Personal alarms in the UK
Monitored alarms, fall detection, GPS trackers, and family-alert options for UK households.
Explore UK guidesIndependent UK & US guide
Elderly alarms and medical alert systems for older adults
A practical starting point for families comparing a medical alert, fall alarm, or GPS tracker in the UK or the US. See how the response works, what the plan includes, and where the costs sit before you choose.
Call 999 in the UK or 911 in the US for an emergency. This guide is not medical or care advice.
Choose your country
The products, monitoring terms, and local support routes differ between the UK and US.
Medical alerts in the US
Cellular medical alert systems with professional monitoring and fall detection for US households.
Explore US guidesA later-life approach to choosing an alarm
This site starts with the person's ordinary day rather than the product catalogue. Before comparing features, think about where they spend time, who already checks in, and what would make an alarm feel normal enough to wear.
That approach is useful for older adults, family carers, and anyone planning support after a hospital stay. The aim is a simple setup that can be explained, tested, and reviewed as needs change.
- Start with the response plan, then choose the device.
- Pick a format the wearer finds comfortable.
- Review the setup after a health or housing change.
- Keep family and responders working from the same instructions.
Popular products
A starting point, not a ranking. Confirm current features and plan terms with SureSafe.
Affiliate disclosure. Elderly Alarms is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site we may earn a commission from SureSafe at no extra cost to you. We do not publish star ratings, and a commission never decides whether an option is included.
SureSafeGO
- Watch or pendant format
- Mobile connectivity, so no landline is required
- GPS location tracking
- Fall detection available
Check the current device price and monthly plan with SureSafe.
SureSafeGO 24/7
- Mobile alarm with GPS
- Professional 24/7 monitoring
- Watch or pendant format
- Fall detection available
Check the current device price and monitoring plan with SureSafe.
SureSafeGO Plus 24/7
- Mobile alarm with GPS
- 24/7 professional monitoring
- Fall detection
- Watch or pendant format
Check the current device price and monitoring plan with SureSafe.
SureSafeGO Family
- Mobile alarm with GPS
- Alerts go to nominated family or friends
- Watch or pendant format
- No landline required
Check the current device price and plan with SureSafe.
Guides
Practical explanations of response options, fall detection, GPS, and paying for monitoring.
How to choose a personal alarm for older adults
Later-life planning: A practical guide to choosing a personal alarm: response plan, pendant or watch, monitoring, connectivity, total cost, and the questions to ask before buying.
Read the guideFall detection alarms: how they work and when they help for older adults
Later-life planning: How automatic fall detection works, what it can and cannot detect, who may benefit, and the questions to ask before paying for it.
Read the guideGPS and dementia trackers: choosing one safely for older adults
Later-life planning: How GPS trackers and dementia trackers differ from personal alarms, what to check before buying, and how to plan for consent, battery life, and coverage.
Read the guideCompare two options
Short, side-by-side explanations of the decisions that change the plan.
Monitored vs family-answered personal alarms
The biggest decision in a personal alarm is not the pendant. It is who answers when you press the button. A monitoring centre and a family contact…
See the comparisonFall alarms vs standard personal alarms
A standard personal alarm waits for you to press the button. A fall alarm adds sensors that try to detect a fall and raise an alert when you cannot…
See the comparisonGPS trackers vs dementia trackers
The terms overlap, and some products are marketed as both. The useful distinction is not the label but the features: live location, safe-zone…
See the comparison