Tracker app on phone

I have my two daughters as ICE1 & ICE2 in my contacts they appear at the top of the list. Should alert someone who to contact In Case of Emergency.

Both my grandchildren have ‘trackers’ on their phones.
I think it’s a great idea.

tanith

I have my two daughters as ICE1 & ICE2 in my contacts they appear at the top of the list. Should alert someone who to contact In Case of Emergency.

I did that many years ago with my son and daughter’s contact details on my mobile and they are still listed as such in my current phone. But in recents years my phone is locked when not in use and my PIN is needed to access it.

I’ve gone back to old fashioned pen and paper now and have emergency numbers in my phone wallet.

Grannynannywanny at the bottom of the keypad where you put your PIN to unlock, there is almost always an emergency call button. You set this up yourself with ICE numbers on so any person can make the call without unlocking the phone.

Thanks LadyStardust. I have my ICE contacts on an app and always wondered how the emergency services could access them. Just swiped fingerprint recognition screen and got page as you posted. The emergency button gave my two ICE numbers. You live and learn!

My friend's husband has dementia and she has put the app - Find My - on his phone so she can see where he is. It only works if he has his phone on him though.

Life 360 will show you where he is.

LadyStardust thank you very much for that helpful tip. I’ve had an iPhone for years and didn’t realise that emergency function was there at my fingertips!

I pressed on it and lo and behold my daughter and son’s numbers were there under ICE where I entered them in my contacts list years ago. I had no idea their numbers could be accessed in an emergency without unlocking the phone.

I’m going to tidy my phone wallet now and dispense with the bits of paper with emergency contacts on them ?

You might also install the app ‘What 3 words’. This has a unique three word code for every square meter in the world and can be used by GPS if the phone is out of mobile signal range. It has been used by emergency services when people have been lost in forests etc.

shysal and Grannynannywanny. You are very welcome! Years ago I thought the emergency call button was just a shortcut to call 999!

Thanks from me, also, LadyStardust. I was another who thought that Emergency function was just a shortcut to 999 when the phone is locked! I have my ICE contacts starred in my address book so they're always at the top of the list but had no idea until now that there's another way to get to them.

I have my family on Life60 - it’s brilliant (and free). Started using it a few years ago when GS was doing orienteering. Now our family ‘bubble’ is on it. I would definitely recommend it for the situation you describe.

You could get a Footprint Tracker: it's actually a very small mobile phone worn on a lanyard, gives precise readout on map, automatically dials up to 3 preset numbers in turn if there is a fall (activated by sudden drop), has single button which dials presets in turn if pressed. It was invaluable for my father when he was at a stage where he still went out on walks by himself and often fell down. I could send someone to the precise spot where he was and keep him on the line. Purchase of the Footprint was not that expensive and it was £50pa for the service. It was so precise, I could tell whether he was in his room, in the dining room or in the garden of his care home at any time. I could also dial it, and it opened the mic automatically so I could speak to him.

I often walk alone, with the dog, out in the country and I have started setting a Livetrack on my Garmin watch which I Whatsapp back to DH. It is very reassuring that if I did have some kind of emergency such as a fall, he would no where to start looking for me.

I’ve never had a lock on my phone since a diabetic friend of mine was taken ill whist we were out and we couldn’t access any numbers on her phone to contact her family for advice.
However I have my ICE number displayed on the Home Screen, so anyone looking at my phone would know who to contact. It’s easy to set that up!

My 20 year old son has always allowed us to see where he is via "Find My" on his iPhone. It is very useful when he is on his way home from Uni so we know when to start cooking dinner. There have been a couple of occasions when it has put my husband's mind at rest when we know he has been out on the razzle in a strange place and he can see that he has arrived where he is staying safely. Personally, I rarely use it as I would worry more and I think we are lucky that our son is so open.

I have a note with contact details in my wallet, as I rarely take my phone out of the house with me.

And of course a locked phone is no use to anyone trying to find my next of kin.

Some really useful information here. I will look at my phone with greater interest in future.

LadyStardust

shysal and Grannynannywanny. You are very welcome! Years ago I thought the emergency call button was just a shortcut to call 999!

Years ago it was! At least on the phone I had.

Grannynannywanny

tanith

I have my two daughters as ICE1 & ICE2 in my contacts they appear at the top of the list. Should alert someone who to contact In Case of Emergency.

I did that many years ago with my son and daughter’s contact details on my mobile and they are still listed as such in my current phone. But in recents years my phone is locked when not in use and my PIN is needed to access it.

I’ve gone back to old fashioned pen and paper now and have emergency numbers in my phone wallet.

I have taken a screenshot of my two ICE numbers and have that as my screensaver, so they don't need to unlock the phone

I think I read that tip from someone on Gransnet

HurdyGurdy there’s a very helpful and informative post further up this thread from LadyStardust. I had no idea till she explained it that the emergency button on the keypad leads to the ICE numbers without unlocking the phone.

There are issues about putting a Tracker on someone's phone without permission even if that person has some sort of cognitive impairment.

How do you get the ICE numbers if your phone isn't locked? I can't see an emergency button on mine. Sorry I'm not very techie.

If you’ve entered your emergency contacts under ICE that’s the search another person will do on your phone and find the numbers there. It was a revelation to me that could be accessed without unlocking the phone. But if you’ve already set up contact numbers and named them as ICE it will be easy for anyone to find them.