Key Points
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The best senior safety apps of 2023 feature a fall alert, SOS button, check-ins, and more.
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Choose a senior safety app that has the functions you need and the privacy you desire.
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The best senior safety apps of 2023 allow seniors to live independently at home while knowing they have extra safety and security.
Nearly 90 percent of adults over 50 want to remain at home and age in their own homes, despite the high cost of home-based care and the reduced mobility and ailments that come with age. The best senior safety apps of 2023 fill these gaps and support an independent lifestyle for you — and your loved ones.
You may have family members willing to help, but they can’t relocate or be available around the clock. The best senior safety apps of 2023 help them support your health and safety, even with jobs, travel, and busy personal lives.
What Is a Senior Safety App?
A senior safety app is a mobile application that helps older adults stay safe and connected.
These apps offer features like emergency response, GPS tracking, medication reminders, fall detection, and communication with family members or caregivers. Some senior safety apps also provide personalized content like daily health tips, exercise routines, and brain games to help you stay healthy and engaged.
Senior safety apps benefit seniors who live alone, have mobility or health challenges, or are likely to fall or experience other accidents.
When you select an app, look for one that meets your specific needs and is compatible with your mobile device.
Advantages of Senior Safety Apps
You might be skeptical of adopting new technology — especially when it may intrude on your privacy or independence. Seniors who choose to tackle the learning curve enjoy benefits to their lifestyle and independence.
Consider how a senior safety app helps you retain the lifestyle you cherish.
Your Family or Caregivers Don’t Need to Be on Site
Finding care at home is often challenging when living unattended isn’t an option. Perhaps a home care aid is too expensive, and your family isn’t available. Perhaps you like to live alone and don’t want to share your space, even when you need help.
Senior safety apps enhance your safety and security in the privacy of your home. They deliver access to comprehensive care with minimal compromise in other aspects of your life or your caregivers.
It’s Easier to Communicate
Senior safety apps have many built-in features, including emergency contacts. Many offer a one-button connection for users uncomfortable navigating a complex display.
You’re Safer
A senior safety app ensures you’ll receive intervention in times of distress. For example, if you don't touch your phone within a predetermined time frame, your senior safety app automatically alerts the contacts you entered in its database. A quick response can intervene in dire situations and even help save your life.
Some apps come with a panic button, while others connect to home health monitoring systems to watch over your vital signs. This way, you rest assured that you are safe wherever you are.
Your Caregivers Understand Your Needs Better
Senior safety apps help your caregivers prepare for your future needs. They see how active you are, whether you take a fall, and how you sleep. All of this gives them an idea of your needs as they evolve.
A safety app is essential if you suffer from memory loss since you may not remember sharing this information.
Types of Remote Monitoring Systems for Seniors
Senior safety apps aren’t your only option for increasing your safety and security at home. Advances in technology make it easier than ever to remotely monitor a person in the privacy of their home — including first-hand information on their health, location, and safety.
When you consider adding high-tech assistance to your lifestyle, assess which system best fits you.
Phone Apps
Smartphone apps remotely monitor your health and safety using a device you already carry. Smartphones are readily available and you won’t feel like you are wearing a senior safety device.
GPS Trackers
GPS services are indispensable for people with memory loss and are a key safety feature for any senior living alone. Your contacts see your location within one yard with their smartphone, regardless of where they are.
Choose a single-function GPS tracker or an app or service that includes GPS tracking as part of a bundle of features.
Cameras
Cameras throughout your living space allow your family or caregivers to monitor your functioning from a mobile app. When combined with an alert system or safety app, your contact can do a visual check-in immediately.
Of course, cameras come with a compromise — you lose some privacy.
Security Systems
Today’s security systems are simple to install, inexpensive, and smart. They connect to wifi in your home. Anyone accessing the accompanying app can view them. A smart security system makes it easy for a family member to help keep an eye on your home.
Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants like Google Home and Alexa help with daily activities. Your voice commands control appliances, manage your TV and entertainment, turn lights on and off, send emails on your behalf, and more.
They also provide medication reminders and make a phone call or send a text for you.
Patches
Wearable patches allow a mobile application to monitor your vital signs like blood pressure, heartbeat, and blood sugar level. The data goes to your medical provider and sometimes to your smartphone.
Things to Consider When You Choose a Senior Safety App
With so many choices, how do you select the best senior safety app? Consider the following factors when you explore products. There will surely be an app with all the features you want and need.
Privacy
Personal privacy is a top priority for many seniors who want to live independently. Look for an app that records only needed safety data without invading your personal life unnecessarily. An app that only shares data in case of emergency is the least invasive of your privacy, while home cameras share even more private moments of your life.
Budget
Feeling safe while you retain your independence is priceless, but the technology to do so may come at a cost. You’ll find basic check-in services in free apps, but many products have a purchase cost or ongoing fees for more comprehensive monitoring.
Features
What features do you need from a senior safety app? Some apps serve a single function, while others have broad tracking and communication capabilities.
Ease of Use
If you can’t use the app, it won’t help you. Some apps have a simple set-up menu and operation. Other apps are more complicated, but someone can set one up to run in the background.
Walk through the app in a relaxed environment several times, so you can easily use it if you are distressed.
The Best Senior Safety Apps in 2023
Senior safety apps all have slightly different features, so consider the services you need and the privacy you desire. The following recommendations are some of the best senior safety apps of 2023.
Life360
Life360 is a popular family location-sharing app with several senior safety features. Some of the features of the Life360 app include:
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Real-time location sharing: Share locations for everyone in your group.
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Emergency response: The app alerts your contacts when you press the emergency button.
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Driving safety: Crash detection and driving analysis features alert your contacts.
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Fall detection: The app detects falls and alerts your contacts.
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Medication reminders: A notification reminds seniors to take their medication on schedule.
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Simplified communication: A simple chat feature allows seniors to communicate with family members.
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Geofencing: Your contacts can set up "safe zones" and receive alerts when you enter or leave those areas.
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Daily activity monitoring: Life360 tracks your daily activity and sends alerts to your contacts if there are changes in your routine.
Senior Safety App
Senior Safety App remotely monitors phone location and protects against falls.
The Senior Safety App founder is Dr. Devikaa Manghnani, a reconstructive surgeon at Safdarjung Hospital in India. Dr. Manghnani says, "The app allows our seniors to be independent and at the same time assures the caregivers that their elderly loved ones are safe and taken care of.”
Its features include:
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SOS alert: "Request help" sends a text message and email to your chosen contacts with your real-time location. The "sound alarm" feature emits a loud alarm with an easy option to call emergency contacts.
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Fall alert: The fall tracker can be set at high, medium, or low sensitivity to minimize false alerts and notify your contacts about your current location.
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Location monitoring and Geo-fence alerts: Your contacts can see when you enter and leave a defined area like a neighborhood or building. The app records how often you visit a specific address and tracks your route and speed.
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Inactivity tracker: The app alerts your contacts if you don’t check your phone for a defined period.
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Low battery alert: The app alerts your contacts if your battery is close to running out and locates your smartphone if it’s lost.
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App usage and location logs: Your family or caregiver can review a complete phone usage history with 24/7 location tracking for up to 3 months back.
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High ambient noise alert: It sends your contacts an email if you experience high noise levels for over 10 seconds.
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Dangerous situations alert: Sports, violent behavior, or rash driving cause high G-forces. Configure the acceptable level of G-force based on your lifestyle, and it sends an alert to your contacts when you exceed your limit.
The Senior Safety App is compatible with Android phones and is available in Google Play.
AllsWell Alert
AllsWell Alert is a personal safety and emergency alert app that works on your smartphone. Some of its features include:
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Inactivity monitoring: When you're inactive for a defined period, your smartphone sends an email, text, and push notification to your contacts. You have five minutes to cancel the safety alerts if the app mistakenly sends them.
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Panic button: The app sends safety alarms via text and email to your chosen emergency contacts at the tap of a button.
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Alerts people of your choice: You select your emergency contacts and when the device notifies them.
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Easy setup in minutes: Download the app and follow the onscreen instructions to enter your personal information, choose your contacts, and select a plan.
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GPS location tracking: Safety alerts display your GPS location.
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Security and data encryption: This app protects user information during transit and storage with data encryption.
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International coverage: The app is available anywhere in the world. Install the app before you travel abroad for additional security and to stay in touch with your contacts during a trip.
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Compatible with Apple and Android: AllsWell works well for both Apple and Android devices.
Snug Safety
People of all ages use Snug Safety, but its design has seniors in mind. Snug is a friendly, free, daily check-in service that works on your smartphone. The app shares a motivational quote when you respond to its daily prompt. If you don’t respond, the app sends a message to your emergency contacts to alert them that you may need help.
Snug is simple and easy to use, no matter how comfortable you are with new technology.
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Download the free Snug app, add your emergency contacts, and select your daily check-in time.
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Snug checks in with you every day to confirm you’re okay. Just tap the green button, and the 24-hour clock resets.
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If you miss your check-in, Snug alerts your emergency contacts.
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With the optional Snug Dispatch Plan, a Snug Dispatcher calls you if you miss your check-in. If you don't answer, they will personally call each of your emergency contacts. If the dispatcher doesn't get confirmation that one of your contacts will check in on you, they will request a wellness check from local authorities to your last known location.
Snug is compatible with Apple and Android smartphones.
Senior Safety Apps Help You Stay Safe and Independent
Don’t let the freedom you value slip away because you live independently.
A senior safety app keeps you connected with your support network of family and caregivers so they know when you need help, no matter where you are.
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