I’ve had an Apple Watch since the first iteration and when the fall technology came out I purchased a new one. Now I wear one 24/7 - I have two and wear one during the day while the other is charging. Do I have a fall problem? No. Does the watch keep me from falling? No. What it does is give me is confidence to continue living my life without self-limiting decisions.
After I fell and broke my hip while I was alone in the house, my kids got me an Apple Watch and I wear it every day. I find that it needs charging overnight otherwise it runs out the next morning. The first time I tried to sleep with it on it buzzed me in the middle of the night saying it was time to stand up. Not very smart if it doesn’t know I’m probably asleep at 2 am!
It asked if I was ok when I was breaking small branches, but in Jan when I slipped on ice on the driveway it didn’t catch it. Fortunately I slid over to bare concrete to get up and limped to my car (I was on a neighbor’s drive and they weren’t home.)
So hopefully I don’t fall during the night while it’s on the charger. I did practice calling and texting but the phone needs to be close for that. When showering I put the watch on the floor so if I fall maybe I can use it to call someone. (It’s not waterproof.)
I started wearing one a few years ago when several friends had serious falls and no one knew for hours.
You described well the freedom wearing it has given me. I was logically restricting where and what I did before having the watch. I’m 77 years old and wanted to be proactive about keeping my independence.
It has given me some false alerts and missed registering one fall. But all is all , it’s been a great investment when paired with my iPhone.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I really appreciate your honest perspective, especially the part about freedom and staying proactive. That’s exactly what I hoped the article would speak to.
Superb coverage. I've seen this in action - a member of our bowling team fell on approaching his shot; his watch immediately signalled him, and he responded; he told us he didn't want an ambulance being sent unnecessarily. I'm 80, and my next smart watch will have that capacity.
A similar thing happened to myself about 6 weeks ago: had a dizzy spell in my kitchen while preparing supper, fell on the floor and was unable to get up.
My cell phone was in the bedroom and, as I live alone, there was no one else in the house. Nor did I expect anyone for days.
What saved me from perishing on my kitchen floor was my little Nokia 105 retro phone that I wear around my neck under clothing at all times. I call this phone “my 911 phone” and use it as a panic button in emergencies. No other calls, just emergencies. My friends know that, if they get a call from my 911 number, I am in some sort of trouble and they will rush to investigate.
This is what happened now. I speed dialled a friend on my 911 phone, they came quickly, found me on the floor, called paramedics and, thankfully, am by now back on my feet.
Needless to say, for those of us who cannot afford fitbits and other expensive gadgets, I recommend a Nokia 105 wholeheartedly. It is small, lightweight, simple to use and very inexpensive. And does not need to be charged frequently.
I’m 79, and this piece rings true. I wear an Apple Watch and an Oura Ring, and one of the first things my GP asks at every visit is whether I’ve fallen recently. That question used to feel intrusive, but now I understand why it matters. The real fear isn’t the fall — it’s being alone when it happens. What you wrote captures that perfectly. A watch isn’t a loss of independence. It’s what lets you keep living the way you want, with a little backup in the background so a bad moment doesn’t turn into something worse.
If anything, it’s a reminder to treat safety as support and keep independence front and center.
Get the watch! I had similar experience with my father- almost an hour on his back in the garden. I took a mix of meds that made me a little dizzy. Fell on the inclined walking path. The watch asked if I needed help. I got to say “no, thanks. I do not need emergency services” to it. But there will be a day when I do. (I am 69 and live alone. My kids worry. Why wouldn’t I provide some peace of mind?). Get the device. 😊
Personally, I try to stay away from ALL technology. “Smart” watches, earbuds, etc.-these are not good for a human body, and who knows where this information actually goes!
Perhaps an old fashioned “medical alert” device. Remember the old commercial: “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”😉
I understand, Renee. A traditional medical alert device can absolutely be the better fit for someone who doesn’t want a smartwatch.
The important thing is having some simple way to call for help, especially if you live alone or spend time alone.Whatever people will actually wear and use is the right place to start.
Definitely! From what I’ve read, Smart Watches and ear buds are dangerous to the human body, and they aren’t necessary. I’m thinking safety AND tracking😉. There are things that the “powers that shouldn’t be”, don’t need to know, just my 5 cents-inflation 😂…
That isn’t what I mean Bob. I’m speaking about tech that can track you. Apple Watches have been proven to be detrimental. I find them absolutely ridiculous.
Thank you for this post. While my husband wears an Apple Watch, this article prompted me to ask him if he knew how to make a call from it. Although he’s worn it for many years, I know he’s not tech savvy and, at almost 80, not as likely to explore a device’s functions, so I asked him if he knew how to make a voice call from it. Lo and behold he didn’t. 2 minutes later he did! We did a practice call and now I have peace of mind that he could call from his Apple Watch if he was in trouble and the fall function didn’t activate.
I guess this is also a reminder when someone gets one of these devices to review and practice the functions. I’m a former tech trainer and I’d just assumed he knew! Doh!
Oh for sure and that’s a great feature. However, there are other times that someone may need to make an emergency voice call and the fall detection isn’t activated. Knowing how to operate the features of your smart watch is important.
I’ve had an Apple Watch since the first iteration and when the fall technology came out I purchased a new one. Now I wear one 24/7 - I have two and wear one during the day while the other is charging. Do I have a fall problem? No. Does the watch keep me from falling? No. What it does is give me is confidence to continue living my life without self-limiting decisions.
That’s exactly it. It’s not about fear- it’s about feeling free to keep living your life with more confidence.
After I fell and broke my hip while I was alone in the house, my kids got me an Apple Watch and I wear it every day. I find that it needs charging overnight otherwise it runs out the next morning. The first time I tried to sleep with it on it buzzed me in the middle of the night saying it was time to stand up. Not very smart if it doesn’t know I’m probably asleep at 2 am!
It asked if I was ok when I was breaking small branches, but in Jan when I slipped on ice on the driveway it didn’t catch it. Fortunately I slid over to bare concrete to get up and limped to my car (I was on a neighbor’s drive and they weren’t home.)
So hopefully I don’t fall during the night while it’s on the charger. I did practice calling and texting but the phone needs to be close for that. When showering I put the watch on the floor so if I fall maybe I can use it to call someone. (It’s not waterproof.)
Oh Sandra, that sounds scary. And yes, this is exactly the tradeoff. Helpful, but far from perfect.
I’m glad you had a way to call/text, and I really hope they keep improving the fall detection. The charging issue is such a real downside.
I started wearing one a few years ago when several friends had serious falls and no one knew for hours.
You described well the freedom wearing it has given me. I was logically restricting where and what I did before having the watch. I’m 77 years old and wanted to be proactive about keeping my independence.
It has given me some false alerts and missed registering one fall. But all is all , it’s been a great investment when paired with my iPhone.
Your article is excellent. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I really appreciate your honest perspective, especially the part about freedom and staying proactive. That’s exactly what I hoped the article would speak to.
Superb coverage. I've seen this in action - a member of our bowling team fell on approaching his shot; his watch immediately signalled him, and he responded; he told us he didn't want an ambulance being sent unnecessarily. I'm 80, and my next smart watch will have that capacity.
Thank you, Betty. That’s such a good real-life example!
Thank you for this important post.
A similar thing happened to myself about 6 weeks ago: had a dizzy spell in my kitchen while preparing supper, fell on the floor and was unable to get up.
My cell phone was in the bedroom and, as I live alone, there was no one else in the house. Nor did I expect anyone for days.
What saved me from perishing on my kitchen floor was my little Nokia 105 retro phone that I wear around my neck under clothing at all times. I call this phone “my 911 phone” and use it as a panic button in emergencies. No other calls, just emergencies. My friends know that, if they get a call from my 911 number, I am in some sort of trouble and they will rush to investigate.
This is what happened now. I speed dialled a friend on my 911 phone, they came quickly, found me on the floor, called paramedics and, thankfully, am by now back on my feet.
Needless to say, for those of us who cannot afford fitbits and other expensive gadgets, I recommend a Nokia 105 wholeheartedly. It is small, lightweight, simple to use and very inexpensive. And does not need to be charged frequently.
Tuula, I’m so glad you’re okay. This is such an important point: the best emergency tool is the one you can actually keep with you and use easily.
Your Nokia setup sounds simple, practical, and very smart. Thank you for sharing it.
I’m 79, and this piece rings true. I wear an Apple Watch and an Oura Ring, and one of the first things my GP asks at every visit is whether I’ve fallen recently. That question used to feel intrusive, but now I understand why it matters. The real fear isn’t the fall — it’s being alone when it happens. What you wrote captures that perfectly. A watch isn’t a loss of independence. It’s what lets you keep living the way you want, with a little backup in the background so a bad moment doesn’t turn into something worse.
If anything, it’s a reminder to treat safety as support and keep independence front and center.
Thank you, Bob. I love how you put this: safety as support, with independence still front and center!
I read every word. I turned 81 today and I’m thinking about getting one of those watches. Thanks for a well written article.
Thank you, Robert. And happy birthday!
I’m so glad the piece was useful as you think it through. A watch like this can be a very practical bit of backup.
Get the watch! I had similar experience with my father- almost an hour on his back in the garden. I took a mix of meds that made me a little dizzy. Fell on the inclined walking path. The watch asked if I needed help. I got to say “no, thanks. I do not need emergency services” to it. But there will be a day when I do. (I am 69 and live alone. My kids worry. Why wouldn’t I provide some peace of mind?). Get the device. 😊
Personally, I try to stay away from ALL technology. “Smart” watches, earbuds, etc.-these are not good for a human body, and who knows where this information actually goes!
Perhaps an old fashioned “medical alert” device. Remember the old commercial: “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”😉
I understand, Renee. A traditional medical alert device can absolutely be the better fit for someone who doesn’t want a smartwatch.
The important thing is having some simple way to call for help, especially if you live alone or spend time alone.Whatever people will actually wear and use is the right place to start.
Definitely! From what I’ve read, Smart Watches and ear buds are dangerous to the human body, and they aren’t necessary. I’m thinking safety AND tracking😉. There are things that the “powers that shouldn’t be”, don’t need to know, just my 5 cents-inflation 😂…
You don't think an old fashioned 'medical alert device is 'technology'? How does the 'thing' on the other end know where you are when you have fallen?
That isn’t what I mean Bob. I’m speaking about tech that can track you. Apple Watches have been proven to be detrimental. I find them absolutely ridiculous.
If I could get rid of my cellphone I would.
Thank you for this post. While my husband wears an Apple Watch, this article prompted me to ask him if he knew how to make a call from it. Although he’s worn it for many years, I know he’s not tech savvy and, at almost 80, not as likely to explore a device’s functions, so I asked him if he knew how to make a voice call from it. Lo and behold he didn’t. 2 minutes later he did! We did a practice call and now I have peace of mind that he could call from his Apple Watch if he was in trouble and the fall function didn’t activate.
I guess this is also a reminder when someone gets one of these devices to review and practice the functions. I’m a former tech trainer and I’d just assumed he knew! Doh!
That’s such a good point. Thank you for sharing it!
Having the device is one thing, but knowing what to do with it in a stressful moment is another. A quick practice call is such a simple, useful step.
When you fall, the watch will automatically detect it, and it will automatically call 911.
Hi Bob,
Oh for sure and that’s a great feature. However, there are other times that someone may need to make an emergency voice call and the fall detection isn’t activated. Knowing how to operate the features of your smart watch is important.
Fantastic, articulate article!!!
Thank you!
Great article and glad your dad was ok and is wearing the watch! Cleaning the gutters? Sounds like my dear dad!!
Thank you, JoAnn. Yes, some dads really are determined to keep doing everything themselves 🙈 I’m very glad he’s okay.