Seniors who live alone, suffer from illness, or have limited mobility can gain a little more security in their home with a personal emergency response system. Whether you're lost, locked out, have fallen out of bed, or are experiencing a medical emergency, a home emergency button allows you to raise the alarm.

Whether you end up at a call center or are connected to a relative depends on which home emergency call system you choose. Among other options, there are professional providers where you can add numerous extra services such as an on-call service or key storage. Many seniors, however, opt for a private home emergency call system and purchase their own mobile emergency call solution.

Both options come at a price, of course. Here, we explain how the costs of a home emergency call system are calculated and where savings can be made. One affordable option, for example, is the One Button Phone.

How much does a home emergency call system cost?

A home emergency call system can be implemented in various ways. We will present two common options. For example, you can opt for a professional home emergency call service from a provider of your choice. This service is often offered by humanitarian aid organizations. Of course, a home emergency call system is not free. You will have to pay a monthly fee and possibly also a connection fee.

The other option is a senior-friendly smartwatch with an emergency call button. This is a private solution. You purchase a smartwatch suitable for seniors – we'll discuss the key features later – and use it to call your private emergency contacts in a dangerous situation or to be connected directly to 112 (the European emergency number). In this case, you will need to cover the purchase price of the device and pay monthly mobile network fees. There are no other costs for you!

We will first inform you about both options and their individual features, and then compare the monthly, one-off and possible additional costs so that you get a better overview and can hopefully make an informed decision.

Option 1: Home emergency call service

For seniors who want to continue living at home but are afraid of falls or medical emergencies, a home emergency call service seems like the perfect choice at first glance. It allows them to stay in their familiar surroundings longer and can delay or even completely prevent a move to a care facility. The system works as follows:

• You choose a provider of a home emergency call service that is active in your region.
• You sign a contract with them and the emergency call devices are provided by the supplier. You may have to pay a connection fee.
• You will typically receive a base station and a mobile emergency call device that you wear at all times. This allows you to call for help from anywhere in your home.
• Thanks to a clearly visible and large emergency call button, it is not at all difficult to alert the 24-hour telephone service.
• The employee on the phone will listen to your problem. They will then either contact a pre-arranged person to check on things, or they will send the on-call service. This depends somewhat on whether you have subscribed to the on-call service.

If you opt for a smartwatch like the One Button Phone, you won't have access to a 24-hour emergency service, but you'll often avoid the middleman. Especially for minor issues, the staff at the home emergency call center will usually just call one of your relatives anyway. With the One Button Phone, you can do this yourself, simply by pressing an emergency button, just like with a home emergency call service. It's really that easy!

The services included in the basic tariff

The services offered may vary depending on the provider. However, the basic plan for a home emergency call service typically includes the following:

• Provision of the necessary equipment (often a base unit and a mobile device)
• Installation of the equipment and instruction on its operation
• Emergency calls are accepted by pressing the emergency call button.
• Telephone support and communication with relatives, the care service or the emergency service

Many providers charge a monthly base price of €25.50 for these basic services. Additional services can quickly increase the cost of a home emergency call system, often doubling or tripling it.

Additional services for the home emergency call service

The basic services offered by most home emergency call providers are very limited. If you want more security, you will likely have to choose one of the more expensive packages. Many providers offer three packages with varying levels of service. These may include the following services.

Key deposit

Many people become forgetful as they age, so it's not uncommon to find themselves locked out. Calling a locksmith every time would be quite expensive. That's why many home emergency call providers offer key storage for an additional fee. However, if you use a smartwatch like the One Button Phone instead, you can simply leave your key with a relative free of charge.

On-call duty

With the basic plan, pressing the emergency button will connect you to a staff member, but you won't receive on-site assistance. The staff member will either help you over the phone or inform a family member. Sometimes they will also call the emergency services. You can optionally add an on-call service. This will provide assistance at your home. However, this significantly increases the cost of the home emergency call service. Often, you'll have to pay double or even more compared to the basic plan!

Motion detection

Modern wireless sensors can detect whether and how much you're moving. If you're suspiciously inactive, you'll be contacted or someone will be sent to check on you. However, this service is usually not included in the basic package and therefore almost always costs extra. With the One Button Phone, you don't have to pay separately for activity monitoring, as location tracking and a pedometer are included. Your family members can track your location via the family app and also see how many steps you've taken each day. This way, they can quickly notice if something is wrong and reach you by phone via the One Button Phone – even if you're out of the house!

Activity control button

A button on the phone allows you to check in daily with the staff of your home emergency call provider. This confirms that everything is alright and you are doing well. However, this service is usually charged separately, increasing your overall home emergency call costs. With the One Button Phone, you can get this service for less! Simply agree on a specific time each day by which you must contact a relative. If you happen to forget, they don't have to call emergency services immediately; they can try calling you first. Finally, you can also receive calls on the One Button Phone.

What speaks against a home emergency call system

A home emergency call service isn't the right choice in every situation. Here are some of the disadvantages of this option:

• Many home emergency call providers have good coverage and can offer their services in numerous areas. However, there are always regions where service is limited and you may not be able to use any or all of the services. A smartwatch with an emergency button, such as the One Button Phone, on the other hand, works wherever there is a mobile network.
• If you opt for a home emergency call service, you have to make monthly payments – regardless of whether you press the emergency button or not. You're essentially paying in advance. Since many pensioners have very tight monthly budgets, this can become a significant financial burden in the long run. In comparison, the costs for the One Button Phone are very manageable. You only have to pay your mobile phone plan monthly.
• In certain situations, you might not be able to make an emergency call because you're panicking, hyperventilating, or unconscious. Sometimes a fall detection feature can help. However, this is often not included in the basic package of home emergency call providers and must be added as an expensive extra. The One Button Phone, on the other hand, has an integrated fall sensor. This is already included in the price!

Option 2: Senior smartwatch with emergency call button

You don't necessarily have to choose a professional home emergency call service. You can also get a smartwatch with an emergency button. You don't need to be tech-savvy for this, as there are now many smartwatches perfectly tailored to the needs of seniors.

It's enough to know that smartwatches are small computers you can wear on your wrist, and they offer more than just the time; they also provide additional functions. For a smartwatch designed for seniors, emergency features such as an SOS button, a fall sensor, and a GPS module for location tracking are particularly important.

Furthermore, smartwatches for seniors are particularly intuitive to use. They have large displays with easy-to-read numbers and a reduced range of functions. The One Button Phone, for example, impresses with its ingenious one-button control!

The advantage of this option is that everything remains private. You don't have to call an impersonal emergency hotline; you can contact a relative directly. This is because senior-friendly smartwatches typically allow you to set up your own emergency contacts. At least, that's the case with the One Button Phone!

Another argument in favor of this solution is often the significantly lower financial burden. As we mentioned above, the costs for a home emergency call system with a professional provider can quickly become very high.

Selection criteria for a good smartwatch for seniors

Not every smartwatch is equally suitable as a replacement for a home emergency call system. However, the following criteria should help you find a model that meets your needs:

To ensure you can use the device comfortably in everyday life and don't constantly need to ask for help, the smartwatch should offer intuitive operation. This applies to both the menu navigation and the control method.

Furthermore, your smartwatch absolutely needs an emergency button. This way, you don't have to think about it for long; you can call your emergency contact with just one press. If you don't want a conspicuous red button, we recommend the One Button Phone. Its emergency button is wonderfully discreet yet still easy to find.

Additional features such as a pedometer , location tracking, or vital sign monitoring are also compelling reasons to choose a smartwatch. The One Button Phone comes equipped with all these extras and even includes an alarm clock function.

A long battery life is also a plus. After all, the device should provide you with extra security throughout the day. The One Button Phone's battery lasts up to four days. Of course, if you frequently use location tracking or make a lot of calls, it will drain a bit faster. But you should generally be able to get through the day with it.

Smartwatches for seniors are not so easily lost.

You might be wondering why you shouldn't just get a smartphone. After all, there are also simplified versions for seniors. Some even have a dedicated emergency button.

However, you don't carry your smartphone directly on your body, so it can easily happen that you don't have it handy. And often, accidents happen precisely in these situations! A smartwatch, on the other hand, is worn on your wrist, so you can't just leave it lying on the kitchen table or on the shoe rack in the hallway.

Thanks to its fall detection feature, the One Button Phone even notices when you fall and then automatically places an emergency call. Of course, this requires that you are wearing your personal emergency response system !

Monthly costs in comparison

The monthly cost of a senior-friendly smartwatch with an emergency button is limited to mobile phone charges. This is true at least if no additional subscriptions are required. Be careful! Some devices require you to pay extra service fees for using certain features.

However, this isn't the case with the One Button Phone. With this device, you only pay for mobile data usage. It's worth comparing tariffs here, as some providers charge only €2.99 per month, while others charge €4.99. Neither amount is very much, but it can certainly add up over time.

Furthermore, you can of course switch providers at any time if you find a cheaper plan or a special offer. However, the smartwatch must be SIM-lock free for this. This means you're not tied to a specific provider and can choose your own. While the One Button Phone comes with a Vodafone SIM card, it can be equipped with a SIM card from another provider at any time. So you have complete freedom of choice!

With a home emergency call service, you should generally expect to pay at least €25.50 per month. The costs are significantly higher if you use an on-call service or other additional features. In those cases, you're more likely to pay between €50 and €90 per month. This, of course, depends on the service package you choose. Prices for the more expensive packages vary slightly from provider to provider, so it's worth comparing offers. However, the basic package usually costs the same across all providers.

In conclusion, the monthly costs for both options are in this range:

• Smartwatch: A basic mobile phone plan costs around €2.99, and there may be additional charges for special features (the One Button Phone does not have such additional charges!).
• Home emergency call service: You pay at least 25.50 euros for the basic tariff and up to 90 euros for additional services.

As you can see, there's a noticeable difference right from the first month. Over time, this can add up considerably. For example, the basic home emergency call service alone costs €3,060 over a certain period. Mobile phone charges, on the other hand, amount to only €358.80 over the same period.

Connection fee for the home emergency call service

Some providers charge a one-time connection fee for the provision and installation of the devices. This fee is payable only once and can be, for example, €30. It is therefore not a large expense, but should be taken into account when deciding on a home emergency call system.

Purchase costs for the senior citizen smartwatch

While home emergency call services provide the devices, you have to pay for a senior-friendly smartwatch yourself. However, you then own the device and can keep it as long as you like. Prices naturally vary depending on the manufacturer. Don't try to save money here; instead, make sure the model meets all your needs. If you plan to use the smartwatch for a long time, the initial purchase price becomes much less significant.

The One Button Phone currently costs €299.00. For this price, you get a senior-friendly device with all the essential features, such as an SOS button, location tracking, fall detection, vital signs monitoring, a pedometer, and an alarm clock. If €299.00 is too much for you, you can purchase a returned or refurbished model . We thoroughly inspect these devices and then resell them. This is not only sustainable but also very affordable!

Total costs

Here we will discuss the costs of a home emergency call system without a care level classification. Ultimately, an emergency button is recommended for seniors of a certain age, regardless of whether they have a care level classification.

They simply have a greater risk of developing a medical emergency. Furthermore, seniors fall significantly more often than younger people. It is estimated that around 30 percent of people over 65 who still live at home fall at least once a year. For those over 40, this figure rises to 40 percent.

As an example, we compare the costs of a home emergency call system and a one-button phone over a period of ten years. This makes the two options more comparable.

Total costs for the home emergency call service

The cost of a home emergency call service consists of monthly fees and a connection fee. It could look something like this:

• Basic rate: 25.50 euros per month
• Connection fee: one-time fee of 30 euros

Over ten years, the entire package, including the connection fee, would cost you €3,090. If we assume you opt for a more expensive plan with a €90 monthly fee, you would pay €10,830 over ten years.

Tip: If you have a care level rating, you should find out which costs can be covered. Generally, the long-term care insurance fund covers a portion of the monthly costs of a home emergency call service. It pays up to €25.50 per month. However, all additional costs are not covered by the home emergency call service reimbursement and must still be borne by you – and these can be substantial!

Total cost for the One Button Phone

With a one-button phone, you need to consider the purchase price and mobile network charges. The cost structure is therefore as follows:

• Mobile phone plan: €2.99 per month
• Purchase price: 299 euros

Over a ten-year period, your total costs would amount to €657.80. Of course, you might need or want to buy a new device at some point. So, assuming you purchase a new One Button Phone after five years, your total costs would be €956.80. Even then, the total costs would still be lower than those of a home emergency call service provider.

What are the advantages of a one-button phone?

We believe that simply comparing the costs of a home emergency call system is a compelling argument for the One Button Phone. Its consistently low price can save you money in the long run. At the same time, you benefit from its many additional features and its discreet yet practical design.

Mobile deployment capability

The One Button Phone isn't just for home use. Since you wear it on your wrist anyway, you can take it everywhere and call for help from anywhere! Thanks to its own SIM card, the device also works outside your home. So, whether you're enjoying a leisurely afternoon stroll, doing your morning shopping, or on a family outing, you can always have peace of mind and always have the option of pressing the emergency button. The emergency button on the One Button Phone is so discreet that strangers won't even notice it. So you don't have to worry about any unwanted stigma.

Family App

With the One Button Phone, you can also give your loved ones peace of mind, knowing they can call for help in an emergency. Additionally, there's a family app that allows your caregivers to, for example, check your location and monitor your activity. Even your vital signs can be tracked. The app is currently free, so there are no additional costs associated with your home emergency call system.

Free choice of mobile network provider

To ensure you can use your One Button Phone immediately, we include a Vodafone SIM card. However, you don't have to use it! You are welcome to choose a different provider, which gives you the opportunity to find the best deal and switch between providers as needed.

You're not tied to a specific provider; you decide for yourself who you give your money to. This is also convenient if you don't live right in the city center. In rural areas, network coverage can sometimes be less than perfect. In that case, be sure to choose a provider that uses a network available in your area.