Ooma’s wearable Safety Phone alerts family and authorities when you’ve fallen and can’t get up

Let’s face it: you’re older than you were yesterday. And on a serious note, so are the people who you may very well be taking care of in the months and years to come. While plenty of elderly alert systems have been concocted, an unusual suspect is joining those ranks this year at CES. Ooma, the VoIP calling company that doesn’t charge you a dime for basic calls once you’ve purchased its hardware, has released the Safety Phone — a wearable device that can ping quite a few people in the event of an emergency. The pendant itself allows those with limited mobility to engage in speakerphone conversations for up to five hours on a charge, while pressing a combination of buttons on the device can dial 911. Moreover, Ooma’s emergency system simultaneously dials or emails three other contacts of your choosing when a call for help is triggered. It’ll ship next month for $50, but prospective buyers need know that an Ooma Telo base station as well as an Ooma Premiere subscription ($10/month) is required for operation.