Walking is a great exercise for people of all ages, but it’s especially important for seniors. Having a little gadget that monitors our progress and cheers us to do more is wonderful.
As we age, our vision becomes less sharp and we need simpler devices. We also need to know a bit more about our body’s response to physical activity. A good smartwatch activity tracker offers all that and more.
This is a round-up of the top activity trackers that fit the bill. Read on to find out what we picked as the best easy to use pedometer watch for elderly people.
In a Hurry? Here are our finest picks:
Image | Title | Price | Buy |
---|---|---|---|
Top Top | runme Fitness Tracker with Heart Rate Monitor, Activity Tracker Smart Watch with Sleep Monitor, IP67 Water Resistant Walking Pedometer with Call/SMS Remind for iOS/Android (Black+Purple) | Buy Now | |
Top Top | Lintelek Fitness Tracker - Sport Pedometer Odometers Color Screen Watch with Heart Rate Blood Pressure Oxygen Monitor, Step and Calorie Counter IP67 Smart Bracelet Gift for Kids Women and Men (Black) | Buy Now | |
Top Top Top | Smart Watch for Android and iOS Phone 2019 Version IP68 Waterproof,YAMAY Fitness Tracker Watch with Pedometer Heart Rate Monitor Sleep Tracker,Smartwatch Compatible with iPhone Samsung | Buy Now | |
Top Top | Mgaolo Fitness Tracker Smart Watch,Activity Health Tracker Waterproof Fit Band with Blood Pressure Heart Rate Bit Sleep Monitor Pedometer Step Calorie Counter for Fitbit Android and iPhone (Blue) | Buy Now | |
Top Top | LETSCOM Fitness Tracker with Heart Rate Monitor, Slim Sports Activity Tracker Watch, IP67 Pedometer Watch with Sleep Monitor, Step Tracker for Kids, Women, and Men | Buy Now |
YAMAY Fitness Tracker
- ★【 Fitness Watches for Men Women Kids】- If you live an active lifestyle and want to refine your training or you are a newbie and want to get active,or if you want an accurate waterproof tracker that adds a ton of smart watch features and has great battery (7-10 days),yamay 020 is right one to help you stay motivated and stay healthy
- ★【 IP68 Waterproof Fitness Tracker】- Yamay 020 is ip68 water-resistant,you can wear it when swimming.High sensitive large HD color screen make it easy to operate and give you clear insights to the display.There is 4 stylish clock faces for you to choose from
- ★【 Accurate Activity Tracker】- Automatically track your all-day steps,calories,24/7 heart rate,sleep stages;Use 14 exercise modes like Run or bicycle to record workouts and connect to smartphone GPS for more precise real-time pace & distance.This special sport modes give you even more detailed insights into your most frequent activities
- ★【Smart watch for iPhone and Android Phone】- Compatible with most iOS 8.0 & Android 4.4 above smartphones to get call, text, calendar and smartphone app notifications when your phone is nearby.The watch is slim with a lightweight,anodized aluminum watch body and soft breathable band,very comfortable when wearing
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
This smart device will track pretty much all your active and rest parameters. The display is easy to read, it has an extra-long 10-day battery life, and you can take it to the pool when you swim. It also looks quite professional, so you can take it to work as well.
YAMAY fitness tracker records the steps you walk each day, the distance you covered, how many calories you burned, and how active or sedentary you were. It also registers your heart rate during intense activity and compares it to your resting heart rate.
It comes in a limited assortment of colors, but they cover the basic conservative and outgoing styles. You can also choose from four display formats.
You can program this watch with fitness goals and compare notes with other friends or family members. This high connectivity feature can facilitate staying on track. It might also boost your social life.
This tracker has some extra features we don’t see that often. It has a ‘breath guide’ which is a good performance indicator associated with physical activity. It also offers a females health register together with appropriate reminders.
Things We Like
- It has a full touch screen
- The brightness level is adjustable
- Its highly readable display
- It’s a waterproof smart pedometer
- It tracks multiple activity parameters
- It connects to the GPS for extra safety
- The extra-long operating time per charge
- It gives notifications for calls, messages, and social media alerts
- It has a connectivity option via Bluetooth
Things We Don’t
- It’s a bit pricey
Final Verdict
This thoughtful tracker includes a built-in flashlight, a do not disturb feature, and a persistent alarm that uses vibration to get your attention.
LETSCOM Sports Activity Tracker Watch
- Activity Tracking All Day and Night: All-day activity tracking counts heart rate, steps, calories and intensity minutes when you are moving, records sleep data when you are sleeping
- Smart Connectivity: Get call and message notifications from your phone right on your wrist with a glance
- Extra Features: Reminders to move, silent vibrating alarms, remote camera control, target setting and more
- Premium Design: Slim and lightweight body with 0. 86 OLED screen, wrist sense design, cable-free charging with built-in USB plug, and long battery life; all to make your life easier
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
This is a simple, lightweight activity tracker. It offers more than just step counting. You can set a target and expect your watch to remind you that you need to get up and make it happen!
Sleep quality is just as important as daytime activities. That’s why this watch will record your nighttime data.
It’s not an extensive sleep lab report. Just a summary that lets you understand why you woke up cranky the other day, and what you need to do to get up cheery like today.
You can connect your tracker to a mobile app to get more data. It’s not necessary though; the watch works fine independently.
Things We Like
- It has a target setting feature for motivation
- It has an efficient notification system of calls and messages
- It monitors sleep patterns and daytime activities
- It comes in 5 different colors
- It doesn’t need a smartphone to track activity
- It has a built-in USB connection
- Long operating time per charge
Things We Don’t
- It has to be taken apart for charging
- It’s water-resistant but not waterproof
- The display could be hard to read in bright light
Final Verdict
LETSCOM Tracker is a practical smartwatch that monitors your lifestyle and motivates you to do more. It’s also visually pleasing and that’s always a plus.
Mgaolo Fitness Tracker Smart Watch
- 【Multiple Function】Female physiological period reminder,24 hour continuous Heart rate and Blood pressure monitor,Sleep monitor,Pedometer,Calorie counter,Step counter,Bluetooth Phone call reminder,Callers name display,Caller ID display,Reject answer the phone,Call & SMS message notification,Health tracker,Sedentary reminder,Remote Camera,Alarm,Countdown,Stopwatch.
- 【All-day Activity Tracking】Record all-day activities like steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes and sleep quality, you can get the completely report in the APP.
- 【Longer Battery Life & Compatibility】Full charge requires only about 1 hour and the standby time can be 5-7 days.App supports smart phones with Bluetooth 4.0 or above(not for tablet).Support system:iPhone (not for iPad) iOS 8.0 above,Android 4.4 above(Samsung LG HTC Huawei etc).
- 【Match Your Style Code】Multiple band color selections with adjustable anti-lost straps, suitable for wrists from 4.6 to 9 inches. The easy-to-read bright and colorful LCD display fits your style code in every season.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Senior citizens sometimes need extensive monitoring of their vital signs. This becomes more important when they’re out exercising.
The Mgaolo smartwatch is a powerful activity tracker that also monitors heart rate and blood pressure. It counts your steps, total calories, mileage, and logs your exact path.
It’s highly programmable and adaptable to your fitness needs. You can set gradual targets and watch your progress. You can also see how this reflects on your sleep patterns and vital signs.
This watch is fully waterproof, so there’s no trouble at all in taking it into the shower. You can also use it to track your swimming or hydro gymnastics.
Mgaolo is a company that stands by its products so you’ll have a 60-day refund period, a lifetime warranty, and round-the-clock tech support.
Things We Like
- The display is colored and easy to read
- It can work for up to 7 days per charge
- It measures blood pressure in addition to other parameters
- It records sleep data and summarizes sleep patterns
- USB charging in less than 1 hour
- It’s a fully waterproof device
- It’s slim and lightweight
- The large assortment of colors
Things We Don’t
- It’s a bit difficult to adjust
- The tracking app works with smartphones only
- The app might not work properly with some phone brands
Final Verdict
This smartwatch is great for elderly people. It has a clear display, it’s sturdy, waterproof, and it’s adept at monitoring activity data that really matter.
Runme Fitness Tracker
- 24 HOURS ACTIVITY TRACKING: Check your heart rate, steps, calories, walking distance and exercise time at any time you want. Vibration awake clock, mindfulness training, specific sports modes, sedentary alert, calls& SNS notifications and sleep monitor help to manage your life healthier.
- DAILY SLEEP MONITOR: Use with the VeryfitPro app, to check your daily, weekly and monthly sleep report. Analyze your sleeping condition- awake time, light sleep, deep sleep, combine with reasonable exercise and food consumption, gradually improve your sleep condition.
- 14 SPORTS MODES & GPS ROUTINE MAP: Choose a sports mode for more accurate measures and reports about the heart rate changes and calories consumption.7 sports modes could be shown on the fitness tracker, choose the top 7 sports modes you want from the 14 options in the APP. Through the smartphone GPS, the app could draw a map of your running routine.
- CALL & SNS NOTIFICATIONS: After connecting to your smartphone, ID107HR Plus could give you vibration notification of calls, messages, SNS notifications when you are not available to use the phone. Please make sure the distance between the watch and your phone is not above than 7 meters.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
This fitness tracker covers up the basics and adds a couple of interesting features: a weather forecast and a Yoga monitor.
Serious walkers are usually concerned about having their plans canceled on account of a rainy day. The weather feature can be a quick and easy check before leaving the house.
The Yoga monitor is one of 14 sport-trackers. It’s an option that keeps a detailed register in any one of these sports the way it counts your steps.
This way you can measure your achievement in numbers and plan your fitness goals accordingly. Reading these progress reports at the end of each day is a brilliant way to stay motivated and well prepared for the next morning.
The other great feature of this tracker is the large clear display. It’s easy to read even with impaired vision or under difficult lighting conditions. When the light is too bright or too dim, digital displays are often hard to see, but this shouldn’t be a problem with the Runme tracker.
Things We Like
- The high readability of the display
- The real-Time GPS tracking for extra safety
- It provides multiple parameter monitoring
- The weather forecast feature
- The Sleep quality monitoring and summary report
- Its specific sport monitoring for 14 workouts
- It includes a Yoga tracking option
- The message alerts from various social media platforms
- Its budget-friendly price
- It has a 1-year warranty
Things We Don’t
- It’s only water-resistant not waterproof
- It doesn’t work with some smartphone brands
- It has limited compatibility with some operating systems
- It comes in two color varieties
Final Verdict
This pedometer smartwatch is an efficient tracker with some interesting features. It’s a budget-friendly choice with highly dependable performance.
Lintelek Fitness Tracker Color Screen Watch
- 【Heart Rate Monitor & Sleep Monitor】 This fitness tracker can automatically and continuously monitor your heart rate for 24 hours. You can view the heart rate graph for the whole day in the app. Intelligent detection of your sleep quality helps you to get better sleep.
- 【Measure the Blood Oxygen and Blood Pressure】This Fitness bracelet can measure your blood pressure and blood oxygen, which can help you to know your body changes at any time. NOTE the data cannot be used as a medical-grade test.
- 【Multifunction Smart Watch】 Continuous Sleep and Heart Rate Monitor, Blood Oxygen and Blood Pressure Measure, Pedometer, Multi-Sport Modes (Walking, Running, Cycling), Mileage, Calorie Counter, Smart Notification, Remote Camera, Sedentary Reminder, etc.
- 【The Lastest Color Screen】 Adopt a new 0.96 color screen design, give you a new visual experience. With its gorgeous design, it looks fantastic on your wrist. The tracker watch is perfect for women, men, and kids.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The Lintelek tracker is one step ahead of the pack with the blood pressure and oxygen content monitoring features.
It counts your steps, mileage, and burned calories. It also monitors your heart rate, sleep patterns, and on top of that a couple more essential parameters.
Blood pressure and oxygen content are good to know for all of us, but they become essential for the elderly. It can signal a need for a doctor visit or a cause for celebration as the figures show improvement.
Watching progress in all of these categories is a certain motivator to keep going. It’s often a reason to set more ambitious fitness goals.
Things We Like
- It monitors sleep patterns
- It has GPS connectivity for extra safety
- It has a ‘sedentary reminder’ for more motivation
- The tracker indicates incoming calls and messages
- It’s nicely compatible with various devices
- It’s moderately priced
- It has a one year warranty and reliable tech support
Things We Don’t
- It’s barely water resistant
- You can’t wear it inside the shower or the pool
Final Verdict
The Lintelek is a moderately priced smart tracker with extensive monitoring. It comes in several different colors and should look great on both genders.
Why Should Elderly People Track Their Steps?
Doing any form of regular exercise is essential at any age. Children need to move, school kids do better academically when they run around each day, adults are happier when they exercise, and elderly people have to stay mobile for their general wellbeing.
You might be wondering, so why do we need to count our steps? The answer is simple: to make it a habit.
Many of our activities become daily habits. This happens only when they become super familiar to us. We know where the coffee is, which mug we like to use, how much sugar we take, how much milk, and when exactly the temperature is right for the first sip.
Step tracking is just like that. A familiarization process you can gradually turn into a habit.
We can also modify what we can quantify. If you walk 100 steps for the first week and 200 in the second, you know you’ve improved. You can dream about more ambitious goals and plan to make them happen.
You’d know exactly when your dreams become a reality. And you’d have good reason to celebrate, and maybe set new goals.
Walking a specific number of steps each day can also be a shared experience with friends. You can walk together, or exchange notes about your individual progress. Working out within a small group helps in sticking to fitness plans.
What’s So Special About Walking?
Interestingly, there’s a device dedicated to counting our daily walking steps. Here are some of the reasons why walking ranks high among popular sports.
It’s Effective
Walking looks like a mild activity if you compare it with weight lifting or water polo. Yet, it’s an effective exercise, especially when it’s done regularly.
It’s Accessible
Elderly people often have limited choices for physical activity. Sometimes they pass it up altogether if it looks like a hassle. Walking is an easy and accessible activity. It’s optimal for so many people, young and old.
It Improves General Fitness
Walking improves overall health. The whole body gets a good stretching when you walk. You take in significant amounts of oxygen, and your heart pumps more blood than it does if you’re sedentary.
This refreshes your systems and stimulates your body to be up to the task and rebuild itself. Your muscles, bones, lungs, and immune system respond promptly by becoming better.
You’ll move with evident flexibility, breathe easily when you climb up the stairs and get fewer colds. Even your hair and skin will show a healthy glow.
It’s a Low-Risk Sport
Walking gets the heart rate going gradually. It’s easy on the joints, and it’s unusual for anyone to break a limb just by strolling.
It’s not a high-intensity sport that pushes the limits of the body. Above 45 years of age, taking things slow is wise. Some people are super athletic and they can do cross fit, but the rest of us should take it easy.
It’s Good for Brain Activity
Regular Walking is associated with good mental health. It helps with cognitive functions, problem-solving, decision-making abilities, memory, and even fine motor skills.
Taking a stroll is also quite effective in calming your brain. It’s a well-known elixir for regaining focus and clear thinking. We’re pretty sure you can relate to that.
It’s an Emotional Stabilizer
Getting worked up is easily remedied by working out. We can punch a sandbag and do laps in the swimming pool in our twenties, but in our sixties, walking is a great way to blow off extra steam.
We don’t have to be angry or stressed to walk. A morning stroll for half an hour is a great start for the day. We become more tolerant, cheerful, and enthusiastic after 500 steps on the pedometer.
Emotional wellbeing is associated with regular exercise. A daily walk is all that’s needed.
It’s a Social Activity
Walking with a friend or a group with shared fitness plans makes for an awesome social activity. A digital alternative is also possible, where you share your daily achievements with an online community.
Both options are great and build strong bonds with others. Communities are essential for a balanced life, and walking together is a wonderful way of belonging to one.
How to Choose the Best Pedometer Watch for the Elderly?
These are some features that make a pedometer suitable for the elderly. There are other personal styling factors that you should also consider.
Readable Display
This is the most important feature by far. Vision acuity starts decreasing around the age of 40. Each passing year deepens that effect. At some point, corrective eyeglasses won’t help if the writing is small.
Many senior citizens are hesitant to use digital devices because the font is hard to read. That’s why a clear display is more essential than any other feature.
Usable Data
Some devices offer a bunch of data points and trends. Frequently, we notice that this information is useless to the average user.
Good pedometer watches should present the specific step count logs clearly. Any additional data needs to be given on demand, and it shouldn’t push the price upwards too much.
Monitoring heart rate, burned calories, and covered distance is more than the basic requirement. They’re relevant parameters though, and they’re good to know.
Sleep patterns and weather forecasts seem to be pushing things a little. Extra data might be beneficial to some users and a redundant entity to others. We can thus leave this feature to personal preference.
Device Connectivity
Most of these smartwatches are connected to smartphones. They could pair up via Bluetooth or more generally through WIFI.
Often there’s a mobile app that facilitates presenting all the collected data. The app can also be used to personalize the smartwatch.
Some devices have limited compatibility with smartphones or particular operating systems. This point should be checked thoroughly before buying a smartwatch. It could limit its functions to only the ones on the watch.
A fully connected smartwatch will also receive messages from various social media platforms. It can also adjust the camera functions remotely.
High connectivity in any device is always a cybersecurity issue. You should be careful what kind of data is being uploaded, and where it’ll ultimately be stored.
Ease of Use
There’s a common misconception that older people can’t use technology well. This isn’t true as we often see with tech-savvy seniors.
Many of them have a highly sophisticated background and they have seen the development of the digital era since its beginnings. That’s why they understand it so well.
Ease of use remains a welcome feature for any user who wants to use a complicated device they can’t adjust or understand.
The main thing that needs adjustment is setting fitness goals. This along with the sedentary alarm transform the pedometer from a tracker to a motivator. But first, they should be easy to set.
Water Resistance
All-day activity trackers are best worn throughout all the day’s activities. Including showering or doing hydro gymnastics.
Some smart trackers are fully waterproof and you can easily swim with them. They can also monitor your vital signs while you’re in the pool. This is a good feature if swimming is an integral part of your daily activities.
Aesthetics
Digital devices generally rely on their good looks as much as their performance. If you’re going to wear that said device, then it might as well be easy on the eye.
Some tracker models realized that, and they put a lot of effort to come up with elegant sleek designs. Most smartwatches come in various colors to suit every taste and wardrobe.
Take your time in picking a tracker that complements your style. We’re actually happier when we dress well.
FAQs
Q: Is the GPS feature essential?
A: Elderly people are more prone to losing their sense of direction. In some special cases like people with early dementia, there might be an increased risk of forgetting where exactly they are.
If someone can monitor their walking path remotely from a smartphone, that should offer a bit more security.
A family member or a friend could intervene if necessary to make sure the morning walk remains a pleasant affair.
Q: Can I use the heart rate and blood pressure summary as a medical document?
A: Smart trackers offer this data more as insights than accurate clinical reports. It’s just the tech making us more aware of our general fitness and how we progress.
It’s not intended as a substitute for a more detailed and accurate medical check-up.
Q: What’s the difference between these trackers and the bigger brand fitness trackers?
A: Apple, Samsung, and other big brands have amazing fitness trackers. They have a bunch of awesome features, but they’re usually several orders of digits higher in price.
They’re also a bit much for a simple step tracking requirement. They could be a better fit if a user has known health problems and needs closer and more accurate vital signs monitoring.
For the current application, the listed activity tracking watches are pretty good.
Q: Are these watches a cybersecurity issue?
A: Anything digital has cybersecurity issues. Medical data is generally considered confidential and patient privacy is always a priority in clinical settings.
Trackers aren’t generally subject to data theft, and monitoring general parameters shouldn’t be a big deal. If it’s a concern, you can opt for stand-alone pedometers. These are step counters with no digital connectivity or app downloads.
Our Top Picks
We actually like all of the reviewed smart trackers! They’re all awesome and each one can be effectively used as a pedometer watch for elderly people.
Our top spot goes to YAMAY Fitness Tracker. It looks professional, stylish, and gets straight to the point.
It has plenty to offer and it keeps all the essential data under control. The display is easy on the eye, and it has all the monitoring and motivational features of a good tracker.
It has a touch screen for easy adjustment, it doesn’t need frequent charging, and it’s a waterproof device. You also get all the benefits of staying connected even when you’re out plus the GPS tracking which is great for seniors.
The Lintelek Fitness Tracker Color Screen Watch is a good alternative. It’s a budget-friendly tracker with a comprehensive range of monitored data. It’ll count your steps and mileage plus your daily sleep quality, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen content, and a host of other parameters.