Notes

Which Smartwatches Have Fall Detection?
In recent years, smartwatches have begun to include wellness features that are typically reserved for pendant-form-factor medical alert devices. Among those features are accelerometers and gyroscopes that monitor activity all the time to detect abnormal movement that might indicate a fall.

While these products may not be as perfect as a traditional medical alert device, they do provide some peace of mind for seniors. Here are the top picks.
Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is one of the most sophisticated smartwatches with fall detection. It works with iPhones and has several other useful health features like heart rate, GPS and Emergency SOS calls. However, it is more expensive than medical alert devices that connect to 24/7 monitoring centers and don't require an iPhone to use.

Its automatic fall detection is a valuable feature for older adults who want to feel confident that they can call for help in case of a hard impact. It's a good alternative to traditional pendant-style medical alert buttons that can be difficult to press and are not always effective at getting help to an older adult who is unconscious or unresponsive.

With the Apple Watch's fall detection, if it senses that you've fallen and you don't move for a minute, it automatically calls emergency services. It will also send a message to any emergency contacts listed in your Medical ID with your location.
Samsung Galaxy Watch

Fall detection is a useful feature to have for elderly people who are more prone to falling, those who engage in dangerous sports like mountain climbing and bungee jumping, or anyone who wants the peace of mind that comes with knowing their smartwatch can summon emergency services if needed. Fortunately, this safety feature is available on most premium Wear OS smartwatches.

Samsung's 2022 lineup has a fall detection feature that is available on its flagship Galaxy Watch 5, as well as the Galaxy Watch 4, and Galaxy Watch Active 2. To enable it, you need to launch the Galaxy Wearable app and open 'Watch settings'. Then, go to 'Safety and emergency' and switch on 'Hard fall detection' toggle.

If the Samsung Galaxy Watch detects a hard fall, it will automatically call your emergency contacts and share your location with them. You can also choose to personalize the list of emergency contacts to include public assistance numbers from your device's settings.
Fitbit Blaze

Although Fitbit makes some of the most popular wearables on the market, none of their devices feature fall detection or SOS functionality. This is a significant oversight, especially when you consider how prevalent the feature is on competing devices. Despite this, the company has promised to include it in future releases.

The Blaze’s interface is simple and intuitive, with five main “apps”: Today (which gives a comprehensive overview of your daily activity), Exercise, FitStar, Timer and Alarms. Swiping up from the clock face will show any missed notifications, which are limited to calendar events, text messages and calls.

If your Watch detects a hard fall, the app will notify your emergency contacts and display an SOS message on the screen. You can also configure your device to call public emergency services if you don’t respond within a certain timeframe. The Google Pixel Watch also comes with a built-in SOS mode, which can be activated by pressing and holding the Power button for four seconds.
Garmin Forerunner 55

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a budget smartwatch with fall detection. Personal Medical Alarm If it senses a fall, it sends a pre-set message with your initial location and live tracking link to emergency contacts that you set up on the Garmin Connect Mobile app.

It also uses an accelerometer to measure your movements and compare it against other data, such as your body position and heart rate. This makes it one of the most reliable smartwatches with fall detection.

You can use the Garmin Forerunner 55 for workouts, with support for various external heart-rate monitors, and to get insights like fitness age, stress monitoring, recovery adviser, and race predictor. It also has a good battery life that lasts for 2 weeks with normal use.

When Google Pixel Watch launched, it didn't have fall detection but this feature was later added via a software update. The watch will notify you of a fall and call emergency services if you don't respond within a certain timeframe.
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