would you need/want a personal alarm?

‘wAll’ unsuitable!

Since my knee joint replacement and some unrelated vertigo, I take my mobile into the bathroom when showering. I can’t (yet) manage a bath, will unsuitable for grab rails.
I text my son and daughter ‘Good morning’ each day, and tell my daughter when I’m about to shower and when I’ve finished. I don’t think I need an alarm at present. My daughter has suggested I always keep my mobile on me, in a pocket or light shoulder bag.

I have my phone with me always, I'm attached to it now. If my husband wasn't here I'd also consider a personal alarm which rings various numbers plus the ambulance. I'm not convinced that if I was having a heart attack or had broken my hip, that I'd be capable of calmly ringing on my phone. In my nursing career I cared for several elderly people who'd been lying on the floor for days before anyone found them - a personal alarm would have saved them that experience.

I want to take it for my girlfriend. Maybe someone give me advice, which one to take from here gadgets-reviews.com/review/218-6-best-personal-alarms.html ?

I always have my phone on my person, literally, I pop it down the side of my bra..... know affectionately as my 'inside pocket'. I hear it if it rings, and I know where it is. No fumbling in my handbag.

One morning I was in the bathroom and DH was still asleep. The door stuck. And rather than hammering and shouting I was able to phone DH for help. That surprised him!!!

I do not think it is a question of age. When DC were small, DH travelled a lot through work. This was long before mobile phones. When he was away I had a whole system of regular planned calls to DP and I had trained DS by the age of three to dial 999 and give the police his name and address in an emergency

Now I worry about DD, who lives alone and works from home. I have encouraged her to make sure she is always in a position to summon help if she has an accident or emergency.

If you live alone, you need to plan for how you will summon help in an emergency, regardless of age.

Well I am 'full on wimp'

When my husband used to work nights I had a chain and a bolt on my bedroom door.

I had a personal alarm that belted out 'Emergency, emergency, call the police"

My daughter slept in the same room when he was on nights and she was about 5 before I broke the habit.

I hate the dark, I hate being anywhere isolated..

I don't know why?

Well remembered about the ICE numbers. I hope everyone knows that if you are not able to tell the paramedics who to contact in an emergency, they take a look in your mobile phone and guess. To mark who to contact, add ICE (for In Case of Emergency) to their names.

I am healthy and active, but I have my phone with me at all times, including when having a bath. I also carry a home made ID card with next of kin info in each pocket and bag when out and about, in case I am involved in some sort of emergency and the phone, which has ICE numbers, is out of action.

elegran - of course you knew you were OK - why did they not realise.
it is a bit of role reversal when we remember how we worried when they were out late at night when they were growing up

I am very active and by no means frail and elderly, but I too make sure that my mobile phone is in my pocket when I am doing anything which could possibly end up with me coming a cropper.

A week or so ago when I went up into the loft to get some things down, I first phoned DD to tell her what I was about to do, and promised to phone again once I had finished. It took longer that I expected (had a job unearthing them) but I obediently checked in to say I was OK - to get a row from Son-in-law who had been chewing his fingernails and about to panic.

A very active 92 year old I know (drives goes on holiday etc) lives alone in a large detached house. She got stuck in her bath for several hours and eventually pulled towels down and under her to help her get out.she now takes her phone with her in the bathroom

I live alone and have been grateful for my mobile on the odd occasion when my car has broken down. I have been lucky, it has always been in a carpark or the middle of a town centre.

I know somebody who takes her mobile when she has a bath or shower, just in case. I do not do that but I always have it when I am out.

My 98 year old aunt who has recently moved into a nursing home frequently forgot to wear the alarm so I would receive calls from the monitoring company and I lived miles away.

my mother had a personal alarm when she was in her eighties and a bit unsteady - but she often forgot to wear it
I did feel that it is not a requirement if one is steady on one's feet (and being able to drive and look after grandchildren requires this IMO) but your responses do give me pause for thought that perhaps I should keep mobile phone in pocket when out working in the garden or dog-walking - will do so in future.
what I vaguely resent is the implication that 'others' would decide I need one without due regard to my capabilities.

The mother drives, picks up the children from school etc., but also occasionally falls over and struggles to get off the sofa!

It sounds as though the daughter's worried about her falling and there being no one there (as her partner works night shifts), but I think I'd be more concerned about her general health rather than thinking an alarm pendant would solve everything!

I don't live alone but I do always carry my mobile whenever I am out on my own.

I would think the personal alarm would only be necessary for someone who lives alone and is not in good health.

The mother drives, picks up the children from school and then cares for them five days a week! Hardly sounds like she needs any sort of alarm. Wonder how old the 'elderly' mum is

I usually have my mobile with me whenever I go out but certainly don't feel the need for an alarm.

I think its OTT that lady sounds perfectly capable of taking care of herself as she drives and looks after grandchildren too.. If she were housebound or infirm then thats different but she isn't.

I carry my mobile phone when I go out of the house whether I am walking alone or shopping/driving especially motorway driving it gives me peace of mind that I can contact help. I do think you should carry your mobile phone with you if you have one just for peace of mind.. accidents do happen and how difficult is it to carry it in your pocket?

I'm certainly not at the personal alarm stage yet, but I always have a phone in my pocket when I go up in the loft, or on the odd occasions that I venture on my flat roof (to cut back next door's ivy!)
Just being responsible for my own safety.