The SOS bracelet has been the go-to tool for remote care for decades. A panic button on the wrist, a call centre on the other end, a response within minutes. Sounds solid — but in practice, this model has serious limitations that more and more care organisations are starting to recognise.

The bracelet problem: nobody wears them

The most frequently cited study (University of Sheffield, 2008) found that up to 80% of seniors did not have their pendant or bracelet with them when they needed it. The reasons are remarkably mundane:

  • "I forgot to put it back on after my bath"
  • "It looks like something for a sick person — I'm embarrassed"
  • "It irritates my skin, so I take it off at night"
  • "I don't want the neighbours to see"

For institutions, this means a false sense of security. The bracelet sits in a drawer, but the report says "service user covered by telecare". An audit won't catch this — until an incident does.

What an app provides that a bracelet cannot

The difference isn't that one tool is "better". It's a fundamentally different care model:

Bracelet = reactive

The senior must press the button. If they can't (because they've fallen and can't reach it), or if the bracelet is in a drawer — nothing happens. No data. No signal.

App = proactive

Data is collected automatically — without any action from the senior. The system builds a picture of daily activity and flags deviations. The care worker sees:

Data SOS bracelet Mobile app
Manual alarm Yes (button) Yes (SOS button)
Daily activity None Yes (screen unlocks, calls, movement)
Social contacts None Yes (call frequency, duration)
Wellbeing None Yes (daily mood check)
Automatic alerts Only after button press On inactivity, pattern changes
Location Only premium models Yes (smartphone GPS)
Reporting List of incidents Dashboard with trends and history

Cost per service user

Institutions often compare device costs but forget operational costs:

SOS bracelet:

  • Device: GBP 150-400 one-off
  • Call centre subscription: GBP 30-60/month
  • Battery/device replacement: every 2-3 years
  • No daily activity data — additional check-in calls still needed = staff time

Mobile app:

  • Device: many seniors already have a smartphone (or a budget Android costs GBP 80-150)
  • Subscription: GBP 7-12/month
  • No additional hardware costs
  • Continuous data — fewer check-in calls, more time for meaningful support

At 50 service users, the difference can reach GBP 1,000-2,000 per month in favour of the app — with significantly richer data.

Can a senior manage a smartphone?

This is the most common question from care managers. The answer is shorter than you'd expect: the senior doesn't need to do anything.

After a one-time install and setup (5-10 minutes, done by staff), the app runs in the background. The senior uses their phone as usual — calling, answering, going out. The app observes these natural patterns.

The only interaction is an optional daily wellbeing check — large emoji buttons, once a day. But even without it, the system works — because it relies on objective phone data, not on the senior's self-reported answers.

GDPR documentation for institutions

For public bodies and regulated care providers, GDPR compliance isn't optional. Lovivo provides:

  • Data Processing Agreement (DPA) — compliant with Art. 28 GDPR
  • Privacy notice — for the service user to sign
  • Consent form — with explicit scope of data collected
  • Record of processing activities — ready Art. 30 entry
  • Incident response procedure — in case of a data breach

All documents are tailored to the care sector — no need to brief a solicitor from scratch.

When does a bracelet still make sense?

The bracelet wins in one scenario: the senior has no smartphone, doesn't want one, but is willing to wear a wrist device. This is increasingly rare — smartphone ownership among over-65s in the UK exceeded 80% in 2025 and continues to rise.

For the rest — and especially for institutions managing dozens of service users — the app delivers more data, lower costs, and real (not nominal) care coverage.

Considering a change in your telecare model? Book a demo — we'll show you the caregiver dashboard live and answer your GDPR questions.