Real-Life Stories: How Personal Alarms Have Helped After a Fall

If you’re an older person or you have elderly relatives, you’ve probably heard about personal alarms. Available in the form of a pendant or a smartwatch, these devices are designed to ensure that a person isn’t alone without help if an emergency happens.

They can do this in two main ways. One is a single-touch SOS button that calls for assistance with just one push. The other is fall detection, where the alarm senses a fall and raises the alarm even if the wearer is unconscious. Either way, the goal of a personal alarm is to get help to an older person fast, even when a phone is not within reach or the senior is too unwell to dial it.

But do personal alarms really make a difference? The answer is yes. To show you how, we’ve put together a collection of real-life stories from SureSafe customers who have used their personal alarms. We’ll explain the different situations that can mean a personal alarm is needed, and show how a personal alarm worked for each user.

Allowing an older person to remain independent

Experts on ageing agree that it’s important for an elderly person to remain living in their own home for as long as possible. 96% of older people prefer to be in their familiar, cosy environment of their own homes, and this independence can contribute a lot to good quality of life.

What’s great about today’s technology, including personal alarms, is that it can help keep seniors independent for longer. A personal alarm can ensure that an older person is safe in their home even though they’re alone, and this can help them avoid a move to a care home.

SureSafe customer, Phill, describes just this situation. He understood how important it was for his grandfather to remain in his home and be protected too:

“My grandfather is 100 years old and I wanted something simple that contacted me directly if he had a fall. This is the product that has saved him laying on the floor for hours, wondering if someone is coming! It just works, and it’s been super reliable for over 5 years now… Honestly one of the best purchases I have made to keep my grandfather safe in his own home.”

Phill’s grandfather’s personal alarm was there for him when he fell, ensuring he was helped up quickly. But that’s not all. His personal alarm helped him to remain independent for more than five years.

An emergency plan for seniors whose health is fragile

Our customers often choose to get a personal alarm after a senior has experienced a health crisis. They know that another emergency could happen and that they’ll need to get help fast if it does.

Moreover, seniors who are at risk of heart attacks or strokes may not be able to dial a phone if these conditions occur. But minutes matter with these types of emergencies, which makes timely assistance all the more important.

A personal alarm is designed for exactly this kind of situation. A one-touch SOS button or a fall detection function can immediately summon help for an elderly person who is too ill or incapacitated to make a phone call.

Chelsee describes how a personal alarm did this for her grandmother:

“Bought this for my nan who had just been released after having a stroke from hospital… Fast forward a year, my nan had another stroke. Unable to get off the floor, unable to speak or reach her mobile to contact us, she pressed the button. We arrived within minutes to find her unconscious. We rang for an ambulance and she had in fact had another severe stroke. This gives me peace of mind for any future incidents.”

Reducing the risks associated with falls

Another fact that’s well-known among experts in elderly care is that falls can be extremely dangerous for the elderly. It’s common for seniors to fracture their hips when they fall, and this injury can be difficult to recover from.

That being said, injuries from the impact of falling are not the only risk that comes with falls. The dangers become more severe when a person is lying on the floor for a long time, unable to get up. This is called a “long lie,” and it carries its own serious effects, potentially including hypothermia, dehydration, and long-lasting psychological difficulties.

Obviously, a personal alarm cannot prevent a fall. But it can prevent a “long lie” by getting aid to a senior quickly.

Many of our customers actually choose to get a personal alarm after one fall has occurred – potentially even a distressing “long lie.” It’s a very smart choice to get an alarm in this situation because an elderly person who has fallen once is likely to fall again.

Christine tells the story of her father’s two falls, including the rapid response and resolution to his second fall:

“We bought the alarm when my father stumbled and fell into the bath one night and was unable to get out himself… The automatic fall detection was brilliant. When he finally did fall and broke his arm, the ambulance crew was there in no time and called me to let me know what was happening… This alarm gave me so much peace of mind that my father was able to stay in his own home and that I could be sure he would not be lying injured without anyone finding him.”

Like Christine and Chelsee, our customers frequently speak of the peace of mind about falls that alarms give them, as well as the speedy help that their loved ones received after a fall. For example, Esther says:

“The alarm gave us peace of mind. When my Granny had a fall, she pressed her button and the call centre telephoned for an ambulance so that help was immediately on the way.”

Providing 24/7 help

We’ve already touched on a couple of issues with relying on phones to call for help in crises. Elderly people who fall may not be able to reach a phone from the floor, and seniors who are ill might not be able to go through the steps of dialling them.

But there is another potential problem. If a senior experiencing a health crisis did manage to use a phone to call a loved one, that family member might happen to be away from their phone. This is why SureSafe personal alarms can store up to five contacts, so that someone else gets called automatically if the first contact doesn’t answer.

SureSafe customers also have the option of having the alarm contact an expert response centre, which is available 24/7. That can be a big advantage if family members are worried about not being reachable in an emergency.

Will tells a story of how his father got help even when calling his primary contact didn’t work:

“My father (91) recently had a fall at home (he lives by himself) and he used the SureSafe button that he was wearing to call for help. They quickly contacted my sister-in-law but the phone line was bad and the connection could not be made. So SureSafe then called the local emergency services in my father’s area and two police officers came to get him back on his feet.”

Company and comfort in the worst of situations

In the stories we’ve shared so far, we’ve seen how personal alarms have brought aid fast to seniors in trouble, protecting them from potentially very harmful outcomes.

However, the value of a personal alarm goes beyond this. Another crucial aspect of a personal alarm is that it simply ensures an older person is not alone when the severest emergencies strike. Speedy help is not always enough to save a senior’s life, but having the comfort of friends and family makes all the difference in the world.

Mark shares the moving story of his grandmother’s personal alarm:

“I had got this product because my grandmother has a heart condition and had fallen before then wasn't found until the next morning… A week later she had a heart attack and had fallen down in the bathroom. We all got messages and calls and responded immediately, finding her on the floor. She was taken to hospital and when she saw me she held it up and said to me "it worked" and smiled at me, that memory alone will never leave me. Later that night, she had died in a hospital bed with her family alongside her instead of alone on the bathroom floor. This product was worth every penny… as we all got to say goodbye.”

A thank you to our customers

Finally, we want to say thank you to all of our customers who have shared their experiences on Trustpilot and reviews.io, where you can read lots more real-life stories. We hope that their thoughts will be helpful to you if you’re looking to learn more about personal alarms.

SureSafe’s protection for seniors

At SureSafe, we’re dedicated to making effective, easy-to-use personal alarms for the elderly. We take our mission seriously, which is why our highly reviewed alarms have been able to help so many seniors across the UK.

If you’d like to know more about how a personal alarm could help you or an older loved one, we’re here to help. Just call us at 0808 189 1671 or get in touch through live chat. You can also request a call back.