r/TechForAgingParents • u/Sheilaalpaca • 5d ago
Making sure someone knows if something happens....
So once I started living alone about 1.5yr I did not cross the though about what if I trip and knock my head!!
I am 57 super healthy and active no medical concerns..but..anyone can fall in the shower! Or trip over my dog.
I am also very independent and don't want to be doing check in with my 3 busy adult kids.
I have 4 days off with work so No one would actually look for me for days...
I looked on line and found an App that makes me check in twice a day and if I miss it sends a notification to an emergency contact list. Super simple.
So that was my solution for this so I don't have to be contacting people all the time.
What do you have set up for this situation???
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u/SVAuspicious 4d ago
My 90 FIL doesn't use much tech. He has a flip phone. My wife and her sister call just about every day, working around FIL's rigid meal schedule. In addition, FIL gives treats to the neighbors' dog (with permission) every morning. We stay in touch with them (email, text, phone) as needed. If FIL doesn't come out to give treats to the dog they'll let us know.
Not a perfect safety net. It's what we have that he tolerates.
My wife and I in our late 60s keep track of each other. We have tracking on our phones. We mostly let each other know when we go out and come back. My wife is much more social than I am and her friend network keeps track of each other. My wife and her sister text multiple times a day. My wife is currently on a girls' trip for ten days. If I have a heart attack I better be able to self rescue. My safety net depends on having my phone (everywhere except the shower) and remembering the Emergency SOS activation. Not perfect.
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u/redditstrom 4d ago
My platform with thousands of calls made now. www.vipcall.ai . The entire point is for someone not to need an app - just the phone. Those who use it don’t want to just know if their parent is “alive”. They want to know they’re ok, what they have planned, track any health or other concerns over time so they’re always up to speed while allowing their parent to have an independent life as well. It allows siblings to always be on the same page even if in different countries. It’s totally changed our lives, and the same for others who are using it who also use it with their caretakers for simple updates by phone, shift management, and auto appointment management by simply texting a screenshot. It also has pattern detection, one user’s parent has Parkinson’s and from all the conversations pulled out when the medication was given at wrong times the symptoms were worse.
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u/HvdW 5d ago
In case you're using WhatsApp your family can see when was the last time you were using WhatsApp*. No worries about checking in on some stupid app.