​Health App on iPhone

~ Brian Bondy

​I’ve written before about smart watches and how I think they enhance the smartphone experience. I switched to to the iPhone from an Android for FaceTime. That was the only reason. I have grown to appreciate the iPhone well enough, but I think Android phones can be just as good. Same thing with smartwatches.
 
One of the features I appreciate about my Apple watch is the health app and what comes with it. Smart watch manufacturers are working hard to get more technology packed into these things. The newer smartwatches can read your heart rate, take your blood pressure and tell you your blood oxygen level. I know Apple is working on telling you your blood glucose level.
 
We were at the Monterey Aquarium recently with my mother and she tripped and fell somehow. When I got to her she was just trying to get up, but she fell pretty hard. He Apple watch had detected the fall and was beeping and asking if she fell. It offers a choice that you fell or didn’t fall. If you fell, it then asks if you need help. If you don’t respond, it will automatically place a 911 call.  IF you have set up emergency contacts, it will also notify them.
 
My mom was okay, though a bit banged up. I pressed that she had fallen, and then that she didn’t need emergency services. There was a very nice ER Doctor that happened to be there which was gratifying. The point is, the watch can be used for health emergencies, which is handy for our aging population at the very least. I’ve fallen a number of times and had my watch go off. I’ve not needed help but it could happen.
 
The iPhone has a Health app which should have some info put into it too. In an emergency, this information could be helpful. The app has basic personal info, height, weight, blood type, etc., but also it can have emergency contacts in case something happens. While trying to figure out how to add that to my mother’s phone, several days after her fall, I looked for some helpful websites.
 
A great page to get all the “how-to” info on this subject is HERE.