our guide explaining who should be on your emergency contact list.
6. See Whether It’s Worth Its Cost
Personal safety apps cost much less than most wearable products or medical alert systems. Once again, you should look into the app’s functionality and premium features to decide whether they’re worthwhile.
Pro Tip:
You’re not supposed to limit yourself or your loved one to using a single personal safety app at a time. People can immensely benefit from specific car accident reporting apps or SAMHSA disaster apps. These are great in case you wish to advance disaster preparedness.
