Our Verdict
The water-resistant UnaliWear Kanega Watch is a medical alert device that provides automatic fall detection, 24/7 monitoring and emergency response assistance via voice activation, the press of a button or its easy-to-read screen. It also looks more like a digital watch than a medical alert device.
Key Features
- Uses Wi-Fi, cellular and GPS technology to stay connected to a certified monitoring center 24/7
- Wearer doesn’t need to remove the watch to shower or replace the device’s battery
- Wearer communicates via speech, a push button and easy-to-read white text on the watch’s black screen
UnaliWear, Inc. is the manufacturer of the Kanega Watch, a medical alert watch that offers 24/7 monitoring via a discreet wearable. “Unalii” is the Cherokee word for “friend” and “Kanega” means “speak,” so the product’s name translates to “friend that speaks to you,” according to the company’s website.
The Texas-based company was founded in April 2013 by CEO Jean Anne Booth, a serial entrepreneur and electrical engineer with 30 years of technology development experience. She retired after selling two other companies she founded, but she was inspired to rejoin the workforce to address problems faced by her mother, who was active but frail and wanted to age in place safely.
“[S]ome of the best stuff I think gets created because of the need, and needs are just not being met in silver tech,” says Booth, noting that none of the medical alert systems available in 2013 would have worked for her mother (the Apple Watch didn’t hit store shelves until April 2015). “The pendant is super stigmatizing. And the problem is even with a pendant, you take it off at night because of the threat of choking. Yet the number one cause of injury among older adults is falls—mostly in the bathroom and mostly at night,” explains Booth. “We realized we could build a watch that you could wear 24/7.”
UnaliWear Medical Alert Watch at a Glance
- Fall detection: The alarm is triggered if the wearer falls and does not move afterward. If they move after they fall, a quick push of the button or conversation with the emergency monitor via the watch’s speaker helps differentiate between a false alarm and a true emergency.
- 24/7 protection: UnaliWear provides 24/7 monitoring through a third-party monitoring company that’s Five Diamond certified by The Monitoring Association (TMA), meaning the monitoring center conforms to all industry standards.
- Money-back guarantee: All customers are eligible for a 30-day money-back guarantee. Returns completed after the initial 30-day period are provided a prorated service refund.
How It Works
The UnaliWear Kanega Watch is disguised discreetly as a digital wristwatch to avoid the potential stigma of wearing a medical alert device. It can interact with the wearer via voice, a push button and large white-on-black text on its screen. The watch is water-resistant, so users can wear it in the shower, although it’s not recommended for swimming. The watch comes with four rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which can be swapped in and out without taking off the watch.
When users first receive the watch, they provide UnaliWear with any relevant medical information.
The watch connects to the internet and an emergency response operator via Wi-Fi and runs exclusively on the Verizon 4G/5G cellular network nationwide. If an emergency occurs, (the user falls or calls for help), the watch’s GPS can help locate them. It also connects them to an emergency response operator in seconds.
UnaliWear’s emergency response center is a U.S.-based, third-party provider that’s Five Diamond certified by TMA, the monitoring industry’s highest standard. The operators have each customer’s provided medical information on hand to help determine what kind of help should be sent when they receive a call.
To start talking to the Kanega Watch, say, “Fred Astaire,” and give it a command.
Since no two people share identical falling patterns, the watch uses artificial intelligence (AI) to learn about each user’s movements. If the watch detects what might be a fall and the wearer tells the alert center that they didn’t fall, the AI learns to ignore similar movements of that user in the future.
The watch face includes a black screen with white text and comes in three accent colors: rose gold, champagne gold and black. Each watch strap is black no matter the accent color selected.
The Cost
UnaliWear offers two monitoring subscription options for the Kanega Watch: the annual plan and the monthly plan.
For the annual plan, users pay for device setup and 12 months of service upfront. Costs include a $199 one-time setup fee and$59.95 per month for ongoing monitoring and service. The total upfront cost is $918.40.
For the monthly plan, users pay for device setup and the first month of service upfront. Costs include a $299 one-time setup fee and$69.95 for one month of monitoring service, totaling $368.95 upfront.
The Kanega Watch also comes with a lifetime warranty and ships for free.
The Product
A fall detection device is only helpful when a person wears it. “In study after study, adherence with [emergency] pendants is 30%,” notes Booth.
Conversely, she shares that Kanega owners wear their watches. “We know that actually for a couple of years, on average, 86% of connected watch wearers are wearing their watch every single day,” she says. Booth attributes this successful wear to three factors: The watch isn’t stigmatizing, it’s designed to be worn all the time and it has other features that customers use consistently, such as a clock, calendar and medication reminders.
The Fine Print
Reliable fall detection can be a challenge, with many wearable devices reporting false alarms. The Kanega Watch needs to get to know the user before it can be sure what kind of falling patterns they exhibit. A new wearer may experience a number of false alarms in the first week as the watch gets to know them. “Two out of three falls don’t need help—it’s that third one that can be a doozy,” says Booth, adding that she doesn’t mind fielding false alarms, especially for new customers, because she doesn’t want to miss a real fall.
UnaliWear gathers data on every fall and false alarm to improve its fall detection algorithm. It’s able to categorize customers’ falls and then fine-tune detection for every individual. For example, some people who have lost core strength flop or plop into a chair every time they sit. The watch will ask those users if it’s detected a fall, and if they say no, UnaliWear modifies its algorithm to not count that type of movement as a dangerous fall in the future, explains Booth.
What Experts Say
“There are many evidenced-based programs, lifestyle interventions and technologies that can assist in decreasing older adult falls,” explains Linda Keilman, a gerontological nurse, associate professor at Michigan State University College of Nursing and Forbes Health Advisory Board member. “However, falls continue to have a detrimental impact on the lives of older adults in the U.S.” One out of four adults over 65 years old falls every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)[1].
Despite making changes to living environments, falls still occur at an alarming rate, says Keilman. “More needs to be done to decrease fall rates that have a significant impact on older adults and their quality of life,” she adds. She’s hopeful that the UnaliWear Kanega Watch could be part of the solution to bridge this gap.
The Experience
Better Business Bureau (BBB) reviewers give the UnaliWear Kanega Watch an average rating of 4.68 out of five stars. Many reviewers appreciate that it supports an active lifestyle for older adults, and others note excellent customer service from UnaliWear.
One reviewer wrote: “Can’t say enough about this watch and the customer service we have received. It has allowed my mother freedom to live alone without the constant worry of a fall going undetected. I would give them six stars if I could.”
A few reviewers complain about the watchband fit (noting specifically that the watchband and watch is too bulky for very thin wrists) and battery ports breaking. Two complain about UnaliWear’s refund policy (the company provides its refund in the form of a check).
Note that the Kanega Watch does feature Bluetooth connectivity, but at the time of writing, the device cannot pair with hearing aids or other health monitoring devices. The company is currently testing such capabilities.
Forbs article here: https://www.forbes.com/health/healthy-aging/unaliwear-review/
