The myhomefone SOS Watch includes fall detection to provide additional reassurance if the wearer falls and cannot press the SOS button themselves.

How does fall detection work?

The SOS Watch uses built-in sensors and an algorithm to recognise changes in the movement, speed and position of the arm wearing the watch. When the detected movement resembles a fall, the watch starts an alarm sequence.

What happens when a fall is detected?

The watch displays the message:

Fall detected, if not, press Cancel!

A large blue Cancel button appears on the screen, giving the wearer approximately 25 seconds to cancel the activation if they have not fallen or do not require assistance.

If the alarm is not cancelled, the watch places an SOS call to our 24/7 response centre. The alarm is then handled in the same way as an activation made by pressing the SOS button.

What are the sensitivity levels?

Fall detection has eight sensitivity levels:

• Level 1 is the most sensitive. It is more likely to recognise movement as a fall but may also produce more false alarms.

• Level 8 is the least sensitive. It is less likely to produce false alarms but may not detect some falls.

All new SOS Watches are set to level 5 by default. We have found that this generally provides the best balance between detecting genuine falls and minimising false alarms.

Why might the sensitivity need to be changed?

People move differently, and normal arm movements can vary considerably depending on the wearer’s mobility, activities and daily routine.

A more sensitive setting may be appropriate if genuine falls have not been detected. A less sensitive setting may be appropriate if normal activities or rapid arm movements are repeatedly causing false alarms.

Changing the sensitivity involves a trade-off: increasing it may improve the likelihood of detecting some falls but may also increase false alarms.

Will fall detection detect every fall?

No. Automatic fall detection provides an additional layer of protection but cannot detect every type of fall.

The watch relies on movement of the arm on which it is worn. Some falls may not produce a sufficiently sudden or distinctive movement pattern to trigger an alarm. This can include:

• slow or controlled falls;

• sliding or slumping to the floor;

• falls from a low or seated position;

• falls interrupted by furniture or another object;

• falls where the wearer braces themselves; or

• falls where the watch-wearing arm remains relatively still.

Whenever possible, the wearer should press the SOS button if assistance is required, even if the watch has not automatically detected the fall.

Can everyday movements cause a false alarm?

Some rapid or forceful arm movements may resemble the movement pattern of a fall and trigger a false alarm. If this occurs, the wearer can press the blue Cancel button during the 25-second cancellation period.

Occasional false alarms can occur with any automatic fall-detection system. If they occur regularly, the sensitivity setting may need to be reduced.

Can I test fall detection by dropping the watch?

No. The algorithm is designed to recognise movement associated with a person falling while wearing the watch. Simply dropping the watch may not activate fall detection and could damage the equipment.

How do I request a sensitivity change?

If you would like the fall-detection sensitivity changed from the standard level 5, or subsequently adjusted again, please

Please allow up to 48 hours for the change to take effect. A confirmation email will be sent once the setting has been updated.

This article's audience is for registered Support at Home service providers only. For myhomefone retail consumer support, click here for the main menu.