Types of Personal Alarms: 5 Options for Older People
Personal alarms range from simple in-home alerts for a nearby carer to professionally monitored alarms that connect to help 24 hours a day.
The right type depends on where the person needs protection, whether somebody is normally nearby, whether automatic alerts would be useful and whether the alarm needs to work outside the home.
For an independent overview of types of personal alarms and monitoring, read the NHS guide to personal alarms and telecare. The five options below differ in how alerts are sent and who responds.
What are the different types of personal alarms?
Most personal alarms can be grouped according to where they work, how they connect and whether they are professionally monitored.
1. Digital Home Personal Alarm
A Digital personal alarm uses the household broadband connection to send an alarm to a 24-hour monitoring centre.
Read our pendant range guide to check coverage in the rooms and garden areas you use.
- Wearable pendant or wrist SOS button
- Two-way speech through the base unit
- 24/7 professional monitoring
- Works around the home and garden
- Up to approximately 300m line-of-sight button range
2. GSM / SIM Card Personal Alarm
A GSM personal alarm works in a similar way to a standard home telecare alarm but has its own mobile connection rather than relying on household broadband.
- Built-in multi-network SIM
- No traditional landline required
- No household broadband required
- Wearable SOS button
- 24-hour professional monitoring
3. Fall Alarms & Automatic Detection
Automatic technology can provide an additional layer of reassurance where somebody may not always be able to press their alarm button after a fall or other incident.
Our fall detector and pendant comparison explains manual alerts, automatic detection and their limits.
- Wearable automatic fall detectors
- Manual SOS function still available
- Inactivity monitoring options
- Bed-exit monitoring
- 24-hour monitored response where applicable
4. GPS Personal Alarms
GPS alarms are designed for people who need monitored support when they are away from the range of a home alarm system.
If you already use a smartwatch, compare smartwatch safety features with a monitored personal alarm before choosing.
- GPS location capability
- Built-in mobile connection
- Two-way communication
- UK & Ireland use
- Optional family location and fall-detection features
What about simple in-home alarms and carer pagers?
Another type of personal alarm is a local or in-home alert. These systems do not normally connect to a professional monitoring centre. Instead, a bed sensor, chair sensor, floor mat, motion detector or alarm button sounds an alert within the home or sends a signal to a nearby pager.
They can be useful where a family member or carer is normally present in the same property and simply needs to know that the person has moved, got out of bed or requires assistance.
The important difference is that a local alarm relies on someone being nearby to hear or receive the alert, whereas a monitored telecare alarm connects to a response service even when nobody else is in the home.
When comparing alarms with no monthly fee, check who receives the alert and what happens if they cannot respond.
Which type of personal alarm is best for an elderly person?
There is no single alarm that suits everybody. The starting point is to think about where assistance may be needed and who is normally available to respond.
Lives alone or is regularly alone?
A professionally monitored home personal alarm is usually much more appropriate than an alarm that simply makes a noise inside the property, because help can still be contacted when nobody else is nearby.
No landline or broadband?
A GSM personal alarm provides the familiar home alarm service using its own mobile connection, without needing a traditional telephone line or household broadband.
Concerned about falls?
Consider whether automatic fall detection, inactivity monitoring or bed-exit alerts would provide useful additional protection alongside a manual SOS button.
Active outside the home?
A GPS personal alarm may be more suitable if the person regularly goes shopping, walks, visits friends or otherwise needs monitored protection away from home.
A carer is always nearby?
A simple local alarm or pager may sometimes be enough where a carer is consistently present in the same property and only needs an immediate local alert.
Needs may change over time?
A telecare system can be expanded with compatible sensors and additional equipment, allowing the support provided around the home to develop as circumstances change.
Frequently asked questions about elderly personal alarms
Some common questions when comparing the different types of personal alarm.
What is the simplest personal alarm for an elderly person?
For many people, a wearable pendant or wrist button connected to a monitored home alarm is the simplest option. Pressing the button sends an alert to the monitoring centre, where the agreed response procedure can be followed.
Do personal alarms need a landline?
No. Digital personal alarms can connect through suitable broadband, while GSM alarms contain their own mobile-network connection.
What is the difference between a pendant alarm and a GPS alarm?
A standard pendant alarm normally communicates with a base unit in the home and is intended for use within its radio range.
A GPS personal alarm contains its own mobile connection and location technology, so it can provide monitored support when the user is away from home.
Do all personal alarms detect falls automatically?
No. Most standard pendant and wrist alarm buttons need to be pressed manually.
Automatic fall detection is available on specific devices, but no automatic fall-detection system can identify every possible fall.
What is the difference between a monitored alarm and a carer pager?
A carer pager or local alarm is intended to alert somebody who is already nearby. A professionally monitored personal alarm sends the alert to a monitoring centre, so the user does not depend on another person being in the property at the time.
Can family members be contacted when the alarm is pressed?
Yes. Nominated family members, friends or other keyholders can form part of the response plan held by the monitoring centre.
Not sure which type of personal alarm is right?
Answer three simple questions in our Personal Alarm Finder to compare home alarms, GPS devices and fall-detection options.