{"id":3554,"date":"2018-09-26T12:45:14","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T16:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/?p=3554"},"modified":"2024-01-10T07:56:57","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T12:56:57","slug":"apple-watch-fall-detection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/articles\/apple-watch-fall-detection\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple Watch Fall Detection – Which Apple Series Detects Best?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Apple

Here’s where you turn fall detection on and off on your Apple watch. You can activate fall detection starting with the series 4.<\/p><\/div>\n

As technology advances, seniors have access to more and more options when it comes to monitoring their health, safety, and wellbeing. The latest tech news was first introduced with the Apple Watch Series 4 and continues with the Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8<\/a> and now the Series 9 which was released in mid-September 2023. Much like the iPhone, the Apple Watch keeps evolving over time, providing better information technology features to users.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Apple Watches are renowned for their innovative features, and one standout capability is their fall detection technology. To understand how this wristwatch can help seniors, you have to understand the latest technology they have built into the watch. That technology is an accelerometer and gyroscope that measures up to 32 g-forces. This fall detection algorithm can determine if your loved one has suffered from a fall and will call for help automatically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apple Watches can intelligently identify when the wearer experiences a significant fall.\u00a0 The more information you have at hand, the more you can understand the fall detection technology. Read on for a complete breakdown!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Personal Apple Watch User Experience<\/b><\/h2>\n
\"Apple

This is the Apple Watch fall detection screen on my Series 6.<\/p><\/div>\n

As an Apple Watch user myself, I currently own the Apple Watch Series 6. Being an active 40 something, I love being able to track my fitness and workout goals with the watch. I’m also comforted knowing that if I do suffer from a slip or fall, my watch will be able to call for emergency help. Here are a few photos of me wearing my watch on my wrist showing just how user friendly the apple watch’s screen is.<\/span><\/p>\n

To be sure the Apple Watch is setup properly, go under the settings app, and select SOS, which is were I’ve added my Medical ID and I’m able to turn on or off the Fall Detection feature. You can also see that the screen allows me to choose if I want it active only during workouts. Overall, I find the watch lightweight, comfortable to wear and a great addition to my Apple collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

Managing Falls on the Apple Watch<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you have an Apple Watch Series 4 or above, fall detection technology is already available to you. Here are the tips you can use in order to manage the feature on your device.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are Fall Detection Devices?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Fall detection technology is not only available on Apple devices. In fact, the technology has been around for some time and has been used primarily in the medical alert device industry, helping to provide assistance to older adults who typically live at home alone. However, fall detection can benefit people of all ages, especially if it is conveniently available on their Apple Watch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dive into fall detection technology a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many people ask, <\/span>\u201chow does fall detection work?\u201d<\/span><\/a> The accelerometer and gyroscope are the technology responsible for automatic fall detection<\/a> in medical alert device pendants. These sensors detect your everyday activity and can sense a falling motion.\u00a0 It is also built into many other devices you may own such as your smartphone.\u00a0 An <\/span>accelerometer<\/span><\/a> measures the change in your velocity or speed divided by time. Think about when you change the position of your smartphone and the orientation of your screen changes with it. That is the accelerometer technology at work! According to<\/span> LiveScience<\/span><\/a>, a gyroscope is a device that uses the Earth\u2019s gravity to help determine orientation. Both of these applications working together can work effectively to detect falls in seniors via a pendant, smartphone, watch, or other device.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Is Fall Detection Important?<\/b><\/h2>\n

According to the CDC, over 800,000 seniors are hospitalized due to an injury from a fall. Seniors who suffer from falls can easily break a hip and that may lead to other complications. Falls are also the leading cause of death from injury among adults 65 and older. With the integration of this technology in devices such as an automatic fall detection pendant, fall detection watch or the new Apple Watch, falls can be treated quickly and hopefully more efficiently to help prevent some of those death by injury falls. In fact, a man in Spokane, Washington credits the Apple Watch for saving his father who fell off his bicycle and was left unconscious. The Apple Watch detected his fall and called his emergency contacts as well as emergency services who were able to find the man and take him for treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Can the Apple Watch Fall Detect Falls?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Although this technology has been built into smartphones for a while, the difference is the new Apple Watch claims to have created custom algorithms to more accurately sense when a fall has taken place. One of the criticisms of automatic fall detection in the past has been that it is not always accurate in detecting falls with <\/span>one recent study<\/span><\/a> showing it detected 12 out of 15 actual falls.<\/span><\/p>\n

With this new Apple Watch feature, if it senses the user has been immobilized, it will give you an option to choose if you are ok or if you want to call emergency services. If there is no activity for more than 60 seconds, it will automatically call for help from emergency services and send your emergency contacts to your location. Getting help fast in these emergency situations is often times key for potentially saving someone\u2019s life.<\/span><\/p>\n

While fall detection has been in Apple Watches since the Series 4, there have been significant improvements for each new iteration. <\/span>Apple continued to improve its fall detection technology for the Series 7. It enhanced the algorithm and optimized the technology to become more accurate. The Series 7 still features the alert on the watch if it recognizes a hard fall, giving users the opportunity to call emergency services right from the watch. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, now the watch can also notice if the user falls while working out, meaning a hike, bike, or even Zumba class can now be safer thanks to Series 7 fall detection technology. This fall detection option adds a valuable layer of safety and peace of mind, showcasing how technology, in the form of wearables like the Apple Watch, can play a crucial role in health and well-being.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Use an Apple Watch With Fall Detection?<\/h2>\n

People who are at an increased fall risk due to medical challenges, age, or mobility concerns can find peace of mind knowing their Apple Watch will check in with them to see if they are okay after a perceived fall. The automatic fall detection feature can also provide the user with emergency assistance if they say they need it, or if they are unconscious and unable to say whether or not they feel they need it. It will also give your exact location to emergency services thanks to built in GPS. This can increase response time and hopefully result in quicker treatment from first responders.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the feature isn\u2019t just for those who are older or have mobility or medical challenges. While not all Apple Watch users are at risk for a fall, having the feature readily available might come in handy in a scary situation, such as an unexpected seizure, fall, or car accident.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who Can Benefit From Automatic Fall Detection Technology?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Apple Watch fall detection technology can be particularly beneficial for various individuals across different age groups and lifestyles. Here are some groups that can benefit:<\/span><\/p>\n