Seniors living alone can quickly find themselves in life-threatening situations. A devastating fall, a heart attack, or a stroke requires immediate medical attention. Therefore, it's crucial that seniors can call for help quickly. A smartwatch with an emergency call function is a good option. It's always worn and thus readily accessible.

However, not all smartwatches are suitable for seniors. Those who are not tech-savvy, have no experience with smartphones, and perhaps already suffer from Parkinson's or dementia often struggle with these newfangled devices. If this applies to you or a loved one, you shouldn't dismiss the idea outright. A specially designed smartwatch with simplified operation can still provide a mobile emergency call solution for home and on the go.

Be sure to check out the One Button Phone. It offers an SOS emergency call function and is also accessible to older users. Learn more here and find out how to make an emergency call using your smartwatch.

What is a smartwatch?

A smartwatch is like a tiny computer that you can easily wear on your wrist due to its compact size. It offers similar functions to a smartphone, meaning it can be used for making calls and sending messages.

Modern models offer many additional functions, some of which are quite useful, while others are rather unnecessary for a senior's everyday life. Pulse and blood pressure monitoring, offered by many manufacturers, are practical. However, whether it's absolutely necessary to be able to listen to music or make contactless payments with an emergency call smartwatch is another question entirely.

This article will focus specifically on the emergency call function of smartwatches. Since you can make phone calls with these small devices, they are also suitable for making emergency calls. How easy or complicated this is depends on the specific model.

There are also smartwatches designed for an older demographic, where the emergency call function is particularly intuitive to use. This is the case, for example, with our One Button Phone. This alarm bracelet meets the needs of seniors and impresses above all with its significantly simpler operation!

How to dial emergency services using a smartwatch

To make an emergency call with a smartwatch, the device must be equipped with a SIM card. The smartwatch must also have a mobile network connection and a sufficiently charged battery. The method for making an emergency call varies depending on the model.

• You can usually make an emergency call by pressing and holding a button on your smartwatch multiple times. Refer to your user manual for instructions on how to do this on your specific device.
• On some devices, a menu with several emergency functions will then open, from which you must select the emergency call and then make it using a slider.
• The emergency call function is not activated by default on many smartwatches. You will need to activate it either on the device itself or using the corresponding app on your smartphone.

Sounds complicated? It is! That's why we offer the One Button Phone, which lets you make an emergency call with just one press of a button. Simply press and hold the prominent button on the front of the smartwatch for a few seconds, and your first emergency contact will be called. Setup is done in advance via the family app on a smartphone, but can also be done by a trusted person in your life, so you don't have to worry about it.

Predefine emergency contacts

Regardless of whether you choose a classic smartwatch or a user-friendly model for seniors, you need to decide who should be contacted in an emergency. This could be one of your children, a grandchild, or a close friend. The person should be trustworthy and ideally live nearby so they can be there quickly if needed.

Providing 112 as your emergency contact is only conditionally useful, although it can be an option in serious health situations. However, if you want to contact someone quickly and easily for minor problems like misplacing your keys, it's better to first reach someone from your social circle when making an emergency call.

Carefully consider who you designate as your emergency contact and discuss this thoroughly with the individuals involved. If you use the One Button Phone as a smartwatch with emergency call functionality, your emergency contacts can install the family app on their smartphones and view your location and vital signs, which can provide an additional sense of security for everyone involved.

When making an emergency call, initiate a call cascade.

Many smartwatch models allow you to set up multiple emergency contacts. With the One Button Phone, you can specify three people directly. As soon as you press the emergency call button, these contacts will be called sequentially. If the first contact doesn't answer, the system simply calls the second and then the third. This has a crucial advantage: you have three times the chance of reaching someone. Especially at night, it's easy for an emergency call to go unheard. Take advantage of this feature and set up multiple emergency contacts!

This is how an emergency call via smartwatch works

Once you've made an emergency call and your emergency contact answers, you can usually talk to them using a hands-free device. This is the case, at least, with devices that have their own SIM card. Smartwatches without their own SIM card always require a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone and don't always have a hands-free function, meaning you need two devices. The One Button Phone, of course, can be equipped with its own SIM card and has a hands-free function, allowing you to make an emergency call hands-free.

Fall detection for automatic emergency call

Depending on why you need to make an emergency call, you might not be able to press any buttons at all. If you're lying unconscious on the ground, even the large, easily accessible button on a one-button phone won't help. For this situation, some models have a fall detection feature.

Our One Button Phone, for example, is equipped with a sensor that detects vibrations and automatically initiates an emergency call cascade. So, if you trip and fall awkwardly, suddenly feel unwell, or lose consciousness due to a heart attack, your emergency contacts will still be notified. All you have to do is wear the watch on your wrist.

Devices without fall detection are unsuitable for seniors, since as you get older you always have to expect that you might fall and injure yourself so badly that you can no longer call for help yourself. You should definitely not do without this feature – and with the One Button Phone, you don't have to!

The advantages of a smartwatch with emergency call function

Of course, you can make an emergency call using more than just a smartwatch. There are many other options, such as using a smartphone or a landline. Some seniors also use a home emergency call service with on-call availability. However, smartwatches offer several advantages, which we have summarized for you here.

1. Always within easy reach

While a landline phone is usually kept in its base station and a smartphone can easily be misplaced, you always wear a smartwatch on your wrist. So, in a medical emergency or other problem, you don't have to run through the whole house looking for your phone.

Even when you're out shopping or taking a walk, you automatically have your smartwatch with you. This means you don't always have to remember to take your smartphone or mobile phone with you – you don't even need to buy a mobile phone! The smartwatch fulfills this function perfectly. This is certainly true for models with their own SIM card, like our One Button Phone.

The smartwatch has another positive side effect: other people can also call you. So if your grandchildren want to chat with you again, you can simply reach them via the watch on your wrist.

2. Increased sense of security

Do you live alone at home and perhaps already have limited mobility? Maybe you have a chronic illness, a heart condition, or dementia. If something happens, it's essential that you can quickly call for help. With a smartwatch on your wrist, you can do this anytime. Even better are models with fall detection.

This can significantly increase your sense of security in your own home and allow you to remain in your familiar surroundings for longer. Your loved ones will thank you, too. You can worry a little less, knowing that you can quickly alert them in an emergency – even if you're forgetful. After all, it's difficult to misplace a smartwatch if you consistently wear it.

Even if you still feel perfectly fit but are getting on in years, a smartwatch with an emergency call function can be a worthwhile investment. You'll simply have less to worry about when and how quickly you can call for help. Get yourself a smartwatch with an emergency call function now and familiarize yourself with its features. You can even try the One Button Phone for 30 days with a money-back guarantee. So, ordering online doesn't commit you to anything right away!

3. Cost-effective solution

A smartwatch with an emergency call function can be a cost-effective solution for a private home emergency call system . While prices vary considerably, you can find a decent device for under €300. There's no need to spend more than €500 on an overpriced smartwatch. Instead, opt for a robust model that can withstand a lot and is equipped with the most important functions for your needs. With the One Button Phone, we've selected these features specifically for the everyday requirements of seniors.

Compared to other emergency call solutions, such as home emergency call services, you'll save a significant amount of money. Each provider charges monthly fees for their services, which can range from just €25 to over €60. If you pay only €25 per month over three years, that would amount to €900. Over ten years, it would be as much as €3,000. You could save that money and invest it in other enjoyable things, like a vacation or spending time with your grandchildren.

4. Mobile use

Just like a smartphone or a mobile phone, you can take a smartwatch with an emergency call function everywhere, except you don't have to fumble for it in your pocket. The smartwatch on your wrist accompanies you everywhere and can also be very useful on vacation. If you're in unfamiliar surroundings and suddenly feel unwell, you simply reach for your watch and call for help.

5. Additional functions

With the right smartwatch, you can not only make an emergency call at any time, but these devices also offer many other functions that can make your everyday life in retirement easier. We've already mentioned the fall detection feature of our One Button Phone. Vital signs monitoring, GPS tracking, and an alarm clock function are also practical. When choosing the right smartwatch with an emergency call function, pay attention to the integrated features and carefully consider which ones might be relevant to you.

Smartwatches are only suitable for seniors to a limited extent.

We've now shown you the advantages of a smartwatch with an emergency call function and why this emergency call solution can be an excellent choice for seniors. However, there's a catch: smartwatches aren't always accessible to older people. They have too many functions, are difficult to use, and constantly need recharging.

We don't want to generalize about all older people. Everyone is different, and there are certainly tech-savvy seniors! Nevertheless, we would like to draw your attention to a few points before you decide on a smartwatch. This doesn't mean you have to forgo this emergency call solution entirely. You can opt for a senior-friendly smartwatch like our One Button Phone instead.

Complicated operation and setup

Smartwatches have small screens with even smaller text. Operation is often complicated and involves pressing physical buttons, using the touchscreen, and moving your wrist. Anyone with fine motor skill difficulties or poor eyesight will quickly reach their limits. Setup usually requires a smartphone on which you install the corresponding app. This means you have to deal with two devices and invest some time to understand how everything works.

Not so with the One Button Phone: While setup also requires an app, one of your family members can easily install it on their smartphone and then complete the setup for you. Once that's done, you can use the One Button Phone without a smartphone. So you don't need to buy another device to benefit from the many advantages of a smartwatch with emergency call functionality. Furthermore, the controls are limited to a single, clearly visible button. With this button, you can control the One Button Phone and also make emergency calls.

Overwhelm due to too many functions

Some smartwatches are absolutely packed with features. With these devices, you can read messages, measure water depth while diving, track your menstrual cycle, or perform mindfulness exercises. Whether you need all these extras is debatable. Cycle tracking apps are generally unnecessary for seniors, and it's likely that very few of you will be scuba diving.

Reading messages on a small smartwatch screen is also not ideal for older people. Furthermore, the many functions only complicate navigation, which is why a simpler smartwatch with fewer features might be the better choice.

With the One Button Phone, we have focused on the essentials and offer you an age-appropriate smartwatch with emergency call function that is wonderfully uncomplicated and yet can make your everyday life easier with its carefully selected features.

One Button Phone – the age-appropriate smartwatch with emergency call function

The One Button Phone is not your average smartwatch, but a device whose developers always kept the everyday lives of seniors in mind. The goal was to design an alarm wristband that offers all the essential functions, such as an emergency call and fall detection, while also being easy for older people to use. The result is impressive: the One Button Phone is a simple smartwatch that is perfectly suited for seniors for several reasons.

Selected and useful functions

Instead of equipping the device with as many functions as possible, we considered which ones seniors really need and limited ourselves to those:

• Telephone: If you're already wearing a device on your wrist that allows you to make emergency calls, you should also be able to make regular phone calls with it. With the One Button Phone, you can schedule doctor's appointments, arrange to meet up with friends and family, or simply have a friendly chat. In addition to the three emergency contacts, you can enter ten more numbers into the phonebook.
• SOS emergency call function: As mentioned previously, the One Button Phone has an emergency call function that can be helpful in medical emergencies, but also in other stressful or dangerous everyday situations. For example, if you get lost and don't know how to get home, you can contact your emergency contact at the touch of a button.
• Fall detection: Older people are more prone to falls. They are more likely to suffer from illnesses that carry a high risk of falls. Furthermore, motor skills often decline with age.
• GPS tracking function: People with dementia often have a strong urge to move around, but are also easily disoriented. A GPS tracking function can increase their safety and reassure their relatives.
• Vital signs monitoring: High blood pressure and heart disease also increase with age. It's simply convenient to be able to monitor your blood pressure and pulse at any time. Of course, you should still see your doctor!
• Pedometer: Do you want to stay fit and healthy? With the integrated pedometer in the One Button Phone, you can better motivate yourself to move more and achieve your self-set goals.
• Time: It wouldn't be a proper clock if it didn't tell the time. That's why the One Button Phone naturally includes this function. It also features an alarm clock to remind you of important events or ensure you get up on time in the morning and maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.

Easy to use in everyday life

We've already discussed the ease of use of the One Button Phone. It's also very easy to handle in general, as the device is very robust and therefore rarely needs to be put down.

Furthermore, it offers a high level of wearing comfort and can be conveniently charged via a charging station or simply with a standard charging cable. Of course, you can purchase compatible chargers separately from us. This allows you to place a charging station in different rooms.

Another advantage for seniors is the long battery life. Theoretically, the battery lasts up to four days! So you don't have to constantly worry about charging and can even wear the watch at night if you wish. This is particularly beneficial if you tend to fall out of bed or are afraid of falling while getting up to use the bathroom at night.

This is how the emergency call works with the One Button Phone

Finally, we would like to explain in detail how the emergency call works with the One Button Phone:

• The emergency call button is clearly visible on the display of the One Button Phone. It is located in the lower third and stands out clearly from the rest of the device due to its blue color.
• In an emergency, press and hold the button for a moment. The device will then automatically initiate an emergency call.
• The device dials the first emergency contact. When they answer, a voice connection is established and you can speak to them via the hands-free system.
• Furthermore, your location will be transmitted to your emergency contact. Even if you are unable to speak or are lost, the person being called will know your current location. However, it should be noted that GPS tracking often does not work indoors. Outdoors, however, it is very useful.

Don't hesitate to call emergency services, even if you're unsure whether it's a genuine emergency. In certain medical situations, every second counts. In the case of a stroke, the chances of survival increase dramatically if you receive timely treatment. The One Button Phone can truly be a lifesaver! Experience the senior-friendly features of this compact device for yourself and have your preferred model conveniently delivered to your home.