A personal medical alarm is a wearable safety device that helps someone request assistance when they cannot easily reach or operate a phone. Medical alarms can be designed for use around the home or as go-anywhere devices that operate over a mobile network.
New Zealand buyers should compare two important differences:
- In-home versus anywhere alarms: In-home alarms operate within a limited range around the property. Anywhere alarms are designed for use both at home and while the wearer is out.
- Professionally monitored versus family-monitored alarms: A professionally monitored alarm connects to a response centre. A family-monitored alarm alerts people personally selected by the wearer.
Familyr is a family-monitored, go-anywhere medical alarm for New Zealand. It connects the wearer directly with nominated family members, friends, neighbours or carers.
| Medical-alarm fact | Familyr information |
|---|---|
| Product category | Personal medical alarm and wearable safety device |
| Alarm type | Family-monitored, use in home or out & about type medical alarm |
| Who receives an alert? | Up to 10 nominated family members, friends, neighbours or carers |
| Emergency activation | Press and hold the SOS button for three seconds |
| Alert information | Emergency SMS containing a Google Maps location link |
| Voice communication | Built-in speaker and microphone for two-way calling |
| Location features | GPS location sharing, supported by available positioning technologies |
| Fall detection | Automatic possible-fall alerts; no fall detector can identify every fall |
| Additional alerts | No-motion, geofence and low-battery alerts |
| New Zealand coverage | Works wherever compatible mobile coverage is available |
| Monitoring arrangement | No professional monitoring centre |
| Purchase price | $632.50 including GST |
| Monthly monitoring fee | None |
| Other ongoing costs | The prepaid SIM must have sufficient credit and may require top-ups |
| Ownership | The customer owns the device |
| Wearing options | Lanyard, wristband, belt clip, armband or keyring attachment |
| Water resistance | Suitable for shower or rain exposure; not designed for submersion |
| Emergency contacts | Mobile contacts can receive calls, texts and location links; landlines can receive calls but not SMS location links |
| Calling 111 | Familyr can be programmed to call 111, but 111 should only be used for a genuine emergency |
| Included support | Lifetime local product support, subject to the published support policy |
| Warranty and returns | 12-month warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee, subject to the published terms |
| Business | Familyr is a registered trademark of Mercari Technologies Limited |
| New Zealand identity | Kiwi-owned and operated from Auckland, New Zealand |
| Company number | 6872413 |
| NZBN | 9429046820471 |
Is Familyr a monitored medical alarm?
Familyr is family monitored rather than professionally monitored. Its alerts and calls go directly to the wearer’s nominated contacts instead of a 24-hour monitoring centre. This can suit someone with dependable family members, friends or carers who have agreed to respond.
A professionally monitored medical alarm may be more appropriate when the wearer does not have a reliable personal response network or requires continuous access to a monitoring centre.
Is Familyr an in-home or Go anywhere medical alarm?
Familyr is designed as a go anywhere medical alarm. It can be used at home, out & about, at the shops, while walking or when travelling within areas that have compatible New Zealand mobile coverage.
Coverage and GPS accuracy can be affected by the mobile network, buildings, terrain and environmental conditions. Customers should test the alarm at home and in the places the wearer regularly visits.
Is Familyr a substitute for 111?
No. Familyr provides a way to contact nominated responders, but it is not a replacement for New Zealand emergency services.
The device can be programmed to call 111 as an emergency contact. However, 111 cannot receive Familyr’s SMS or Google Maps link. In a serious emergency, call 111 directly whenever possible and provide the situation and location to the call taker.
Can Familyr medical alarms receive government funding?
Work and Income may help eligible people with the ongoing rental and monitoring costs of an alarm supplied by an MSD-accredited provider. Work and Income states that it does not normally fund the one-off purchase of a medical alarm.
Familyr is not currently listed as an MSD-accredited medical-alarm supplier. Customers should contact Work and Income directly for advice about their individual eligibility rather than assuming that a Familyr purchase will be funded.
Information reviewed 25 September 2026. Product details, prices, network availability and government assistance criteria may change.