The Family Setup
The latest versions of Apple’s iPhone and Apple Watch operating system, iOS 14.3 and watchOS 7.2, have something unique to offer. In partnership with Bell Canada, Apple has launched the Family Setup in Canada. Primary users, such as parents or caregivers, can now use a single iPhone to allow multiple Apple Watch users to stay connected, make phone calls and send messages.
Claire Gilles, President of Bell Mobility, highlighted Family Setup as the ideal solution “for family members without an iPhone to benefit from the communication, health, fitness and safety features of Apple Watch”. All it requires is all older adult and child users to be included in an iCloud Family plan and an Apple ID.
This is revolutionary, especially for family caregivers, as it will allow older adults to access remote watch features such as “Emergency SOS” and “Fall Detection” without the need for an iPhone. Moreover, watchOS 7.2 is also designed with an “extra-large Watch Face with bigger text size” to allow ease of use for seniors. It will also provide caregivers with the peace of mind that they can get in contact with children, or seniors, identify their location and that all personal GPS and health data is protected. According to Newswire, users included in the Family Setup will be also provided with their own phone number, associated with the Apple Watch.
More information regarding compatibility or pricing and data plan can be found at Bell.ca/SmartwatchStandalone.
What is Safe@Home?
Safe@Home developed by SenSights.AI is our artificially intelligent health management application. It uses wearable devices including, but not limited to, Apple Watches and iPhones to enable real-time patient monitoring, routine measurements and smart alerts. We provide health management solutions for seniors with Memory Loss, Diabetes and COPD/CHF. Family Setup will have a significant impact on how seniors and home caregivers, alike, use our platform.
What the update means for Safe@Home?
Safe@Home, firstly, is now more accessible than ever. One of the major barriers to accurate remote health monitoring is that some older adults might have trouble setting up the app or syncing multiple devices, independently. Family Setup makes it that much easier for skilled nursing caregivers and healthcare providers to monitor health data as seniors no longer have to possess or sync an iPhone to use the Apple Watch. All set up can be completed from a singular device.
These Apple Watch updates further enriches the caregiving relationship by providing peace of mind to both home caregivers and seniors. Skilled nursing caregivers can continue to set up condition-specific ranges and monitor vital signs remotely, now with peace of mind that they can reach the elderly, identify location and intervene in health and wellness, as necessary. Older adults, likewise, can rest assured that help is readily available via smart health and fall detection alerts sent directly to caregivers and medical personnel. Older Apple Watch wearers can also be more independent as they can send out Emergency SOS notifications directly from their wearable devices. No access or proximity to an iPhone required.
Family Setup is a great opportunity for Safe@Home to promote independence, quality of life and dignity amongst older adults and help empower them to ‘age in place’.
For more about Apple Family Setup, please visit www.apple.com.
Visit us at Safe@Home by SenSights.AI to learn more about how our platform helps caregivers empower older adults to age in place.
You can also email us at support@locatemotion.com, to request a demo.