Life-saving watches growing in popularity

First published: 26-06-2012

One of the biggest risks that the elderly or infirm face is the danger of falling or suffering a complication and being unable to call for help, but new watches which feature a personal alarm system are now helping to combat the problem.

Leading the way is the Limmex wristwatch, a device made in Switzerland which is connected to the nation's largest phone provider, Swisscom, Bloomberg reported.

The smart piece of kit is pre-programmed with up to ten phone numbers, which can be called at the touch of a button and has an in-built loudspeaker and receiver just like a mobile – so that in the case of an emergency the wearer can call for assistance.

"One of the major risks for the elderly is falling," Daniel Grob, the head of a Zurich hospital's geriatrics department, said to the news provider.

"If my mother falls now, she can request help. She knows she can always reach somebody."

The device is proving particularly popular with users, and a recent survey carried out by Limmex revealed that 97.5 per cent of owners would recommend the watch to others.