Today, I’m reviewing the best smart watch choices for seniors. As someone who knows how difficult it can be to care for an older loved one, having a device capable of protecting and monitoring them can be a blessing. I based my decision on a couple of different factors. The selections below can help you determine and shop for the best smartwatches for an elderly individual in your life.
The Best Smart Watch for Seniors
Below, I take a look at some of my favorite smart watch choices for seniors. For my choices, I primarily focused on devices that I felt had the best health and safety options for the folks who need them.
1. Apple Watch Ultra 2
When it comes to accessibility features, fitness and ease-of-use, there’s really no better choice than the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Journalist Terry Sullivan of Popular Science rated it the best choice for seniors, and considered it perfect for those staying active.
Along with the myriad of health monitoring tools available with the Ultra, including heart rate monitoring and fall detection, the Watch is also held in high regard for its waterproof capabilities and fitness tracking. Considering this wearable is meant for high-octane activities, the new black titanium case ensures the longevity of the device.
While features such as advanced GPS positioning, Emergency SOS and health metrics makes this the perfect choice for virtually anyone, some folks may balk at the higher-price tag. Starting at $799, it can be an expensive investment for some. However, those looking for the absolute best don’t need to look much further.
Features: Built-in accessibility features, sleep apnea notifications, heart-rate notifications and monitoring, Mindfulness monitoring, 36 hours of battery life and more.
Prices: Varies, but starts at $799.
Learn more about the Apple Watch Ultra 2 here.
2. Apple Watch and Apple Watch SE
For those looking for something a little bit less high-end, the baseline Apple Watch Series and Apple Watch SE can also be excellent choices for seniors. Both contain many of the same health monitoring features you would find in the Ultra, though they do not have the same extreme durability as the higher-end model
Personally, I love my Apple Watch Series 9. It’s great being able to track my fitness goals, check my health metrics, and answer messages directly from the little device on my wrist. For seniors, an Apple Watch can be life saving. However, I would recommend the main series or Ultra Watches over the SE, as you do miss out on some health features with the SE (ECG and sleep apnea being the big ones). Nevertheless, with features like heart monitoring, fall detection, sleep monitoring, and Emergency SOS, there’s a multitude of reasons why I think these Watches are perfect for an older individual in your life.
Features: Sleep apnea notifications (Main Series only), heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, accessibility features, and fitness tracking.
Price: Varies. Apple Watch SE starts at $259, Main Series starts at $399.
Learn more about the Apple Watch here.
3. Health Smartwatch 4 by Spade and Co.
What can be better than a watch that’s perfectly designed with your health in mind? While some may know this, Spade and Co. is an off-shoot of the brand Fossil, which I’m personally a fan of. This watch has an obvious focus on health, and it sports some rather impressive features. These include oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring, heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, and fitness tracking.
On top of all that, the watch itself is a quality build, featuring an AMOLED screen that’s super bright and the device is waterproof. It works with Android or iPhone so it’s great for compatibility and also boasts a 10-day battery life. This is a great watch for seniors, or anyone that’s looking to monitor their health and fitness.
Features: Fall detection, Oxygen Saturation monitoring, heart rate tracking, fitness tracking, camera controls, and more.
Price: Currently on sale for $79.99, typically $299.99.
Learn more about the Health Smartwatch 4 here.
4. Garmin Venu 2
Folks may recognize the name of this brand from back in the day when you needed a separate GPS device for your vehicle. One thing that stands out about this watch is that it has the option to measure your stress levels, which I think helps make it stand out from the other smart wearables I’ve covered. On top of that, it has many of the same health monitoring features you’ve likely come to expect from a device: heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep tracking, and fitness. I also like that this watch includes some additional safety features, including an incident detection feature, which can be great for seniors who may be prone to falling.
Just like the Health Smartwatch, Garmin’s offering is compatible with either iOS or Android and it has some really cool benefits outside of health tracking as well. While I think this one has a bit more focus on fitness than the others, I think it’s an overall great choice if you’re needing to look after someone in your life.
Features: Stress, sleep, blood oxygen, and heart tracking, ability to download additional apps, built-in sports apps, large battery life, and more.
Price: Around $149.99
Learn more about the Garmin Venu 2 here.
5. Google Pixel Watch 3
I suppose it was only a matter of time before I hyped a Google product on an Apple website. If you use an Android device, well, first off, what brings you here? Jokes aside, this is a great choice for those that stick to the Google ecosystem, or any senior that’s in need of a smartwatch. While Google’s offerings focus more on fitness than on overall health, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of great features packed into this device.
The Pixel Watch 3 has the capability of sharing medical details during an emergency and can also be used to notify contacts. For those willing to get a 4G model, Google’s Safety Signal feature can be extraordinarily useful. However, one thing that sort of bugs me about the Pixel is that it does require an Android device, while an Apple Watch does not. However, this can be great for a senior in your life who has access to a Google device.
Features: Six months of FitBit premium for free, performance and fitness tracking, readiness insights, and more.
Price: Starting at $279.99
Learn more about the Pixel Watch 3 here.
At the end of the day, I would recommend talking a bit with the individual in your life that you plan on buying the device for. Explore and consider all their options, and do your best to ensure you both agree. Any of the above watches will do wonders, but see what works best for you.