NHA Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about NHA medical alarms, fall detectors and monitoring options.
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How do NHA medical alarms work?
General Questions
What is a Personal / Medical Alarm?
A personal or medical alarm is a wearable safety device that allows the user — or the device itself — to call for help in an emergency. At NHA we offer a full range of styles to suit every lifestyle and need:
- Pendant — worn around the neck on a lanyard, in a wristband or in a belt clip. Discreet, lightweight and the most popular choice for seniors and people with disability.
- Watch — worn on the wrist like a regular watch or smartwatch. Our NHA Medical Watch Slimline is Australia's smallest medical alarm watch, with a range of coloured straps.
- Brooch — clips to clothing on the chest. A great alternative for those who don't like wearing things around their neck or wrist.
- Belt clip / pouch — attaches to a belt or waistband. Popular for workers and active users.
- Home-based systems — a fixed hub that connects to your NBN, WiFi or 4G SIM. The hub has a large range (up to 800m) and works with waterproof pendant and wall buttons throughout the home. Ideal for residential homes, retirement villages, hospitals or commercial premises.
Our devices can be fully customised for different industries including Lone Worker, Wanderer (Dementia), Retirement Village and Domestic Violence use. Please enquire with our team.
Who are personal and medical alarms designed for?
NHA alarms are used across a wide range of situations and industries. We engineer different firmware for different uses, so the device is tailored to the user — not just a generic off-the-shelf product. Common users include:
- Seniors — independent living support at home and on the go, with fall detection and GPS
- People with disability (NDIS) — duress and safety alarms funded through NDIS plans
- Lone workers — workers in isolated or high-risk environments who need a duress or check-in device
- Dementia / wanderers — GPS tracking and geofencing to locate and protect vulnerable users
- Domestic violence — discreet SOS devices for personal safety
- Retirement villages & aged care — facility-wide systems with wall buttons, hub and pendant integration
- Medical professionals & hospitals — staff duress and patient safety systems
I saw another company with their name/logo on the same device — is it genuine?
As a National Distributor, we offer customised logo/branding to our wholesale customers. These resellers offer their own firmware and support. They are well-vetted, established companies with experience in the industry. If you have any concerns about their authenticity, please contact our team.
If you would like to become a wholesaler, or need customised branding for your company's worker use, please enquire with us. In saying that, some models are a generic case with custom built internal components. The benefit of purchasing from NHA is knowing we don't cut corners, we use the best internal components available. We also customise our firmware in Australia and are one of the only companies to do this on shore.
Is it available through NDIS or a Home Care Package?
Yes — NHA alarms are available to NDIS participants and Home Care Package recipients. If you have funding through either program, we can help you purchase your alarm and arrange a letter of recommendation from a nurse or occupational therapist if required. Assistive technology is a very important part of NDIS participants lives and we do our best to ensure they have appropriate devices.
Please call our team on 1800 963 000 or request a quote/invoice and we can assist you through the process.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes, payment plans are available. Please call our team on 1800 963 000 to discuss the options that suit your situation.
Costs & Ongoing Fees
What are the costs involved? Are there ongoing fees?
The only ongoing cost is the SIM card for calls and messages. There are two options:
- Self-Monitored (Calls your contacts) — Our NHA on Telstra service costs $90 and NHA on Optus is $110 per year for pendants and watches for unlimited emergency use (fair use policy applies). Home-based systems may be more — please enquire for the latest price. We recommend this service as you know the device will always work when needed, and it costs significantly less than a regular retail SIM. However, you can use your own Telstra or Optus SIM card if you choose. Please note - NHA PRO is $125 a year, regardless of network.
- Medical Monitoring — We also offer connection to our 24/7 professional Medical Monitoring Centre at approximately $35–$45 per month (device dependent).
The first 12 months of emergency calls and texts are included free on all new alarms.
Do I need to add credit or top up the SIM card?
No — we recommend using the NHA on Telstra or Optus service. This is free for the first year and includes all emergency use (fair use policy applies). In future years it is $90–$125 (device dependent) per year to renew. This is the best option so you never have to worry about checking credit.
Alternatively, we allow customers to use their own SIM card. This suits high-use customers or those on corporate plans.
Specifications & Features
Device specifications — size, weight and waterproofing
Below is a visual comparison of our personal alarm range. For detailed specs on a specific device, please call our team or visit the individual product pages.
- NHA Medical Watch Slimline — Weight: 28g, Width: 37mm, Depth: 12mm, Length: 45mm. Rated IP67 (waterproof in fresh water).
- NHA Medical Watch Pro — Weight: 37g, Width: 45mm, Depth: 17mm, Length: 57mm. Rated IP67 (waterproof in fresh water).
- NHA Personal Medical Watch — Weight: 42g, Width: 32mm, Depth: 15mm, Length: 48mm. Rated IP67 (waterproof in fresh water).
- NHA Life Alarm — Weight: 56g, Width: 42mm, Depth: 19mm, Length: 68mm. Rated IP67 (waterproof in fresh water).
- All devices — waterproof rated IP67 as standard, suitable for showering. Not recommended for pool or ocean without a watertight bag.
What wearing styles and customisation options are available?
NHA alarms come in a range of wearing styles so you can choose what suits your lifestyle:
- NHA Slimline (Medical Watch) — 15 interchangeable strap colours to choose from. Also comes with a brooch attachment (clips to clothing) and a lanyard/pendant attachment — making it a true 3-in-1 device. Straps available in magnetic or leather styles.
- NHA Personal Medical Watch — available in a range of colours with magnetic or leather strap options.
- NHA Life Alarm (Pendant) — worn as a pendant on a lanyard, wristband or with a belt clip attachment for workers or active users. Available in multiple colours.
- NHA Emergency Alarm — pendant style with lanyard or in belt clip. Black with red button or NEW Stealth Black (All Black Model).
- Home-based systems (NHA PRO / Smart Link) — fixed hub with waterproof pendant and wall button accessories. Designed for in-home or facility use.
Not sure which style suits you best? Call our team on 1800 963 000 and we can walk you through the options.
Do they come in different colours?
Yes! We love offering users the option to match their personality, uniforms or vision requirements. We currently have different colours across all our devices — please ask our team for more information.
Can you talk and listen through the device?
Yes — consider the pendant or watch as a mini phone with SOS button and automatic fall detector. It has a speaker, microphone and SIM card, so it's connected to the mobile network and can be used like a phone. Once connected to your pre-programmed contacts, it functions like a phone on loudspeaker — no need to hold it to your ear.
Can a vision-impaired person use the alarm?
Yes. The SOS button on all our pendants has three braille-style dots on it, it also has vibrating haptic feedback so they can feel when its pressed and the fall detector is automatic.
The Life Alarm, Emergency Alarm and Slimline Watch also include voice prompts, which talk the user through the emergency and tell them how to cancel it. They also let the user know when the battery is low or device is turning off. When pressed, the devices vibrate and beep 10 times, playing the voice prompt message while it starts calling contacts on loudspeaker. - meaning the user can hear the SOS button or press it without needing to see the screen.
The charging dock uses wireless connections with a strong magnet — you can place it above the dock and it pulls itself into the correct position, perfect for vision-impaired users.
The Life Alarm, Emergency Alarm and Slimline Watch also include voice prompts, which talk the user through the emergency and tell them how to cancel it. They also let the user know when the battery is low or device is turning off. When pressed, the devices vibrate and beep 10 times, playing the voice prompt message while it starts calling contacts on loudspeaker. - meaning the user can hear the SOS button or press it without needing to see the screen.
The charging dock uses wireless connections with a strong magnet — you can place it above the dock and it pulls itself into the correct position, perfect for vision-impaired users.
Can a hearing-impaired person use the device?
Yes. The screen displays a large and clear "SOS" when the button is pressed or "FALL" when a fall is detected, and the device also vibrates. For those with some hearing, call volume can be increased using the side buttons.
Regardless of call volume, the user can be assured that contacts have been notified and GPS location sent via text message as a Google Maps link — giving contacts peace of mind even if verbal communication isn't possible.
Can you change the contact numbers?
Yes — contact numbers can be changed easily through sending a text message to the device from a mobile. The simple code is in the user guide and easy to do. Alternatively, our team can do it remotely, free of charge.
Example text message format: A1,0400111222,John Smith
Our technicians and support team are available during business hours for the life of the product.
Does it have false alarms? How do I cancel one?
You don't need to worry about false alarms. If you accidentally press SOS or drop a pendant, it will start beeping for 10 seconds — this is your cancellation window. Simply press the SOS button again to cancel. The device will stop beeping, show "CANCELLED" on screen and will not notify your contacts. Watches also show an on-screen option to cancel.
This cancellation feature is unique to our firmware. Reseller devices may function differently.
What if my contact's phone goes to voicemail?
Our engineers have this covered. Our pendants and watches first send an SMS text message to the first 4 contacts, including GPS location and type of emergency. The device then cycles through up to 8 contacts. When a contact answers, they are played a message 3 times telling them to press 1 on their keypad to accept the call.
If they don't press 1 within 30 seconds (including voicemail), it moves on to the next contact. This means voicemail will never block an emergency call from progressing.
Can the device call individual contacts (not just in an emergency)?
Yes — you can call all 8 contacts individually using the side buttons on pendants and watches. You are not limited to the emergency procedure.
Usage charges apply for regular calls. We recommend a higher plan or your own Telstra or Optus SIM if you plan to use it regularly as a mobile phone.
Can contacts call in to the device to speak to the user?
Yes — contacts can call anytime to speak to the user on loudspeaker. By default, the device answers automatically after 3 rings, and only the 8 programmed contacts can call in.
We can change this remotely to require the user to press a side button to accept a call. We can also open it so any number can call in — great for workers or using the device as a regular phone.
Can it be worn in the shower?
Yes — all devices are rated IP67, which means they can handle temporary submersion in fresh water. You can shower with them. They are not recommended for swimming pools or the ocean unless placed in an appropriate watertight bag.
- You can wash the device in fresh water — we recommend wiping with a wet cloth then drying
- Wearing in the rain will not affect the device
- We always recommend drying when possible
What is the battery life and how do I charge it?
Battery life varies by device. Some alarms will give an audible warning when the battery is low and needs charging. Please see individual device pages to check battery life and charging methods.Som devices have a charging dock which is an open cradle with wireless connections and a strong magnet — place it above the dock and it pulls itself into the correct position.
How It Works
How does the fall detector work? Can I turn it off?
The fall detector uses adjustable sensitivity settings, detecting the angle and speed of a fall. We set it on our default settings when programming your device.
The fall detector can also be completely disabled. This is easy to do by sending an SMS with the code in the user guide, or our support team can do it remotely — just contact our office.
How does the GPS locator work?
The pendant uses the latest GPS chip, combining Global Positioning Satellites and WiFi to accurately find the device's location. It sends this location as a Google Maps link via text message during an emergency.
The contact clicks the link and it opens on their phone — they can see the address and click 'Directions' to navigate directly to the user.
You can also locate the pendant at any time by sending a simple SMS with the letter F (for "Find") — it will reply with the same Google Maps link.
What is the difference between self-monitoring and medical monitoring?
Self-Monitored (Family & Friends) — The device calls your chosen contacts (up to 8) in an emergency. GPS location is sent via SMS. Contacts can track and speak to the user directly. This option costs $90/year after the first free year.
Medical Monitoring — The device connects to our 24/7 professional monitoring centre instead of your personal contacts. Trained operators answer around the clock, have medical history on file, key safe codes for emergency access, and will contact emergency services or next of kin as needed. This is approximately $35–$45/month (device dependent) and is the safest option for those requiring a higher level of care.
Network & Coverage
What happens if the area has bad mobile reception?
The pendant has one of the strongest antennas in comparable products. Alarms runs on Telstra or Optus — both the 3G, 4G and 4GX networks — the dominant networks across Australia. The device will always first try to use 4GX, but will roll back to 4G as required.
- In very poor reception areas, the device may still be able to send an SMS but not make a phone call
- If there is no reception at all, the device cannot be used — same as any mobile phone
- Our team may suggest a signal booster installed on your roof for low-reception homes
- For very remote areas, a satellite phone solution may be needed — please enquire
Does it work overseas?
We stock devices for Europe and America, please enquire with our team.
Most of our alarms are designed for Australian networks. Please call our team on 1800 963 000 before travelling overseas to discuss your options.
