Single-button alarms: Call button for elderly people

Many older people find some modern technology challenging to use, so a single button alarm is incredibly simple to use in order for the wearer to reach assistance. A single press of the large button will raise an alert, and put the alarm wearer in touch with the TakingCare team directly.

Depending on the specific alarm product, the team will communicate with the alarm wearer via the base unit or the worn device itself, to establish what has happened and what help should be arranged. The TakingCare team will contact those on the emergency contacts list, if required, and can call for emergency service assistance if it is needed.

Some of our call buttons for the elderly also include a built-in fall detector, which automatically raises an alert if it detects that the wearer has had a hard fall. Knowing that they will be able to reach help and their loved ones if anything unexpected happens, can give older people living independently a real boost in confidence to live their later life to the full.

An older adult that spends most of their time at home might be ideally suited to a personal panic button system that works when inside the property or in the garden or outdoor space. This kind of alarm system still has just a single button to operate, keeping things straightforward for the wearer.

If the elderly person spends time out and about, whether at the local shops, visiting friends in the community or going further afield, a single-button alarm that has built-in GPS functionality can be a great idea. This means that if an alert is raised, the location of the wearer is also sent, so that they can always be found, even if they aren’t sure where they are.

There are call alarms for the elderly that can be worn in a variety of ways, which can make it much easier for the older person to get used to wearing the device all of the time.

The most common way of wearing an alarm like this is as a pendant, around the neck. However, some people prefer to wear them on the wrist, like a watch, or even on the belt or on a key fob.

Making sure that you pick an elderly alarm button that can be worn in the way that best fits your lifestyle and preferences means that it’s not just easy to operate and raise an alert if something happens, it’s easy to wear every day too.

The battery life of different single-button alarms is partly dependent on the features of each specific product. As an example, a call button for elderly people that has GPS technology, which sends the wearer’s location to the Emergency Resolution Team when an alarm call is made, will usually have a shorter battery life than an elderly alarm button which is only designed to be used in the home and garden.

At TakingCare, some of our single-button alarms have a long battery life of up to five years.

Some rooms have a higher risk than others of slips and falls. The bathroom is one of these, with potential hazards like slippery floors, the need to get in and out of baths, showers and having to change levels when using the facilities. For that reason, it can be even more important that older people with personal alarms wear them in the bathroom and having a device that is water-resistant can make a big difference if something happens there.

Some of TakingCare’s elderly alarm buttons can be worn even in the bathroom and shower, giving greater peace of mind if you’re worried about the risk of a fall or accident in this type of setting.

Having a personal alarm system with really straightforward single-button operation can being real peace of mind to older adults and their loved ones. In the event of a fall or accident, there’s no complicated phone number to remember and you don't need to struggle with a mobile phone in an emergency.

Instead, the alarm wearer can simply press the one button to call for help, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Deciding on the right type of single-button alarm and the best features for your particular situation can feel a bit daunting, but we are here to help!