We were pleasantly surprised to see that a number of our clients received an Apple Watch for Christmas! 2018’s Apple Watch came with features that made it the perfect gift for some of our clients. In case you missed it, Apple announced in September that they were adding a fall detection feature to its wearable technology, making it a no-brainer for many older adults.
Because falls are a real risk for many older adults, many could benefit from wearing a medical alert device, but many do not wear them because they are bulky, ugly, and stigmatizing. As a result, many who would benefit from wearing one, do not.
Enter the world of smartwatches to help older adults and their family members who worry about falls to find some peace of mind without having to use one of those “ugly” pendant buttons.
The families of some of our clients did their research and invested in the Series 4 Apple Watch. Not only does it look sleek, it has a number of great features that our clients will benefit from:
Fall Detection: The watch will monitor for hard falls and then ask the wearer to check in. If the wearer doesn’t respond, 911 is called.
Electrical Heart Sensor: Provides ongoing monitoring of the wearer’s heart rate and will send notification when there is a low or fast heart rate.
Wrist Calling: The wearer can make or receive calls from his/her wrist. The watch can be connected to the wearer’s iPhone and to WiFi to make calls without holding the phone. The wearer can even use Siri to make calls and never have to push a button.
Easy Emergency Calling: There is a button on the side of the Apple Watch that just has to be pressed to call 911.
Reminders/Alarms: The watch can be programmed to give regular reminders to take medications, get some physical activity, check in with a loved one, etc.
Location Capability: Others can find the wearer (if authorized) through GPS tracking, providing reassurance to those that worry about their loved ones potentially wandering.
Larger Screen and Louder Speaker: This latest version of the Apple Watch has a screen that is 30% larger and 50% louder.
Shower-Ready: The watch is resistant up to 50 meters so can be worn all the time, even in the shower. (The only exception is when it needs charging, which it needs for about 2 hours every 30 hours.)
Hard to Lose: Since the watch is attached to the wearer’s body, it is hard to lose.
Many older people don’t want to wear medical alert buttons because of the stigma associated with them, but they could benefit from their use nonetheless. The latest Apple Watch will help them to get this benefit while wearing something that looks more appealing and offers additional functioning.
We are so excited for our clients that have new Apple Watches. Do you know any older adults that have recently started wearing Apple Watches? What have you heard? Please share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment on our Facebook Page.