Best Safety Devices for Seniors

The best safety devices for seniors give them quick access to loved ones or emergency dispatchers no matter where they are: at home, on the town, or in the car. We've chosen some of our favorite gadgets that keep you or your loved one safe, dignified, and independent.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our room-by-room guide to senior safety.

The at-home medical alert devices come with landline or cellular connections and a wearable panic pendant. You can also get wall buttons to place around your home for extra coverage.

Bay Alarm sells three mobile devices, including a watch. All three include a powerful speakerphone with two-way communication. Pressing the SOS button connects you to monitoring center professionals who can send first responders whenever and wherever you need them.

Read our full Bay Alarm Medical review and see how it compares to the best medical alert systems to learn more.

The biggest downside to the Apple Watch 5 is the price. It’s pretty expensive upfront for a watch, but it’s a one-time payment that you won’t have to add to your monthly bills. And the price continues to decrease with every new Apple Watch launch.

The learning curve may also vary from person to person, but like a smartphone, it becomes easier the more you use it.

Learn more in our full review of Apple Watch as a medical alert.

To install, just plug it into a vehicle's OBD-II port (the diagnostic port your mechanic uses that’s usually somewhere under your dashboard). 

You can set zone alerts that tell you when the vehicle ventures out of a certain area, and the built-in accelerometer can detect a crash and send an alert to a loved one. Location updates in the app refresh every three minutes, which may feel slow to most users.

Because this vehicle tracker uses your diagnostic port for power, it doesn’t require any batteries or charging. It can also send vehicle maintenance reminders about things like tire pressure and oil levels.

It costs around $75 a year for the Vyncs service, which works out to a little over $6 a month, and that includes the device itself. For a little more, you can add roadside assistance, and you can also pay more for more frequent vehicle tracking updates.

Learn more about Vyncs in our roundup of the best vehicle GPS trackers.

With Alexa built into this device, you can set reminders and check your calendars. Alexa has tons of skills like brain teasers, puzzles, gentle workouts, and even an SOS feature to promote independence.

Living alone can get lonely sometimes, so having a screen attached to your Echo makes it easier to video call friends, neighbors, and loved ones. Alexa also makes for a good companion for conversation and cognitive sharpening.

But the Echo Show isn’t for you if you want full medical alert system capabilities. It can call contacts from your phone, but it isn’t meant for emergencies.

We've got tons of resources to help you learn more about Alexa and how smart home tech can help older adults. Start by reading our Ultimate Guide to Amazon Alexa. 

Older adults or their caregivers can fill up the device at the beginning of the month until it’s time to refill. It can fit over 500 pills (about 18 in each of the 28 slots).

Each slot is labeled for morning, mid-day, and evening doses. The alarms tell you when it’s time to take meds and the Med-E-Lert dispenses them. The best part is these alarms stick even after you change the batteries.

Caregivers can monitor how well patients follow their med regimen by checking the Med-E-Lert. It has a locked hard plastic body, making it hard for grandkids, pets, or curious visitors to tamper with. To open, simply use the key that comes with the device.

Older adults who can live alone should do so as long as they’d like. Loved ones can provide social, physical, and emotional support as best as they can without invading privacy or creating inconvenience.

To do this, you’ll have to blend devices that prevent falls and injuries with equipment that can help you when accidents happen. And while devices can help prevent and react to emergencies, it’s hard to replace genuine connection and quality time.

Find more answers to your questions on our Senior Safety FAQ page.

Independence is a priority for older adults and their caregivers, so we chose a range of products that make daily life easier for everyone.

While selecting the best senior safety devices, we considered products that help with mobility and cognitive issues as well as those for active older adults. We chose devices that prevent emergencies but can help out when accidents happen.

Check out our methodology page to learn about how we select and test products for reviews like this one.

• Best Medical Alerts for Fall Detection 
• Most Affordable Medical Alert Systems
• Best Wearable Devices for Seniors
• Best Blood Pressure Monitors

1. National Council on Aging, "Get the Facts on Falls Prevention," July 2022. Accessed December 1, 2022.