Daily Check-in App for Your Elderly Parent
Set up automated daily check-ins for your elderly parent living alone. Get notified by SMS or email if they don't respond, no wearable required.
TL;DR
A daily check-in system sends your parent a notification at a set time. If they confirm, nothing happens. If they don't, your designated contacts receive an SMS or email alert with a pre-written message. No wearable, no camera, just a simple tap to confirm they're okay.
Who is this for
Adult children who have an elderly parent living alone, especially when you live far away and can't check in person every day. Also useful for families coordinating care across siblings or with a part-time caregiver.
Why Are Daily Phone Calls Not Enough to Keep Elderly Parents Safe?
Most families rely on a daily phone call to check on an elderly parent. But calls can be missed for many reasons, the phone is on silent, they're in the garden, or they simply forget. The real problem is: there's no protocol when the call goes unanswered. You call back, maybe text, maybe call a neighbor. It's ad hoc, and hours can pass before anyone acts.
A check-in system replaces this uncertainty with a predictable process: your parent gets a notification, they tap to confirm, and if they don't, your contacts are notified automatically.
Typical situation
Your mother, 78, lives alone 300 km away. You call every evening, but one Tuesday she doesn't pick up. You try again at 9 PM, then 10 PM. You call a neighbor at 11 PM, she had fallen in the afternoon and couldn't reach her phone. With a scheduled check-in at 6 PM, the alert would have reached you within the hour.
According to the CDC, 36 million falls occur among older adults each year in the U.S., and 20% of falls cause a serious injury.
How Does a Daily Check-in App Work for Elderly Parents?
A simple three-step process, no hardware, no subscription to a monitoring center.
1. Your parent receives a check-in notification
At the time you choose (e.g. every morning at 9 AM), they get a push notification or reminder. One tap to confirm they're okay.
2. A grace period runs if they don't respond
If the check-in is missed, a configurable window (e.g. 30 minutes) gives them time to respond before any alert is sent.
3. Your contacts receive an SMS or email alert
If the grace period expires without confirmation, all designated contacts are notified simultaneously with a pre-written message, including any details you've configured (address, medical info, access instructions).
Coming soon. Graduated escalation: configurable multi-step alerts with delays between contact tiers (e.g. family first, then neighbor after 15 min, then a secondary contact after 30 min). Currently, all designated contacts are alerted simultaneously via SMS and/or email.
How to Set Up a Daily Check-in for Your Elderly Parent
Create a protocol
Name it (e.g. 'Mom's morning check-in'), set the schedule (daily, specific days), and choose the check-in time.
Write the alert message
Pre-write the message your contacts will receive if the check-in is missed. Include address, medical details, spare key location, whatever helps.
Add your contacts
Add yourself, siblings, a neighbor, or a caregiver. Each contact chooses SMS, email, or both.
Activate and share
Start the protocol. Your parent just needs to tap 'I'm okay' when the notification arrives. That's it.
Example Alert Message
"Missed check-in. Mom (Marie Dupont)
📍 12 rue des Lilas, 75020 Paris
🔑 Spare key with neighbor Mrs. Bernard, 3rd floor
💊 Daily medication: blood pressure (morning), blood thinner (evening)
📞 Doctor: Dr. Martin, 01 45 67 89 00"
This message is sent simultaneously to all designated contacts via SMS and/or email.
Sources & References
Note: CheckPoint alerts your designated personal contacts only. It does not directly contact emergency services (911/112).
Frequently Asked Questions
Set Up a Daily Check-in for Your Parent
A simple, automated safety net, so you know your parent is okay, every day.
Related Resources
Emergency Check-in for Seniors
A check-in system designed from the senior's perspective, simple, non-intrusive, and autonomy-preserving.
Read article →Missed Check-in Alert App
What happens exactly when a check-in is missed: grace period, alert content, and delivery channels.
Read article →Caregiver Emergency Communication
How caregivers manage check-in protocols for multiple people they look after.
Read article →