The importance of developing and maintaining healthy habits as you age cannot be overstated. Investing in the best fitness tracker for seniors will help to ensure you remain healthy and enjoy your later years.
I recommend the Withings Go; it’s incredibly easy to use, reliable and tells you everything you need to know at a glance.
I know it works; I bought one for my dad and not only did he manage to set it up by himself (and he’s not technically minded); but he also hasn’t stopped raving about it since!
Withings Go – The Winner
Standard Watch Size
Supports iOS & Android
Monitors running, walking, swimming & sleep
Automatic Exercise Tracker
Advantages
Very Simple To Use
One of the greatest things about the Withings Go is that it’s not trying to offer you a world of technology. It tracks your fitness without any fuss and it does it well.
The screen simply shows your exercise and some bars. All you need to do to get it working is to download the Withings health app via Android or iOS. You’ll then be given a set of commands allowing you to pair the fitness tracker with your phone.
It will then detect when you are exercising and start tracking it for you. It is worth noting that the range of exercises it tracks is limited.
But for senior people looking to do a little exercise its perfect; you don’t need to remember to turn it on or off; it just works.
Waterproof
This is a budget fitness tracker and yet it is waterproof to 50m; that’s better than most of its competitors!
Even if you’re not a fan of swimming you’ll appreciate the ability of this watch to work in all weathers.
Long Battery Life
The Withing Go has been equipped with a built-in button cell battery. This will give you 8 months of use without ever having to charge the battery. That’s fantastic!
After all, who needs something else to remember every evening? Having to charge a fitness tracker can often mean it’s not ready when you are.
Easy To Read Display
The display may be simple and unashamedly fitness based but it is very easy to read; regardless of whether you are in bright sunshine or not. This is due to the fact that it has an E ink display and not a standard watch face.
It should be noted that the display will allow you to see your daily step count and your time but for most data, you’ll need to connect to your app on your cell phone.
This may seem like an inconvenience but for many seniors it’s perfect; you can take your time to understand and compare your results.
Disadvantages
Can Underestimate Step Count
The Withings Go does not have GPS capability which isn‘t really an issue. But, this does mean that its distance or step counter is not as accurate as it could be.
On the plus side, it is better to underestimate your steps rather than overestimate them!
Sleep Tracker Not Accurate
The sleep tracker shows when you’re awake, in light sleep and in deep sleep. Unfortunately, many people have reported that the figures it produces are not accurate.
I’ve yet to double-check this fact but it is certainly something to be aware of.
No Heart Rate Monitor
Considering the price of this fitness tracker it is not surprising that there is no heart rate monitor; although still a little disappointing.
It makes it a great fitness tracker for seniors but not much use if you are really serious about fitness.
Fitbit Charge 2 – Runner Up
Records Steps, calories, distance, Heart And Sleep
Can Also Record Workouts
Links To iOS, Android With Free Access To Fitbit App
Automatic Exercise Tracker
Advantages
Large Display Screen
It’s great to see a large and easy to read display screen. In fact this screen is 4 times larger than the original Fitbit Charge.
You can adjust the brightness to suit your needs and retain excellent visibility even in bright sunshine. This is partly due to the fact that it is all in black and white.
For those with a diminished sight, you’ll still be able to see the information you need. For others, it means there is more information displayed to help you understand your progress.
Accurate
When tested against other fitness trackers the Charge 2 seems to be extremely accurate; despite not having GPS included.
The fact that it has automatic exercise detection means that it will start and stop as you do; helping you to get an accurate picture of what you’ve been doing without needing to remember to turn it on and off.
Subtle Motivator
There is an array of notifications you get through the day and the week as you reach the targets you’ve set. This is a great way to motivate you to do one ore workout.
It may not be a physical reward but that 5-day star still makes you feel pretty good!
Comfortable
The Charge 2 is exceptionally comfortable to wear. In fact, you’ll quickly forget it’s there. Combine this with the fact it is water-resistant and you’ll rarely need to take it off.
This is good news as every time you take it off you may be tempted not to put it back on, or you may simply forget. If you’re not wearing it then you won’t be reminded to work out!
Disadvantages
5 Day Battery Life
5-day battery life may seem pretty impressive but that means you need to take it off and remember to charge it regularly.
When you compare this to the Withings Go you can see how much better it is to be able to just leave the fitness tracker on; especially if you’re likely to forget to put it back on.
No GPS
You can access GPS through the app connecting your fitness tracker and your cell phone. Unfortunately, this ruins the simplicity of using the Fitbit Charge 2 and means that you need to carry your phone with you as well.
This is a shame in what is otherwise a very promising fitness tracker.
Gesture Recognition Not Very Accurate
Part of the point of automatically recognizing that you are exercising is that you don’t need to do anything to record your movements.
Unfortunately, the Charge 2 is not brilliant at recognizing these movements; which could result in your exercising and it not being recorded.
This will be extremely frustrating!
Limited Notifications
If you’re interested in syncing your fitness tracker to your phone then this is not the one for you. It can connect and give you caller ID, messages, and calendar reminders; but that’s it.
Garmin Vivofit – A Great Alternative
Always On Display
AMOED Touch Screen
Connects To Heart Rate Monitor
Tracks Wide Range of Movements
Advantages
Water-Resistant
The Vivofit is waterproof to 50m; that’s the same as the Withings Go and enough to ensure you don’t need to take it off; even if you’re swimming for exercise.
This makes it exceptionally practical and more likely to be with you when you need it.
Personalized Goals
You can create your own goals on the connected Garmin app and then see them on your fitness tracker. The Vivofit should handle your data for a month but you can also send this to your phone or tablet via the Garmin app.
This allows you to track your progress and build new plans to improve your fitness levels. The Vivofit will also increase your daily step count every time you hit your target.
The Vivofit also features a red line that appears once you have been inactive for an hour; motivating you to move again.
Long Battery Life
The battery lasts for a whole year; that’s impressive by any standards. You won’t need to remember to charge it or do anything. Just like the Withings Go it can be put on and left on to do its thing.
Disadvantages
Difficult to Read
The large LED screen is actually really easy to read; unless you want to see it as the light starts to drop. Gamin has not fitted this fitness tracker with a backlight. You will not be able to see the time or how you are progressing in low light.
That’s disappointing for such a quality product.
Syncing Issues
There have been several reports suggesting the Vivofit struggles to connect to your app. As this is where you can personalize your tracker and set up new plans it’s quite important it work properly!
Lack Of Notifications
You are probably used to devices buzzing when they have something to tell you. It may be to remind you to move or to take your medicine or even that important call.
Unfortunately, the Vivofit is lacking in this area. It has no vibrations to alert you to what it is trying to tell you!
Best fitness tracker for seniors
The Best Fitness Tracker For Seniors Summed Up
There is no doubt that the Withings Go is the best fitness tracker for seniors. It offers all the basic functionality you could need on a day to day basis and needs no interaction from you.
This makes it perfect for many younger people as well as seniors; it offers convenience and usability without any hassles. That’s important in the hectic modern world.
In addition, the menus and functions are easy to access and the information is clearly displayed. You will find it beneficial; I know my dad has!
