Fall Detection Devices for the Elderly

A standard type of personal alarm for the elderly has a button that can be worn on the wrist or neck. When the person gets into any difficulty, they press the button and the alarm will call for help. This type of alarm requires the user to actively push the button and call for help. A fall alarm for the elderly offers a greater level of protection because sometimes the alarm user is not able to push the button. This could be because they have lost consciousness following a fall, or they have lost coordination following a stroke or a heart attack.

An elderly fall alarm is a pendant or watch worn on the neck or wrist. In addition to having a button that can be pressed if help is needed, the fall alarm for the elderly has sensors inside it that call for help when it detects a fall. This is without the person ever needing to push the button. This could be lifesaving if the alarm user has lost consciousness following a fall, or they have lost coordination following a stroke or a heart attack.

A fall detector alarm works by using special sensors in the pendant or wristband that can detect a person having a fall. Normal alarm pendants and wristbands work by the alarm user pushing the button to call for help. Fall detector alarms also have SOS buttons, so the user can manually call for help, however the inbuilt sensors that detect changes in air pressure, movement or impact can also call for help without the button needing to be pressed. This can be vital if the alarm user has fallen and lost consciousness as a result of the fall. The fall detector alarm does not require the person to be able to push the button in order to call for help.

Depending on the type of fall alarm that you have, you can either cancel it yourself by pressing a button on the pendant or covering your hand over the wristband face, or simply wait to speak to the operator and tell them that it is a false alarm.

SureSafe uses industry leading technology in its fall sensors. Its fall sensors work by being able to detect changes in air pressure (e.g. following a sudden drop), changes in speed of movement (e.g. following a sudden fall), and/or impact (e.g. when the pendant or wristband hits the floor following a fall). Some fall sensors use advanced fall algorithms that are even able to work out if a fall is real, or if someone has simply dropped their pendant.

Even if you have never had a fall, the statistics suggest that depending on your age your risk of one could be higher than you think. With one in three over 65’s, and one in two over 80’s, having a fall each year, there is a reasonably high chance that you should consider getting a personal fall alarm. The question you should probably ask yourself is why not have a personal fall alarm? Given that personal fall alarms are only slightly more expensive than regular alarms, but they offer so much more safety and peace of mind. Investing in a personal fall alarm is likely to be a sound decision.

Fall alert systems can detect a change in air pressure and movement, as well as an impact, which signifies a fall. An alert is immediately sent to either your family or other designated contact. You don’t have to press the SOS button. The alert will go through automatically.

If you are unconscious or unable to speak because you are injured there’s no need to worry about getting help. Once the fall alert system has felt your fall and sent out an alert, your nominated contacts will be able to help you.

If your family or designated contact are unable to speak to you then they can call the emergency services to make sure you get help immediately.

In the case of a fall, minutes matter. It only takes between 30 and 60 minutes for muscle cells to start breaking down. You might suffer from dehydration or hypothermia. The sad fact is that one in three people over the age of 65 and half of people over 80, will suffer from a fall each year.

Falls not only cause injury, but they can also mean a loss of confidence and a reluctance to get out of the house. The fall alert system also helps people who are living with medical conditions that might cause falls, such as epilepsy or Parkinson’s.

If you suffer a heart attack or stroke you might also fall and need help quickly.

Wearing a fall alert system will give you and your relatives peace of mind. You know by pressing the SOS button someone is on hand to get you the help you need.

While you can download apps onto your smartphone for fall detection, a smartphone does not typically come equipped with this feature. Additionally, these apps can be inaccurate if a smartphone is dropped. Additionally, if the smartphone is in your pocket when you fall, it is even less likely to accurately detect a fall.

A personal alarm with an automatic fall detection feature provides more peace of mind and accuracy should you or your loved one experience a fall. Additionally, all of SureSafe’s fall detection devices are water resistant and can be worn in the shower (the highest risk place of a fall). Your mobile phone cannot be taken in the shower with you.