Family sharing for elderly mother, emergency contact info

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Level 1

9 points

Family sharing for elderly mother, emergency contact info

I am considering getting an Apple Watch SE with cellular for my elderly mother, primarily for the fall detection and emergency contact features. I have several questions:

Can she ask Siri to call me or my sister, rather than having to navigate the contact list?
If I use my own iPhone to set up her watch through family sharing, would I be notified if the emergency system is activated? (I would assume so, but I have to ask!).
What would happen if I also got a watch for myself? Would there be any problem with having both her watch and mine tied to my iPhone? Would that affect whether I could be the emergency contact?
I want to remove or hide any apps that she doesn't absolutely need. Is that possible?

Apple Watch SE

Posted on Sep 3, 2022 1:58 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Zedairder

Level 4

1,405 points

Sep 3, 2022 4:20 PM in response to Grumblebear1

Hello Grumblebear1,

I would love to provide answers to your questions about Apple Watch.

Yes, the Apple Watch does have Siri. As long as she has you in your contacts, she can easily call you by saying “Hey Siri, call [person’s name]” Even if Hey Siri is not set up, you can hold down the Digital Crown for Siri.
If you set up the Apple Watch for her, it will not link it to your Apple ID, you will need to set up an Apple ID for her, and her to your Family. When you get it you will select her (If you haven’t set it up for her, you can do it then) and you can choose to import contacts, set up Cellular, etc. If you want to be notified if Emergency SOS is activated, set up her Medical ID in Settings > Health > Medical ID, then add yourself as an emergency contact. NOTE: IF EMERGENCY SOS IS ACTIVATED, A MESSAGE WILL BE SENT THAT INCLUDES THE LOCATION OF THE DEVICE.
If you set up a watch for yourself, it will not affect your mother’s one. Make sure to select Set Up for Myself, and you’re good! You will still be able to receive messages about Emergency SOS activation.
Yes, you can remove apps you don’t need (except system apps like Settings) unless this is restricted in Screen time, you can delete apps from your iPhone and that watch.

If you need any more help, do not hesitate to ask.

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Answer 2

Sep 3, 2022 5:44 PM in response to Grumblebear1

I looked at Watch for seemingly similar circumstances, and one concern that arose was the need to charge Watch daily, and then to wear Watch. Some folks can work that requirement into their daily routine, and others cannot.

Another concern that arose was simply being able to see and operate and understand Watch. The larger 42, 44, and 45 mm displays aren’t all that big. Apple Watch SE 3rd is available in 40 and 44 mm. And using Watch can get complicated, whether with buttons or voice commands. Emergency operations when you’re not thinking clearly—but haven’t fallen, for instance—might not be entirely straightforward.

A third concern that arose for one particular case was cellular coverage. If you have good cellular coverage, or always have robust Wi-Fi coverage, this is a non-issue. If coverage is marginal or unavailable in some or all of the usual areas, Watch can have difficulty connecting.

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