Aug 06, 2018
Can I Track my Elder with Apple’s Find My Friends or Google’s Trusted Contacts?

One question we get frequently is why do I need a wearable device to track my elder? Why can’t I just use my iPhone or Android phone? Last year, Google introduced the capability to track smartphones across platforms (e.g. iPhone, Samsung) which is pretty nifty. But, these applications only work if your favorite senior a) owns a smartphone and b) always has it with them.

Yes, it’s true, many seniors own cell phones. The latest research shows a pretty good penetration of any kind of cell phone. However, smartphone ownership is only 59% in the youngest of elders, and drops off pretty dramatically with age. So, if you are trying to track an elder via their smartphone at best you are leaving 41-83% of them out in the cold.

Ownership does not always equal usage, especially for elders with cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. They may not remember to bring their smartphone with them, or they can even bring the wrong phone. My mother who had dementia dutifully brought her phone to a doctor’s appointment. Unfortunately the phone she brought in her purse was the cordless handset to her home phone. She insisted it worked fine outside the house, but of course it didn’t. That’s why I prefer a wearable that tracks via GPS like a smartphone, and also provides direct communications when needed. Our loved ones are wearing a “watch” which they have probably done their entire lives. You get to know where they are at all times, and you can initiate direct communications with them – you can call the watch and they don’t even have to press a button to answer. My mother would have easily worn the watch, and would have been more comfortable not having to use a complex smartphone.

We believe in keeping things as simple and easy as possible, yet still provide a high level of useful functionality. So, if your favorite elder is as attached to their smartphone as a teenager and aren’t prone to leaving it somewhere or not charging it, that could work. But, if you want to keep it simple and stress free, a familiar watch may do the trick better.

Either way, let’s keep our loved ones safe!

Author: Shelley Symonds