Looking at a Proxi-Mate fall alarm? Compare it with radar first.
Proxi-Mate mats tell you a resident is getting up. Radar fall detection tells you they’ve actually fallen — anywhere in the room, including the bathroom, with nothing worn.
Proxi-Mate vs radar fall detection
If you’re weighing up a Proxi-Mate fall alarm (often searched “proxy-mate”) for an aged-care home, retirement village or a loved one at home, here’s how the mat-and-sensor approach compares with modern radar fall detection — and why more Victorian providers are making the switch. It pairs with your falls risk assessment (FRAT) and your existing nurse call.
What Proxi-Mate does
A bed or chair pressure mat plus an optional infra-red sensor that pages staff or triggers the nurse call when a resident tries to leave the bed or chair.
Where mats fall short
They flag a bed or chair exit, not a fall — need a mat on every seat, miss the bathroom, wear out, and generate nuisance alarms that lead to alarm fatigue.
How radar is different
A wall or ceiling sensor detects the motion signature of an actual fall across the whole room — nothing worn, no mat, and no camera or privacy intrusion.
Bathroom-safe
A large share of falls happen in the bathroom, where mats can’t go. Radar covers it with complete privacy and works in the dark.
Nurse call integration
Every detected fall becomes an escalated, logged nurse-call event through the Peninsula Smart Care gateway — audit-ready evidence.
Layer, don’t rip out
Radar runs alongside your existing Proxi-Mate mats and pendants — start with your highest-risk residents and expand from there.
Side by side: Proxi-Mate vs radar
Proxi-Mate is a well-established fall-prevention system built around a bed or chair pressure mat plus an optional infra-red motion sensor. It does one job well — it tells carers someone is trying to leave the bed or chair. The limitation is in what it can’t tell you.
| Proxi-Mate (mats + IR) | Radar fall detection | |
|---|---|---|
| Detects | Bed / chair exit | An actual fall, anywhere in the room |
| On the resident | Pressure mat per bed & chair | Nothing worn, no mat |
| Bathroom / ensuite | Not covered | Covered — no camera, privacy-safe |
| In the dark | IR only | Yes |
| Nuisance alarms | Frequent (every movement) | Low (fall signature) |
| Upkeep | Mats degrade & get moved | Sealed sensor, set-and-forget |
| Nurse-call link | Pager / nurse call | Nurse call + gateway, every event logged |
The Peninsula Smart Care difference
- Real fall detection, not just bed-exit
- Bathroom & ensuite coverage — privacy-safe
- Nothing worn, no mats to manage
- Every fall logged for accreditation evidence
- Runs alongside existing Proxi-Mate mats
- Retrofits to JCT, Sedco, Rauland and more
- Melbourne based — rapid metro & Peninsula attendance
- 60-day trial available
Proxi-Mate vs radar — common questions
Is radar better than a Proxi-Mate bed mat?
For catching an actual fall, yes. A Proxi-Mate mat only flags a bed or chair exit and needs a mat on every seat. Radar detects a real fall anywhere in the room — including the bathroom — with nothing worn and far fewer nuisance alarms.
Do I have to replace my Proxi-Mate system?
No. Radar runs alongside your existing mats and pendants. Most facilities start by adding radar in the bathrooms and for their highest-risk residents, then expand over time.
Is radar a camera? What about privacy?
No. Radar detects movement and fall signatures without any image, so it can be used in bedrooms and bathrooms with complete privacy, and it works in the dark.
Will it work with our nurse call?
Yes. We integrate radar into your existing nurse call through the Peninsula Smart Care gateway, and it retrofits to JCT, Sedco, Rauland and other systems.
Can we trial it first?
Yes — ask about our 60-day radar trial so you can see it working in your own environment before committing.
Compare Proxi-Mate with radar
Tell us about your facility and your high-risk residents — we’ll show you where radar adds cover your mats can’t, and can arrange a 60-day trial.
Peninsula Smart Care · pensmartcare.com.au
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Proxi-Mate is a trademark of its respective owner and is referenced here for comparison purposes only. Peninsula Smart Care is an independent healthcare technology integrator and is not affiliated with the makers of Proxi-Mate.