Best Watches for Seniors [Medical Alert & Legible]
If you are a senior or want to give a senior a watch, for example, your parent or relative, you have come to the right place. If you have done some research about the watches for seniors available on the market, you have probably found that there are an endless amount of different watches out there. This can make choosing alarm watches for the elderly difficult and overwhelming. Where should you even start?
The good news is that there are watches for all tastes, styles, and preferences. Whether you are looking for an elegant and stylish watch, a watch with good legibility, with medical alert function, or anything in between.
Generally, however, the single most important factor for a senior watch is legibility. As you get older, the vision tends to not be as good as it used to be, and with that said, it can be a bit difficult to read the time on a watch sometimes unless the markers are big and the watch has good contrast.
The two most popular types of watches for seniors are either watches with good legibility or watches with medical alert (or both). We will go into all the details of how you choose a watch for a senior and the things you should consider, but before we do that, let’s take a look at the most popular selection of watches.
Best watches for seniors
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Below, we are listing some of the best and most popular watches for seniors. This includes all types of watches in all kinds of designs. Whether you need a medical alert watch or simply a watch with good legibility, you should be able to find one that matches your needs and wants.
Elderly Smart Watch with Dual Way Call SOS Anti-Lost GPS Tracking Remote Monitor
This is a watch for seniors with medical alerts with a ton of different important and useful functions.
First and foremost, it is equipped with GPS+LBS+ wifi positioning technology which makes it possible to track the wearer and their position at all times. The watch also has multiple call modes with an SOS function in an emergency. The wearer has the possibility to easily dial a person, for example, a relative with the push of a button. For this, it has a two-way call function.
It has an electronic fence so you can set a pre-set area in which the person needs to stay. If the person goes outside of this area, it will notify. It also features historical tracking for checking where the person has been. It also has the possibility to set an SMS alarm message reminder, remote monitoring, sleep monitoring, anti-demolition alarm, and much more.
With all of this said, it is a great watch for seniors.
Details
- GPS, lBS, WIFI positioning tracking
- Call modes for emergency
- SOS emergency call
- Two-way call
- SOS help
- Electronic fence
- Historical tracking
- SMS message reminder
- Standby time: 160 hours
TICCI Vibrating Alarm Watch
The Ticci watch is a timepiece with a built-in alarm, suitable for seniors and elderly people. It is a digital watch and therefore presented with an LCD screen. The screen is big and easy to read and presents several different pieces of information. It also has a super backlight for improved legibility in low-lit conditions.
The watch is equipped with 8 strong vibrating alarms which are specially made for people with poor hearing. The vibrating alarms include: 8 beeps & 8 Vibrations, 8 beeps, or only 8 vibrations depending on your setting
The watch offers a water resistance of 50 meters. Maybe most important is that it is equipped with a lockout feature that prevents changes to the settings, for example, if the person bumps into things.
Details
- Easy to read
- 8 vibrating alarms
- Super backlight
- Water resistance of 50 meters
Cadex VibraPlus Sport – 8 Alarm Reminder Watch
The Cadex VibraPlus is a watch with 8 alarms with the ability to repeat every day. It can vibrate, beep, or do both. The beeps are loud at 55 decibels so the person can hear them loud and clearly, even with reduced hearing and hearing impaired.
It also has a countdown timer from 15 minutes to 24 hours. The lock feature prevents accidental button presses and changes to the watch.
Details
- Lockout feature
- 8 alarms
- Loud alarm sound
Wireless Caregiver Wrist Pager Personal Alarm watch
This is a great watch for seniors as it comes with an SOS button for emergencies. The watch communicates with the button, which can be mounted, or put around the neck so that the wearer can request assistance when needed. Note that this watch is only suitable for caregivers or similar who are close by or in the same building. The range is up to 500 feet in an open area.
It is not suitable for individuals who live by themselves since, in order to send an alarm, the button (and person) needs to be close by.
Details
- Comes with two alarm buttons
- 500 feet range
TICCI 8 Vibrating Alarms Watch
The Ticci is a durable timepiece made for seniors. It is a digital watch with a large LCD display and good legibility. It is similar to the watch we listed above, but not identical.
The watch is equipped with 8 strong vibrations and alarms. It has three settings with either beeps, vibrations, or both. The alarms are meant to work as reminders, for example, to do a task or for taking pills. The alarms can be set to auto-repeat every day.
The super backlight allows improved legibility in low-lit conditions. The watch is also equipped with a countdown timer from 15 to 24 hour minutes with a long countdown interval.
The watch is water-resistant to 30 meters.
Lastly, it has a lockout feature that prevents accidental setting changes from bumping into things.
Details
- Great legibility
- Super backlight for improved legibility in low-lit conditions
- 8 beep and vibration alarms
- Water-resistant to 30 meters
- Lockout feature
Speidel Easy Read Dial
This is a watch focused on legibility rather than packed with lots of different functions.
The watch has a 12 and 24-hour dial and a case diameter of 38mm. It has large numerals and a white dial for optimum contrast in order to easily read the time. It is powered by a quartz movement for optimum legibility and a red contrasting seconds hand.
It is presented on a soft and comfortable silicone strap that is easy to clean. The water resistance of this watch is 30 meters.
If you just want a simple, clean, and durable timepiece with good legibility for everyday wear, this is a great option.
Details
- Water resistance: 30m/99 feet
- Great legibility
- Comfortable silicone – easy to clean
English Talking Watch for Seniors with Alarm
This clever watch is specifically made for seniors, and due to its smaller size, it is made for women.
The watch has a talking function and great legibility. It is an analog talking watch ideal for those with Low Vision or Blindness. The dial is white, and this is contrasted by large black numerals and black hands. If you don’t want to read the time, the push of the button activates the talking function where the watch reads the time with a male voice. The talking watch tells the time, day, date, and alarm.
On top of the case, it has a scratch-resistant anti-reflective mineral crystal. For comfort, it is presented on a stainless steel flex expansion bracelet which does not have to be adjusted.
This is a great watch if you just want a wristwatch that makes it easy to know the time at all times.
Details
- Comfortable flex steel bracelet
- Anti-reflective mineral crystal
- Talking function
- Great legibility
Timex Easy Reader Date Expansion Band 38mm Watch
The Timex Easy reader is, as the name suggests, a watch made for easy reading of the time. It has a 38mm brass case with a mineral crystal on top and black hands for optimum contrast against the dial. At 3 o’clock, it has a date window.
Timex has also incorporated its Indiglo light-up technology, which lights up the dial and improves legibility in low-lit conditions. The watch is presented on a stainless steel expansion band which adds to the comfort and does not have to be adjusted, which is a great thing for a senior’s watch.
The water resistance of this watch is 30m (100ft).
All in all, it is a great watch with great legibility, but it does not have a bunch of technical features that some of the other digital watches do, so it all depends on your need and preference.
Details
- Indiglo light-up dial
- Great legibility
- 38mm case
- Date window
Timex Easy Reader Day-Date Expansion Band Watch
This Timex watch is made for seniors who want a nice-looking watch with good legibility. It has an easy-to-read dial with large numerals, both 24 and 12-hour time.
At 3 o’clock, it has both a day and a date function which can be convenient.
For improved legibility in the dark, it uses Timex’s Indiglo Night-Light function which is nice to have. The watch offers a water resistance of 30m.
Details
- Water resistance: 30 meters
- Great legibility
- Day and date function
- Indiglo Night-Light for improved legibility
Apple Watch
As a watch for seniors, the Apple Watch should not be underestimated. The precondition for this is of course that the person has an iPhone, which of course not all elderly people have.
The Apple Watch is packed with useful functions for elderly people. It is not specifically made as a medical watch or watch for seniors, however, it has lots of functions that can be useful. For example, the Apple Watch makes it possible to easily contact people, for example, caregivers or family members. This is particularly important in emergencies. With the Apple Watch, it can also send out your current location to emergency providers.
Another great feature of the Apple Watch is that it shows your Medical ID badge on the screen when pressed which can be extremely important.
It is also packed with health-related apps and functions such as heart rate monitor, steps, and fitness. The built-in ECG app can also provide an electrocardiogram which is something that can be very valuable for emergency responders and family members in the case of an emergency.
Note that not everyone can use an Apple Watch as it requires some knowledge or at least training, but those seniors who can learn how to use it may find it extremely useful and valuable.
Details
- Easy reading of the time
- Call and take calls
- Check heart rate
- Fitness tracking
- Medical ID badge
- Send out location
- Fitness tracking
- ECG app
- Measure blood oxygen
Watches for seniors with good legibility
Watches with good legibility are the most common type of watch for seniors, but it of course also depends on the individual’s needs. As the name suggests, these watches are designed specially to have good legibility to make them easy to read. Many watches these days have relatively poor legibility, with poor contrast between the hands and the dial of the watch. But the watches that focus on legibility have the opposite, normally large watch hands, contrasting colors on the dial, and of course large markers.
As we get older, our vision tends to get decreased, and therefore, a watch with good visibility may be what it takes in order to quickly and easily tell the time. Watches with good legibility tend to be most suitable for elderly people who are still sharp but just have slightly reduced eyesight. They make it easier to read the time, but they will not be the best option for individuals with very limited eyesight or dementia.
Watches for seniors with medical alert
Watches for seniors with medical alerts are a bit more advanced and have lots of different functions that may come in handy for seniors. This usually includes alarms in particular.
Medical watches vary a lot in their function also. Some watches have alarms with emergency response, others have alarm functions that make it possible to send an alarm to someone, for example, a relative. If you want to allow your relative to alarm you if something happens, this can really bring you peace of mind.
Let’s have a look at some of the features usually found in watches for seniors with medical alerts.
GPS location
These types of watches usually have GPS location tracking. This is of course exactly what it sounds like. This function allows people, for example, relatives to track the location of the wearer. And if an emergency happens, it is easy to find the person in question.
Voice function
Another great feature of these watches is that they usually have a 2-way voice. This means that the person wearing it can speak via it, and the person receiving the message can speak through it as well. This way, the senior and the person on the other side of the line, for example, emergency personnel or a relative, in order to understand the situation and get the appropriate assistance and help.
Emergency response
Watches with medical alerts often have emergency response built-in, meaning that the person wearing it can get instant help whenever needed. This is a feature that a lot of people find very valuable and one that can be very valuable for the wearer and that brings great peace of mind.
Fall Detection
Fall detection is another feature that can be extremely important. The fall detection detects when the person has fallen and then sends an automatic alert. The alert can go to different people depending on the watch and its settings. This is extremely important as it allows the person to get help and assistance as soon as possible.
What type of watch does a senior need?
The term “senior” is very broad and it’s really important to highlight the fact that different seniors have different needs. Some seniors have perfect eyesight and can take care of themselves perfectly, but just want a watch that is a bit easier to use. For others, alarm functions and perhaps a talking function may be of utmost importance.
For example, a dementia patient likely needs a digital watch with no other functions except the time and with one button, and perhaps large digits. If there are any additional buttons, chances are that the dementia patient will push them, setting off alarms and causing stress. In addition, changing the time can be difficult on watches that have many functions.
A lot of elderly people want simplicity. They are not looking for different time zones, alarms, dates, or any other function. As wisely said by one of our readers:
“We don’t need a watch that does more. We need a digital watch that does less.”
With this said, here is a digital watch that we suggest that puts simplicity at the forefront and being as simple and minimalistic as possible.
Atomic Talking Watch Easy to use for Seniors
This watch is built to be as simple and intuitive as possible, making it excellent for the elderly and especially dementia patients. To make things easier, the time and calendar of the talking watch are set automatically by the radio Atomic clock signal. Furthermore, whilst the watch displays the time on the LCD screen, the large button at the front activates the talking function when pressed, and the watch will announce the time, date, day, month, year, alarm status & signal reception status in a clear and loud male voice. For when you don’t want to use the talking function, it is made with easy-to-read LCD digits.
Watches for elderly- buyer’s guide
As discussed, different individuals have different needs and so the watch that they should choose can vary a lot. Let’s look at the most important things you need to take into consideration when choosing a watch for the elderly.
Functions
As you have seen above, watches for the elderly can come with a bunch of different functions and features. Fall detection, alarm, GPS, voice function, and much more. Therefore, think about which functions are crucial and absolutely necessary for the wearer as this will help you narrow down the options.
Furthermore, many elderly people are after simplicity and therefore do not want things like a date function, world timer, and so on. Many eldelry people just want their watch to tell the time and nothing else.
Time display
By time display, we mean how a watch displays the time. As you have seen, there are watches with good legibility, digital watches, talking watches, and so on. If it’s just an elderly with reduced eyesight, it may be enough to just look for a watch with good legibility. But if it is a dementia patient, this person will naturally have completely different needs, and here, simplicity will be the most important.
Since the time indication is the most important part of any watch, it is the first thing you want to look at. Do you need a digital watch, an analog watch, a talking watch, or a braille watch?
Great selection of watches for seniors! It’s important to have legible and medical alert features, especially as we age. These watches will definitely come in handy for those who need assistance or want to stay connected with their loved ones.