SAVVY SENIOR for

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any services that check in on elderly seniors who live alone? I live about 200 miles from my 82-year-old mother and worry about her falling or getting ill and not being able to call for help.

–Worrywart Daughter

Dear Worrywart, There are actually several different types of check-in services, along with some simple technology devices that can help keep your mom safe at home while providing you some peace of mind. Here are some top options to look into.

Check-in app: If your mom uses a smartphone, a great solution to help ensure her safety is Snug (SnugSafe.com), a free app that would check in on her every day to confirm she’s OK. This app is used by thousands of older adults who live alone and want to make sure that if something happens to them, their loved ones will be notified quickly so they can receive help in minutes, rather than days.

Here’s how it works. After downloading the app, your mom will choose what time(s) throughout the day she’d like for Snug to check in. Snug will send a push notification at those times asking your mom to check in by tapping the big green check button on her smartphone screen.

If she doesn’t check in within 10 minutes or respond after multiple pings, Snug will notify her emergency contacts and share her last known location so that she can receive fast help.

For extra peace of mind, your mom can purchase Snug’s premi- um plan ($10/month) where in addition to notifying her emergency contacts, Snug will request an in-person wellness check by a police officer who will visit her house to confirm she’s OK and provide assistance as needed. The app works with iPhone and Android smartphones.

Check-in calls: If your mom doesn’t use a smartphone, another option to help ensure her safety is a daily check-in call service program. These are telephone reassurance programs usually run by police or sheriff’s departments in hundreds of counties across the country and