Personal Safety Alarms for the Elderly: The 3 Types on the Market
Smartwatch, 4G alarm or Bluetooth button? A short guide to battery, subscription and where help actually comes from.
Searching for a personal safety alarm for an elderly parent quickly drowns you in brands and spec sheets. Underneath, there are really only three core types on the market – and the difference between them decides battery life, subscription cost and where help actually comes from.
1. The classic 4G alarm (watch or pendant)
A dedicated emergency device with a built-in SIM card. It usually calls a staffed monitoring centre that assesses the situation and dispatches help – relatives, home care or an ambulance.
Typical: battery 1–3 days, monthly subscription around DKK 200–400 / €30–60 incl. SIM and monitoring, call centre as intermediary.
2. Smartwatch-based alarms
A standard smartwatch (Apple Watch, Samsung etc.) with an alarm app. The watch uses either its own cellular connection or the paired phone to send the alarm.
Typical: battery 1–2 days, more expensive watch plus a separate cellular subscription, often complex for older users to set up.
3. The Bluetooth safety button
A small physical button on a keyring, lanyard or wristband. It is paired with a smartphone the user carries or that sits at home, and forwards the alarm directly to relatives – bypassing the monitoring centre.
Typical: battery 2–3 years (coin cell), no separate SIM subscription, alarm reaches relatives directly.
The key difference: where does help come from?
4G models (types 1 and 2) are built around a monitoring centre. They work anywhere with mobile coverage, but typically cost a monthly fee and need charging every day or two. Help comes from a stranger who assesses the situation and calls relatives or an ambulance.
The Bluetooth button (type 3) is built around relationships. It requires the smartphone to be nearby – but in return the battery lasts for years, there is no monitoring centre, and the call goes straight to family who know the user and can react in seconds.
Which type fits your situation?
- Lives alone with no family nearby: a 4G alarm with a monitoring centre is usually the most robust option.
- Active elder, comfortable with tech: a smartwatch can work – but requires daily charging.
- Lives with or near relatives: a Bluetooth button is simpler, cheaper and more personal – with no daily upkeep.
At Linucare we have chosen the Bluetooth path. Not because it suits everyone, but because it solves what most families actually need: one press that reaches the people they know – no monitoring centre, no monthly SIM bill and no daily charging.