Best Medical Alert Systems Worn as Watches

Medical Guardian’s MGMove looks a lot like Samsung’s Galaxy smart watch, featuring a rounded face that’s 1.25 inches in diameter. This means it’s not too bulky, but not so small that it would be difficult to use. Active seniors will appreciate its sporty look, and caregivers will love the safety features it provides. It’s a little on the pricey side at $199.95, but you can read more about that in our full review of the Medical Guardian MGMove.

The MGMove offers the safety features that we have come to expect in quality on-the-go medical alert systems. This includes 24/7 access to a TMA Five Diamond monitoring center, two-way talk with a monitoring center agent, GPS location detection, and caregiver location tracking through the My Guardian portal or app. It has a 24-hour battery life, which is typical for most medical alert watches.

You can also enjoy additional smart watch features, like a weather app and step tracker, which are included in the $39.95 monthly monitoring fee. In addition, there are a couple of apps called Social Circle designed specifically for adult users.

The first app is the Reminders App, which is where you can set up reminders for medications, medical appointments, and other events. The second app is a messaging app for real-time communication with caregivers and immediate family contacts either through text or voice chat. These apps come in handy for on-the-go adults.

The WellBe Smartwatch by HandsFree Health is one of the best smartwatches on the market for seniors. It is a versatile medical alert smartwatch that offers exceptional day-to-day support.

We also like that the WellBe smartwatch is fashion-forward and discreet for a medical alert smartwatch. The design is reminiscent of the Apple Watch with its rounded rectangular face and curved edges. Still, it is functional and easy to use, thanks largely to the 1.82-inch display.

In addition to connecting your loved one with a TMA Five Diamond Certified Monitoring Center, WellBE Smartwatches offer several easy-to-used safety features like two-way talk, GPS location detection, and a pedometer. These are pretty common features we see in a lot of medical alert smartwatches, but there are also two stand-out features: a heart rate monitor, as well as a curated health database. It also offers in-app medication and appointment reminders as well as caregiver notifications.

At $119.95, it’s almost half the price of the MGMove, but we can understand why it might not be in the budget for everyone. We will say, though, that when you take into consideration just how advanced this smart watch is, you’ll understand the price tag.

You’ll also save on your monthly monitoring fee, too. At just $29.95, it’s about $10 less than the industry average. It might take a little investment on the front end, but for our money, the WellBe Smartwatch is a great investment.

The Lively Wearable offers a simple way for seniors to stay safe while on the go. This emergency alert button can be worn as a watch. After downloading the Lively App, the Lively Wearable works with the Lively Jitterbug Smart3 or with your own smartphone, which becomes like a mobile medical alert device, connecting you to the monitoring center whenever you need it.

The Lively Wearable features a sleek, discreet design, and it never requires any charging. The extended battery life lasts a whopping four months, and a replacement battery is included, a reason Lively was named one of our best medical alert devices overall.

The Lively Wearable also has a built-in step tracker and can provide the user with daily health tips as well as location detection and alerts that will be sent to a loved one once the emergency help button is pressed.

The Lively Wearable also includes a step tracker and daily health tips. The Lively Link App (as opposed to the Lively App) offers caregiver benefits (if you choose the middle or higher tier pricing package explained below) including location detection and alerts sent after a loved one has pressed the emergency help button.

The Lively Wearable also comes with automatic fall detection — sort of. As we mentioned earlier, fall detection works best when the device is worn around the neck rather than on the wrist. To accommodate this, the Lively Wearable comes with a lanyard to which it can be attached.

You are required to purchase the equipment, which is just $49.95, making it one of the more affordable medical alert watches on the market. To cover monthly monitoring, Lively offers a tiered pricing system. The Basic Package, which covers monthly monitoring only, costs $24.95 per month, a competitive rate for on-the-go systems. The Preferred Package costs $29.95 and covers monthly monitoring, the telehealth service, and the Lively Link App, which provides extra services to caregivers. The Ultimate Package includes everything in the Preferred Package plus fall detection. It costs $39.95 per month. Finally, take note that Lively charges a $35 activation fee.

Learn more about the costs associated with Lively systems on our full Lively medical alert pricing page.

The Apple Watch remains one of the best on the market today, and that’s particularly true for seniors. And, since it doesn’t have the stigma of being a piece of medical equipment, it’s easy to get even your most stubborn loved ones to wear it. They’re also compatible with a ton of smart home and security systems, which can help if you’re taking care of an elderly parent at your place.

Although not designed specifically as a medical alert device, the Apple Watch can be used as one. The emergency SOS Alert feature on the Apple Watch allows seniors to connect with the press of a button to family members, caregivers, or emergency responders in case of an emergency. Emergency SOS can also send your current location to emergency responders. In addition, the Apple Watch has a heart monitor and sends both high and low heart rate notifications.

The watch also offers fall detection which needs to be enabled by the user. If the watch detects a fall followed by no movement, you will receive an alert. If you don’t respond, Apple Watch will tap your wrist, sound an alarm, and call emergency services.

It’s also waterproof, which is a major plus (for more on waterproof devices, read our review of the Best Waterproof Medical Alert Systems) and it can also monitor for blood oxygen levels as well as irregular heartbeats. It also offers features no other device on this list can boast — it can call, text, and search the internet. Another benefit if the person you’re helping care for is tech savvy.

One area where the Apple Watch falls short is battery life. While most dedicated medical devices have batteries that last 24 hours or more, the Apple watch only lasts 18 hours. This means whoever is wearing it will be unprotected while it’s charging, and could experience a medical emergency during that time.

Another drawback is the cost. The most recent version of the Apple Watch — the Ultra — costs  $800. Older iterations are available, though, mostly from third-party retailers. If you don’t need the latest and the greatest, you can pick one up for around $200.