mCareWatch better medical alarm when compared to Apple Watch – 15 reasons why
The mCareWatch was launched in 2013 as one of the first truly standalone smartwatches that operated as a dedicated medical alarm. Over the years there have been several developments and in 2022, the eighth model of the mCareWatch personal alarm was released. It’s not only dementia choices accredited but also ranked by CHOICE as the #1 Smartwatch personal alarm in 2021.
Below are 15 reasons why we endorse the mCareWatch as a better choice:
- All Setup and ready to use
The mCareWatch personal alarm is pre-set and configured with an inbuilt SIM and mobile number, SOS contacts and Speed Dial contacts, which means the mCareWatch arrives ready to use out of the box.
- Dedicated SOS Watch Face
The mCareWatch personal alarm has over 25 different watch faces with a SOS red button, making it easier for the wearer to activate an SOS call. When an SOS call is made every SOS contact will receive an alert of the SOS activation with a location of the wearer.
- Standalone Smartwatch
The Apple Watch will need to be paired with an iPhone to setup the Apple Watch and cannot work independently without the iPhone nearby. The mCareWatch has its own SIM and mobile number and can operate without having to be paired to a smartphone. Is mCareWatch better medical alarm when compared to Apple Watch? For this feature alone we definitely believe so.
- Easier to use
The mCareWatch was developed to be a dedicated medical emergency alarm watch. The Apple Watch has many different functions and features which may overwhelm someone who needs a basic medical SOS alarm.
- Access to 24/7 Monitoring Bureau
The mCareWatch can be connected to a 24/7 monitoring bureau to have all SOS emergency calls from the watch answered by a monitoring operator that can provide emergency assistance to the wearer. This includes calling emergency services on behalf of the wearer.
- Unlimited Customised Reminders
You can setup unlimited reminders for medication, appointments, and tasks. These reminders will appear on the watch screen and can be customised specific to the wearer (not a generic reminder). These reminders can also be setup as text to speech, which means the wearer can hear the reminder.
- Carer’s Mobile APP and Web Portal
The family and carers of the wearer have access to a mobile APP (iOS and Android) and web portal, which allows them to connect to the watch, view location, update settings, pre-set contacts without the wearer having to do this themselves.
- Speed Dial Contacts
The mCareWatch can be setup with the wearer’s close family and friends with an easy to call Speed dial feature. Each Speed Dial contact will include the contact’s photo, name, and the ability for the wearer to automatically call that contact by pressing down on the photo.
- Low Battery Alerts to Family
All SOS contacts and family members can receive a low battery alert when the watch battery reaches 15% battery level. These alerts will alert the family and carers when the battery is low and needs to be placed on the magnetic recharger.
- Auto-Answer
Pre-set contacts can call into the mCareWatch and for the watch to automatically answer the incoming voice call without the wearer needing to press any button to answer the call. This would be beneficial if the wearer is incapacitated or not have the cognitive ability to remember to press the green handset (on watch screen) to answer the incoming call.
- Geo-Fence Safe perimeter zone
The mCareWatch has Australia’s # 1 geo-fence feature (rated by CHOICE), which will send an alert to family/carers when the watch exits a pre-set geo-fence/safe zone. The geo-fence can be setup via the web portal and can be created according to your needs. This is one of those features that will assist you with the monitoring of movement by the wearer, especially if you’d like to be allerted to them breaching certain protocols, such as when we consider dementia sufferers. It’s a very useful feature that makes the mCareWatch better medical alarm when compared with Apple watch.
- No spam Callers
The ‘Anti-disturb’ feature on the mCareWatch means only the pre-set contacts on the watch can call the watch. All other contacts will be blocked which means no spam or unauthorised calls to the watch. This modification alone has been highly regarded amongst our customers as spam calls are a real issue in Australia and worldwide.
- Dementia Choices Accredited
The mCareWatch has been assessed and is the only smartwatch medical emergency alarm that has been Dementia Choices accredited. This means the mCareWatch can be setup with specific dementia features which include SOS calls being disabled, locked screen and geo-fence activated. Our customer base includes a lot of elderly citizens and dementia is a real problem attached to ageing. Being able to see our customers using the mCareWatch when they get diagnosed with early onset dementia and as a result of the technology still have the ability to live independently, always warms our heart. Being Dementia Choices Accredited means you can have a peace of mind our mCareWatch will be able to assist with early onset of dementia.
- # 1 Smartwatch Personal Alarm
The mCareWatch personal alarm was included in the CHOICE Personal Alarm review and achieved the highest ranking as the #1 smartwatch personal alarm in 2021. The independent review assessed the best device for activating SOS, easiest to use and best at location tracking. This has been one of our proudest moments since we’ve started the company and very happy to be providing such flexible service plans with the mCareWatch and other devices in the mCare Digital product suite.
- Connect to Peripheral Devices
The mCareWatch can connect to peripheral devices (Blood pressure monitor, weight scales and glucometer) via Bluetooth and capture the wearer’s blood pressure, weight, and blood glucose levels. We are continually improving how we integrate other software solutions and devices and always open to conversations with organisations who would like to utilise our SaaS as an integrated part of the service they provide.
We hope you’ve found this article helpful and it has given you all the key points for consideration when purchasing a medical alarm that’s also a smartwatch with mobile phone capabilities.
