Apple Watch: Five Health Alerts Older Users Should Turn On

Tech outlet Engadget has published a guide for older users of the Apple Watch, the smartwatch made by US company Apple, on which health features are worth switching on. The watch is worn by people of all ages, so unlike a medical pendant it does not single out the wearer as vulnerable. The source notes that it can support independent living through stand and movement reminders, a step counter and fitness tracking.

Emergency help and falls

Emergency SOS contacts emergency services when the side button is pressed and held. It requires a cellular watch with an active plan, Wi-Fi calling, or a paired iPhone nearby. In the Health app on the iPhone, users can fill in a Medical ID and add trusted emergency contacts so medics can see allergies and conditions.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in four people aged 65 or older fall each year, and 319,000 older people are hospitalized with hip fractures after a fall. Fall Detection is switched on automatically if the Health app shows the user is 55 or older. If the sensors detect that the wearer is immobile after a fall, the watch calls emergency services. Crash Detection works similarly after car crashes on recent models.

Heart, medication and sensors

The CDC data cited says someone in the US dies of cardiovascular disease every 34 seconds. The Apple Watch cannot identify heart attacks, but it monitors heart rate continuously and helps flag atrial fibrillation. The ECG app delivers a reading in 30 seconds, and the watch warns the wearer if the heart rate goes above or below set thresholds, such as 120 or 40 beats per minute.

Medication Reminders prompt users to take their doses and can build a log to share with a doctor. Sleep tracking can flag possible sleep apnea. Sound Recognition alerts users to sounds such as doorbells, sirens or fire alarms, and font size can be increased for those with visual impairments.