Many of us have loved ones who are aging in place, who may have mobility issues and who are at risk for falls. We may not live nearby, and we may find ourselves staying up at night worrying about what would happen if our loved one had a bad fall or a medical emergency. What if our loved one couldn’t get to a phone to call for help or isn’t wearing their personal emergency response button or similar device at the time? Luckily, there are check-in call services and a variety of technology and local options you can turn to that can help you in this situation.
Several apps offer daily reassurance calls for seniors and people of all ages who are living alone. Some of these apps and services even provide some friendly conversation with real people. For family living out of town, or for those busy trying to keep up with demanding schedules, it’s not always possible to check on loved ones daily. Families can feel secure in knowing that with one of the many services that are available, they will always have someone who will check on their loved one to ensure their well-being.
Helpful Services to Check on Senior Loved Ones
The following services are designed to offer families peace of mind in knowing that their loved ones will be checked on every day, or as often as desired:
- Snug Safety is a daily check-in service for seniors and others who are living alone. Seniors can download the free Snug Safety app, add their emergency contacts, and select a daily check-in time where the app will display a notice on the user’s smart phone for them to simply press indicating they are okay. The unpaid version of Snug Safety will send text messages to the senior and their emergency contacts if they miss a check-in. With the paid plan ($9.99 a month or $99.99 a year), someone will personally call your loved one if they miss a check-in. If they’re unreachable, the service will call their emergency contacts to confirm that someone will check in on them. If they can’t reach anyone, Snug Safety will request that local authorities visit your loved one’s last known location to perform a wellness check.
- CheckinBee operates similarly to Snug Safety, in that it will check in with your loved one each day. If a check-in is missed, your loved one’s designated care circle will be automatically notified to check on them. CheckinBee offers a no-cost 14-day trial and is $19 a month afterwards.
- Dooinwell helps families ensure an older adult living on their own is not having an unnoticed event in between calls or visits. It does so by checking in with your loved one a few times a day during specific time slots that your loved one designates. In addition, your loved one can register their planned activities with the app before leaving home and set their maximum expected duration. When back, they can confirm being back home safely. Doinwell offers a 2-month no-cost trial. Afterwards, it costs $6.49 a month or $52.99 a year.
- I’m Still Okay is a no-cost daily check-in service for seniors living alone. When your loved one signs up, they will receive a daily check-in email and each email will contain a button that he or she simply clicks to confirm they are still doing well. Should they ever fail to click it, the system will automatically send an email to their designated contacts. Your loved one customizes who is contacted, what the message says, and how often they want to receive their check-in email.
- TheLifeSigns service sends a daily email with a lifesign button to seniors living on their own. In case you are not able to press the button, TheLifeSigns automatically sends requests to your designated loved ones and friends to check in on you. The service is currently available at no charge.
- Care Calls, by CareCheckers, are daily reassurance calls for seniors and people of all ages. Care Calls can be used for medication, meal and activity reminders, or just to check in and provide some friendly conversation. Their starter plan includes one call per day and costs $29.95 a month.
- Community Phone’s Caregiver Plan is an option for seniors who want to stay connected and receive regular check-ins on their landline phones without relying on a Life Alert service. The plan offers a range of features to help seniors maintain their independence while providing peace of mind to their caregivers. The Community Phone Caregiver Plan starts at $98 a year, which includes landline phone service, reminder and care calls, 911 emergency protection, and spam-call-blocking.
Local Services that Check on Senior Loved Ones
Several local services also provide check-ins for senior loved ones:
- Maryland is the first state in the country to start a no-cost, automated telephone service to check in on Maryland’s older residents, all across the state. Every day a telephone call will be placed to the participant at a regularly scheduled time, and if the person can’t be reached, their designated contacts are called, followed by nonemergency service, if necessary. Any Maryland resident who is 65 years of age or older who has a landline phone or cell phone can participate.
- The TeleBridges program at Senior Connections in Virginia is supported by volunteers who stay in touch with older adults by calling them two to five times a week.
- As part of their Friendly Caller Program, Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia (SCNOVA) volunteers routinely (about once per week) reach out to clients ages 50 and up (both homebound and not) by phone. This provides our senior citizens with regular opportunities for conversation and connection. They also have a Friendly Visitor Program.
I didn’t currently see any similar programs in Washington, DC, or other counties in Virginia but will update this article if they are added.
Most people want to stay in their home for as long as possible, and check-in services are certainly helpful to enable that while providing peace of mind to you and your loved ones. To learn more about this topic please click here to read some of my other aging-in-place articles. Please also read my articles on senior technology, for more tips and safety solutions for aging in place.
When Aging in Place Is No Longer an Option
What happens when you or a loved one can no longer age in place? Assisted-living facilities and nursing homes in Northern Virginia and the rest of the Washington, DC Metro area cost $8,000 – $17,000 per month, which can be catastrophic even for relatively wealthy families. By being proactive and planning for long-term care in advance, you can help make sure you always receive the care you need without worry or financial struggle. You’ll further avoid many costly legal headaches that often result when people are not prepared for incapacity or ongoing care needs. It’s never too early or too late to get started. Reach out to us to make an appointment for an appointment to discuss your options for Elder Law, Estate Planning, or Medicaid planning services in Virginia, Maryland, or DC:
Elder Care Fairfax: 703-691-1888
Elder Law Fredericksburg: 540-479-1435
Estate Planning Lawyer Maryland: 301-519-8041
Elder Law DC: 202-587-2797
About Evan H Farr, CELA, CAP
