Imagine having the safety and peace of mind of a personal alarm, with the convenience and style of a Samsung Galaxy watch.
MePACS is proud to introduce the Solo Watch, a stylish personal alarm smartwatch that can monitor your health, track your steps and, most importantly, get you help when you need it by quickly connecting you to the MePACS Emergency Response Centre at the press of a button.
The MePACS Solo Watch comes in rose gold, black or silver, and includes an adjustable leather wristband for comfort and style. The watch works on the 4G mobile phone network, which means you can take it with you anywhere in Australia where there’s good network coverage.
This smart personal alarm watch is best suited for people who lead an independent and active lifestyle, but would like to have the added safety of a 24/7 emergency response service. The watch does require familiarity with a touchscreen interface, as well as good vision and dexterity to be able to operate it properly.
Skip to a section:
- What are the features and benefits of the Solo Alarm Watch?
- How does a personal alarm watch work?
- Who can benefit from a personal alarm watch?
- How much does a personal alarm watch cost?
- Smartwatch vs personal alarm watch
- Which is the best personal alarm watch for elderly?
What are the features and benefits of the Solo Alarm Watch?
The MePACS Solo Watch has an impressive range of features and benefits. From falls detection to bonus health apps, the Solo watch is the ultimate personal alarm.
Falls Detection
- Built in sensors in the watch can detect a sudden change in height, speed and impact to determine a fall, and automatically send a signal to MePCAS. This is especially useful if you are unconscious or unable to physically activate the alarm after you fall.
When a fall is detected, the watch will show a notification to confirm whether you wish to call for help, so if you’re okay you can simply cancel the call. This helps to eliminate accidental calls. If you don’t respond to the notification within 30 seconds, the watch will contact MePACS for you.
Please note: Some falls may not activate the alarm. The sensors will only be triggered in the event of a significant fall, from approximately waist height. If you brace yourself, the fall is broken by a chair or object, or if you slump or roll to the floor the watch may not activate. You can still send a signal manually by pressing the help button.
2-Way voice communication
- One of the most important factors of a quick response time is understanding the nature of the emergency. With the 2-way voice communication feature you can talk to MePACS directly through the watch. You simply have to press the alert icon on the watch and a MePACS operator will quickly respond and talk to you through the watch.
GPS location
- Knowing your exact location can greatly reduce the time it takes for an ambulance to get to you. In an emergency, the GPS technology in the watch provides your location to MePACS so that they can dispatch help to your location quickly.
Please note: MePACS does not track your location. We will only share your location with your nominated contacts or with emergency services if there’s a risk to your safety.
Heart rate monitor
- Using a sensor at the base of the watch, the heart rate monitor can measure your heart rate at any given time to identify signs of stress. You can also manually check your heart rate by pressing on the ‘Heart’ icon on the watch interface.
Steps tracker and other health apps
- Keeping track of various health indicators can be useful for maintaining your overall health and wellbeing. The Solo watch comes with built in steps counter and other health apps including an activity tracker, blood oxygen level, sleep monitor, and even a calories counter. You can set goals and get reminders and rewards when you reach your targets.
Completely waterproof
- The Solo watch is completely watertight so you can wash the dishes, have a shower or bath, swim in the pool or do underwater aerobics while wearing the watch.
Please note that in the shower, water droplets can sometimes activate the watch. If you want to avoid an accidental activation you can choose to place it in the shower next to you instead of wearing it on your wrist. At MePACS we don’t mind an accidental activation because we’d rather know that you are okay.
Battery life
- The MePACS personal alarm watch has a battery life of 10-12 hours depending on usage, with a 2-3 hour charge time from flat to fully charged. If you have a home personal alarm, you can use it while you’re charging the watch. Otherwise, we recommend charging the watch overnight and whenever you’re relaxing at home.
4G Technology
- The Solo watch works on the 4G mobile phone network and can be used anywhere in Australia where there’s a strong signal strength. There is a mobile reception indicator on the watch, so you can always tell if you have good coverage wherever you are.
Two ways to call for help
- There are 2 easy ways to call for help on the watch; You can either tap the Red Alert Icon on the watch face, or you can double click the button on the lower right-hand size of the watch.
24/7 Monitoring by trained responders
- The Solo watch is connected to the MePACS monitoring service, which is available to respond to emergencies day or night, 365 days a year. Our trained responders are efficient and caring, making sure that every person is looked after when you need it most.
Many times, people can feel stressed and overwhelmed in an emergency, which is why at MePACS we stay in touch with you until help arrives.
How does the personal alarm watch work?
In an emergency, a quick response can be lifesaving.
With the Solo Watch, all you have to do is tap the alert icon on the watch.
A MePACS operator will quickly respond and talk to you through the watch. They will assess your situation and get you the help you need – whether it’s calling your nominated contacts to come help, or getting an ambulance if needed.
Unlike self-monitored alarms, MePACS can provide the ambulance service with relevant information about the incident and your condition, so that they can prioritise the call and tailor their response.
The MePACS operator will also stay in touch with you until help arrives to make sure that you are okay and looked after.
Who can benefit from a personal alarm watch?
The Solo personal alarm watch is designed to provide you with quick help in an emergency. It can be very helpful for maintaining your independence and living in your own home for longer, especially if you have underlying medical conditions, long-term injury or if you are at risk of falls.
A personal alarm watch can also benefit:
- seniors who enjoy an active lifestyle but want peace of mind for emergencies.
- people living with disabilities.
- people with chronic health conditions or heart problems.
- people who are prone to falls.
- people with compromised immune systems.
- people with severe allergic reactions.
- people who are recovering from surgery.
How much does the Solo personal alarm watch cost?
The cost for the Solo watch is $795, and there’s an additional monitoring fee of $59 per month.
There are no other fees and any call charges from the watch are included in the monthly fee.
The monthly monitoring fee is for our dedicated 24/7 emergency response service. Our operators are trained to assess emergencies and take effective actions, making sure you get the right help quickly.
If you are eligible for government funding such as a Home Care Package or NDIS, you may be able to allocate funds to cover the cost of the Solo Watch.
A smartwatch vs. the Solo Watch
Both smartwatch and Solo Watch can tell the time, have Falls Detection, GPS, health apps and other features. The main difference is in how they handle an emergency.
When a smartwatch detects a fall, it can call your pre-programed contacts or emergency services, but the response time could be much longer because you have to wait for someone to pick up the call. The Solo Watch, however, connects you to the MePACS 24/7 monitoring centre, so you get a quick response within 2 minutes.
A smartwatch can store your health information such as allergies and medical conditions, but it cannot provide those details to emergency services until they have arrived at the scene. The Solo Watch doesn’t store your heath data because it is stored in your MePACS file instead. In an emergency, MePACS provides all your relevant health information to the ambulance service in advance, so they can prioritise the call and tailor their response to your needs.
Unlike a smartwatch, the Solo watch cannot be used to call people. It is a medical alarm for emergencies, so can only be used to contact MePACS.
If there’s a concern for your safety, MePACS can call you through the watch to check that you are okay.
Which is the best personal alarm watch for the elderly?
The best personal alarm for each person can be determined by their individual circumstances.
People who are independent and active in the community would benefit from a discreet and versatile personal alarm, like the Solo watch, which can be used anywhere in Australia. Another option is the MePACS Mobile Alarm, which is also connected to the 4G network and can be used anywhere in Australia. The Mobile Alarm also has Falls Detection and GPS, and is a cost-effective option for people who are less interested in the Solo watch.
For elderly people who spend most of their time at home we recommend the MePCAS Home Alarm system. It includes a small waterproof pendant that can be worn around the neck or on the wrist and can be used to call for help at the press of a button.
All MePACS personal alarms are monitored 24/7 by our dedicate Australian team, so you know you are in good hands. In fact, MePACS is has been providing exceptional care within the Australian healthcare system for over 30 years, and today we are trusted by over 50,000 Australia wide.