Smart Watches for 1 Middle-Aged Person and 2-3 Elders - Canada
August 23, 2024 12:44 PM Subscribe
I am thinking about getting smartwatches for myself and my parents for productivity and health and emergency (me) and health and emergency (my parents). We are in Canada. This would be 3-4 watches over two households. One cell account, though only two people actually have cell service. Please help me decide what watch would be best. We should get the same thing since I will basically be the interface and i need to have the same they have.
Needs.
Me:
I have a Samsung galaxy phone. I use a google calendar with mixed success. I would like:
1. Ability to view and add thing to calendar and ability to add things to calendar not too clunkily.
2. 02 monitoring
3. Heart-rating monitoring
4. Fall-monitoring or even seizure monitoring wouldn't be bad.
5. Steps but I assume everyone does steps.
Parent 1:
Has a cell phone with cell service. Doesn't always have it right on hand. Not sure how far it can get for the smart watch to be effective. Requires
1. Fall monitoring and emergency alarm.
2. steps wouldnt hurt.
3. O2 monitoring and heart health stuff
Parent 2:
Has a cell a phone but no cell service. Just uses the phone around the house on wifi for whatsapp. Not even browsing. Definitely doesn't keep it on hand even at home.
Same basic needs as above.
Parent 3:
No cell phone. Might not get a watch for them because honestly not sure they would bother.
Given this configuration, what watches are our best bet? Do I need to get cell service for the watches to work? Do they need their own account separate from the phones for emergency alerts or if you get an LTE watch can it just call 911 whether you get it an account or not? Note that I am in Canada so I've seen something about a google voice deal something something something but I don't think that's available to me.
I would be willing to get a cell service account for parent 2, but in cases of both parent 1 and 2 (and me), I'm not sure how this works, do we just always have to have the phone in our pockets for the watches to work? This is very unclear?
Needs.
Me:
I have a Samsung galaxy phone. I use a google calendar with mixed success. I would like:
1. Ability to view and add thing to calendar and ability to add things to calendar not too clunkily.
2. 02 monitoring
3. Heart-rating monitoring
4. Fall-monitoring or even seizure monitoring wouldn't be bad.
5. Steps but I assume everyone does steps.
Parent 1:
Has a cell phone with cell service. Doesn't always have it right on hand. Not sure how far it can get for the smart watch to be effective. Requires
1. Fall monitoring and emergency alarm.
2. steps wouldnt hurt.
3. O2 monitoring and heart health stuff
Parent 2:
Has a cell a phone but no cell service. Just uses the phone around the house on wifi for whatsapp. Not even browsing. Definitely doesn't keep it on hand even at home.
Same basic needs as above.
Parent 3:
No cell phone. Might not get a watch for them because honestly not sure they would bother.
Given this configuration, what watches are our best bet? Do I need to get cell service for the watches to work? Do they need their own account separate from the phones for emergency alerts or if you get an LTE watch can it just call 911 whether you get it an account or not? Note that I am in Canada so I've seen something about a google voice deal something something something but I don't think that's available to me.
I would be willing to get a cell service account for parent 2, but in cases of both parent 1 and 2 (and me), I'm not sure how this works, do we just always have to have the phone in our pockets for the watches to work? This is very unclear?
With Apple Watches, you can either get ones that have their own cell data (and thus need a cell line), or ones that are connected by wifi with an iPhone (so no cell line is needed for the watch if the person regularly charges and uses their phone). The Watch needs to be charged daily. It does have steps, fall protection, heart rate monitoring and I think new ones do have oxygen in Canada although there was some patent issue so that needs to be checked. Makes 911 calls, would have to show the parents how to press a small button on the side.
It’s possible to use an Apple Watch without a phone, but functions would be limited. It also looks like it’s possible to have several Apple Watches attached to 1 phone. For sure notifications for fall detection are available.
Link
I have a wifi (“GPS”) Apple Watch that goes with/relies on my iPhone. My mom has an Apple Watch with cell service and an iPhone. I get notifications about her heart rate sometimes. This obviously has to be set up. (Plus when there are updates everyone has to be updated for communication to work.)
I specifically got this watch for notifications from my mom, gotta say it is great in general and I’ve benefited from the data it provides myself (sleep, heart rate, etc). It can do a decently valid EKG as well. Pretty cool.
I think if they’re not going to remember to charge these things daily, or have someone do it for them, the monitoring won’t be as effective, obviously. If they’re eligible for home support from PSWs, this can be incorporated into the care plan.
How tech savvy are the parents? Do any of them have memory issues? Eg my mom is in her mid 70s, and can use Excel, is comfortable playing computer games etc. AW works well for her. No chance this would work for my 90 something dad who has significant memory issues.
Re the parent who might not use the watch - would they be open to having someone come by to help with stuff (check their blood pressure and oxygen, make breakfast etc)? PSWs do that and charge the GPS on my dad’s keychain. There are cameras in his place as well, and a door alarm that my brother set up to call my watch when it’s a) opened and b) ajar for 10+ mins.
Also there’s Lifeline if you think that might be better, have never used the service.
Link
posted by cotton dress sock at 5:06 PM on August 23 [1 favorite]
It’s possible to use an Apple Watch without a phone, but functions would be limited. It also looks like it’s possible to have several Apple Watches attached to 1 phone. For sure notifications for fall detection are available.
Link
I have a wifi (“GPS”) Apple Watch that goes with/relies on my iPhone. My mom has an Apple Watch with cell service and an iPhone. I get notifications about her heart rate sometimes. This obviously has to be set up. (Plus when there are updates everyone has to be updated for communication to work.)
I specifically got this watch for notifications from my mom, gotta say it is great in general and I’ve benefited from the data it provides myself (sleep, heart rate, etc). It can do a decently valid EKG as well. Pretty cool.
I think if they’re not going to remember to charge these things daily, or have someone do it for them, the monitoring won’t be as effective, obviously. If they’re eligible for home support from PSWs, this can be incorporated into the care plan.
How tech savvy are the parents? Do any of them have memory issues? Eg my mom is in her mid 70s, and can use Excel, is comfortable playing computer games etc. AW works well for her. No chance this would work for my 90 something dad who has significant memory issues.
Re the parent who might not use the watch - would they be open to having someone come by to help with stuff (check their blood pressure and oxygen, make breakfast etc)? PSWs do that and charge the GPS on my dad’s keychain. There are cameras in his place as well, and a door alarm that my brother set up to call my watch when it’s a) opened and b) ajar for 10+ mins.
Also there’s Lifeline if you think that might be better, have never used the service.
Link
posted by cotton dress sock at 5:06 PM on August 23 [1 favorite]
This is a discussion about the range of Apple Watches
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255358980
posted by cotton dress sock at 5:07 PM on August 23
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255358980
posted by cotton dress sock at 5:07 PM on August 23
> It’s possible to use an Apple Watch without a phone
Also if you do this you do obviously need it to have cell data / its own line.
posted by cotton dress sock at 5:18 PM on August 23 [1 favorite]
Also if you do this you do obviously need it to have cell data / its own line.
posted by cotton dress sock at 5:18 PM on August 23 [1 favorite]
Just noting that while the non cellular Apple Watch does require an iPhone to set up, it does have WiFi built in as well as Bluetooth, and still works without the iPhone when other connection options exist…
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:41 AM on August 24 [1 favorite]
posted by rambling wanderlust at 4:41 AM on August 24 [1 favorite]
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I had a Samsung Galaxy, which is well reviewed and will do everything you want and way, way more. You can get an older model (4 or 5, rather than the current 6) for less - $100 to $150 - and it will still do what you want. I liked it and found it easy to use. The only drawback is that the charge only lasts a day or two, which is why I switched (to a Garmin, which has more of a health/fitness focus, but lasts much longer on a charge.)
However, I got one for my elderly parent, in part because of the fall detection, and realized that "easy to use" is relative. If you're not going to be nearby, it might be a challenge for them to get used to using it, as your descriptions suggest they are not techies. But with a bit of help, they should be able to learn what they need to.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:57 PM on August 23 [1 favorite]