The new generation of personal emergency response systems - How can 24/7 safety for older people be ensured?

The new generation of personal emergency response systems - How can 24/7 safety for older people be ensured?

Caring for elderly family members has always been one of the most important responsibilities of families. In the past, it was common for several generations to live under one roof: grandparents, parents, and children shared their everyday lives, so older family members were rarely left alone. If they needed help, all it took was a word or a call, and someone was immediately there to assist them.

Modern lifestyles, however, have completely transformed this traditional model. Today, family members often live in different cities or even different countries, while older people still want to remain in their own homes and familiar surroundings.

This has created a new challenge: how can independent living and continuous safety be ensured at the same time?

Personal Emergency Response Systems, commonly known as PERS, were developed as a response to this challenge.

The Evolution of Emergency Response Systems

The developers of the first personal emergency response systems approached the market cautiously. It was uncertain how readily older people would accept the technology, whether they would be willing to wear the devices regularly, or whether they would remember to keep them charged.

In Hungary, the introduction of the Gondosóra programme significantly changed this situation. The everyday use of personal emergency response devices became increasingly accepted among older people, representing a major step forward in public awareness and attitudes towards this technology.

At the same time, the system highlighted a critical issue: while the device is being charged, the user may effectively be left without protection.

And experience shows that emergencies can occur precisely when the device is not with the user.

The Greatest Risk: When the Device Is Charging

One of the greatest weaknesses of current systems is that their devices require regular charging. While the older person is taking care of the device by ensuring that it remains operational, the system itself may temporarily be unable to take care of them.

This can be particularly dangerous in the event of a fall, sudden illness, or an unexpected medical emergency.

A new approach based on a dual-device system could provide a solution to this problem.

Two Devices – Continuous Protection

An optimal system consists of an outdoor device and a home emergency device.

The concept is simple:

• while the outdoor device is charging,
• the home device remains with the user,
• ensuring continuous protection 24 hours a day.

This approach can significantly improve safety, although it also requires careful technical design.

Different Requirements for Outdoor and Indoor Use

A device designed for outdoor use needs to support a wide range of functions:

• GSM communication,
• GPS positioning,
• microphone and speaker,
• fall detection,
• RF radio communication,
• higher battery capacity.

These requirements inevitably result in a larger device.

For outdoor use, this may be an acceptable compromise. At home, however, different considerations become more important. The home device needs to be:

• lightweight,
• slim,
• comfortable to wear.

It should not interfere with the user's everyday activities, including getting dressed, bathing, or sleeping.

How Can Size and Cost Be Reduced?

One of the most important development directions for modern systems is intelligent cooperation between devices.

If the home device communicates wirelessly with the outdoor unit, several expensive and power-hungry components can be eliminated from the home device:

• there is no need for a separate GSM modem,
• GPS is unnecessary for indoor use,
• the microphone and speaker can also be omitted.

As a result, the home unit can be smaller, lighter, and less expensive.

At the same time, RF communication offers an ideal solution for maintaining a stable, low-power connection between the devices.

Fall Detection or Long Battery Life?

One of the most important design considerations is whether the system should support fall detection.

Without fall detection:

• the home device could even operate on a coin-cell battery,
• battery life could reach up to two years,
• regular charging would not be necessary,
• an emergency call could only be initiated by pressing the SOS button.

With fall detection:

• the system automatically detects a fall,
• it immediately sends an alert to the outdoor device,
• the outdoor unit forwards the alert to the remote monitoring centre.

In this case, however, continuous sensor operation means that the home device would also require regular charging.

Developers therefore need to find the right balance between functionality and power consumption.

Remote Monitoring Remains Essential

Technology alone is not enough.

Modern personal emergency response systems are, in reality, a combination of technology and human support services. The monitoring centre continuously monitors:

• device operation,
• mobile network signal strength,
• battery charge level,
• communication stability,
• and any potential abnormalities.

In the event of an emergency call or automatic alert, the dispatcher immediately attempts to contact the user. If there is no response, assistance is dispatched to the location in accordance with the established emergency response protocol.

It is this support infrastructure that makes the system truly reliable.

The Personal Emergency Response System of the Future: Invisible Yet Continuous Protection

The evolution of personal emergency response systems is no longer simply a technological issue. More importantly, it is about finding ways to provide older people with safety and security while allowing them to maintain their independence, dignity, and familiar way of life.

The solutions of the future will be based on intelligent, interconnected devices that are:

• comfortable,
• energy-efficient,
• continuously available,
• and able to protect users almost unnoticed.

Because true safety does not matter only when someone steps outside their home — it matters just as much at home, during the quietest moments of everyday life.

Our proprietary fourth-generation family of personal emergency response devices will be available in our product range from the fourth quarter of 2026!