Best Alarm Watch for Elderly [Guide 2026 Compare SOS Watches].

By: Bas Latest update: 27 February 2026

Best Alarm Watch for Elderly [Guide 2026 Compare SOS Watches].

In this article

According to research by VeiligheidNL, an estimated 119,000 over-65s ended up in the emergency room after a fall in 2024. 90,700 sustained serious injuries. 15,700 were temporarily or permanently admitted to a nursing home after a fall. An alarm watch elderly puts safety on your wrist.

SOS watch or a loose button

Many traditional personal alarms work with a panic button or alarm chain connected to a base station. Outside of range of that base station, the alarm does not work.

A mobile alarm watch with GPS and a SIM card works differently. The watch works independently and transmits its location via the app, including outside the home. Not everyone wears a watch. Then a separate emergency button as a necklace or bracelet works better. The S3 is set up that way, it is not a watch but a compact emergency button that you wear as a necklace or wrist alarm.

What to look for in an SOS watch seniors with fall detection

Most providers charge a monthly fee for an alarm watch.

– SOS workflow. How many emergency numbers can you set up, and does the device redial if number one does not answer.
– Fall detection. Can you set the sensitivity, and can cancel a false alarm.
– Location. Live location, location history, and geozone or safety zone.
– Making and receiving calls. Does it work as a phone watch, i.e. without bluetooth pairing with a smartphone?
– Water resistance. Those searching for alarm watch elderly waterproof would do well to check IP67. Showering is then often possible, swimming usually remains discouraged.
– Battery. Many 4G models sit around 1 to 2 days just like a smartphone, which means charging in your routine.

Subscription or not, this is what you pay in practice

With a subscription, you pay monthly for the service, the SIM card and the app. You then often also purchase alarm monitoring, for example, day and night contact with an emergency center. That fits well if you don’t have a family caregiver or if you want a professional to be able to scale up to 112. Usually the monthly costs start around 20 euros.

Instead, if you’re looking for a senior citizen alarm watch without a subscription, look for models where you don’t sign a contract. You charge credit when you use the watch, and you pay data for GPS and messages.

This is a guide to ongoing costs. Data around 1 euro per month and calls from 0.09 per minute, calls to the watch are free. KUUS watches work simlock-free, so you can choose between prepaid or a subscription with your provider. As a service, a sim card is included on the network of KPN through Lebara.

The four models at a glance

S2 is the most complete alarm watch for the elderly, with fall detection and medication reminder.
S5 is the same complete alarm watch elderly, but slimmer for a narrower wrist.
S4 is a simple alarm watch for the elderly with additional emergency button on the front.
S3 is a compact emergency button as a necklace or bracelet, not a watch but the time can be spoken by pressing the time button.

Alarm watch elderly Model S2

The most complete alarm watch for the elderly

The S2 fits if you’re looking for a complete solution. You get a large screen with clear icons. The alarm watch is made to be easy to operate. This fits well if someone is still active but wants extra safety.

The S2 is an alarm watch with fall detection. If someone falls and cannot respond, the alarm watch automatically starts an alarm and calls the set contacts. In addition, you can use the emergency button to alarm yourself. Family sees the location via the app and can call back immediately.

The S2 is also useful if you want more than just security. Think medication reminders with voice notification, a heart rate monitor, and the option to video call through the app. This makes the S2 popular with families who want one device that makes both safety and contact easier.

Key points of the S2

Alarm watch with fall detection and emergency button.
Making and receiving calls through the watch.
GPS location via the KUUS app, including live location and location tracking.
Safety zone with notifications.
Medication reminder with voice notification.
Video calling via the KUUS app.
Time reading, analog and digital.

View the Alarm watch elderly model S2 here

Alarm watch elderly Model S5

Same functions as S2, but slimmer on the wrist

Many customers reported that the S2 feels a bit big on the wrist. That’s why there’s the S5. The S5 is also an alarm watch elderly with fall detection, GPS and SOS, but the model is slimmer. This is often more comfortable to wear on a narrower wrist.

In terms of features, you don’t sacrifice anything. You get the same security, the same options for making and receiving calls, and the same extras such as medication reminders, heart rate monitoring and video calling via the app.

Key points of the S5

Alarm watch with fall detection and emergency button.
Slim model for a narrower wrist.
Making and receiving calls through the watch.
GPS location via the KUUS app, including live location and location tracking.
Safety zone with notifications.
Medication reminder with voice notification.
Video calling via the KUUS app.
Time reading, analog and digital.

View the Alarm watch elderly model S5 here

Seniors alarm watch Model S4

Simplicity and security, with two emergency buttons

The S4 is the simplest alarm watch for the elderly within KUUS. This model is a good fit if someone mainly wants a clear watch to read the time, with one task. Being able to quickly raise the alarm.

The S4 is an alarm watch with fall detection. In case of a fall, the watch can automatically start alarm and then call set emergency numbers. In addition, the S4 has two buttons to sound the alarm. A large SOS button on the front and an additional panic button on the side. This makes it easier in a panic, and also when fingers are less flexible.

Key points of the S4

Simple alarm watch for the elderly with time display.
Watch with fall detection and SOS.
Large emergency button on the front.
Additional panic button on the side.
Automatically dials up to 3 emergency numbers in succession.
GPS location and safety zone via the KUUS app.
Making and receiving calls through the watch.

View senior alarm watch S4 here

Panic button for the elderly Model S3

Not a watch but a compact emergency button as a necklace or bracelet

Some people don’t wear a watch. Or they take it off and forget to put it back on. Then a watch doesn’t work, no matter how good the functions are. The S3 was developed for those situations.

The S3 is a compact emergency button you can wear as a necklace or bracelet. You use it as a panic button, but it also has fall detection and GPS location via the app. In an emergency, you call the set emergency numbers with one push. In the event of a fall, the button can automatically ring, so the wearer doesn’t have to do anything.

Extra convenient is the time button. With one push, you instantly hear what time it is. The S3 comes with a neck cord and a silicone wristband where the button snaps into. This makes it easier to really keep it with you at all times.

Notice. The S3 works over 2G. The watches S2, S4 and S5 work over 4G.

Key points of the S3

Emergency button as a necklace or bracelet, so no watch.
Panic button elderly without subscription, works with sim card.
Fall detection with adjustable sensitivity.
Automatically dials up to 3 emergency numbers in succession.
GPS location and safety zone via the KUUS app.
Time button, press and you instantly hear what time it is.
Includes silicone wristband and neck strap with attachment cord.
Operates via 2G technology.

Check out the panic button for the elderly S3 here

Which alarm watch best suits your situation

You want a complete alarm watch elderly with additional features such as medication reminder, heart rate monitor and video calling. Choose S2 or S5.
You want the same as S2, but slimmer and more comfortable on a narrower wrist. Choose S5.
You want a simple SOS watch elderly with clear buttons and above all time and safety. Choose S4.
You don’t want a watch, but you want SOS, fall detection and GPS location through the app. Choose S3.

What about fall detection on a smartwatch such as Apple Watch

An Apple Watch also has fall detection, but it works via bluetooth. So the user must then own an iPhone to connect it to the Apple smartwatch. A KUUS alarm watch works without bluetooth but with a SIM card. This allows the KUUS watch or panic button to call in case of an emergency. In practice, the choice usually revolves around simplicity. An Apple smartwatch can provide a lot of incentives through notifications and settings. An alarm watch for the elderly, on the other hand, is made to stay simple, to call emergency numbers immediately, and to keep the controls clear.

Brief summary

S2 is the most complete alarm watch for the elderly.
S5 is the same as S2, but slimmer for a narrower wrist.
S4 is the simple choice with two emergency buttons.
S3 is the panic button as a chain or bracelet, convenient when a watch is not worn.