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How to monitor an elderly parent remotely

You can't be there every day. These are the ways families keep an eye on a parent who lives alone, what each one does well and where it falls short. Most families end up using more than one.

Seven ways to keep an eye on a parent from far away

Option	What it does well	Where it falls short
Regular phone calls	Free, and your parent hears your voice.	You only know what they tell you, and a missed call can leave you guessing.
Neighbors, friends or paid help	Someone actually sees them and the house.	Not there all day, and it depends on other people's schedules.
Medical alert button	Press it to reach help, and many services have trained operators around the clock.	It helps only if your parent wears it and can press it. It doesn't tell you about their day.
Cameras	Show you a room whenever you look.	Someone has to watch, and many parents don't want one in the house.
Smartwatch	Tracks vitals and activity on the person.	It has to be worn and charged, which can be hard with memory changes.
Home sensors	Learn their routine and tell you when it changes, with nothing for your parent to do.	They can't show you what happened, and they need WiFi.
Video calling tablet	Lets you see how they look, and simple ones need no tech skills.	On its own, it only helps when you're on a call.

How to choose

Start with what you're actually worried about. If it's a fall, look at how help gets called when they can't reach a button. If it's whether they're eating and sleeping, look at sensors. If you just can't tell how they're doing, you need a way to see them.

Be honest about what your parent will do. A device left in a drawer does nothing. The less your parent has to remember, wear or charge, the more likely it keeps working.

Talk to them first if you can. Most parents want to stay in their own home, and being clear that this is what helps them do that can make the conversation easier. Here's how to talk to aging parents about safety.

Plan who does what. Decide who gets alerts, who calls and who drives over. It's easier before something happens.

Where Livindi fits

Livindi brings several of these together in one system, with one free app for the whole family.

Door and motion sensors learn their routine and alert you when activity patterns change
They can press the wearable call button or say "Help Me", and Livindi calls and texts each caregiver
They tap your face to video call you, with captions and an auto-answer option
Add a smartwatch and bed sensor for vitals and sleep
Add Liv, our AI companion, to check in and answer their calls, for $20 a month

Monitoring kits start at $379 plus $19 a month, with no contract. Just need video calling for now? Livindi Solo is $199 plus $19 a month, and you can add sensors anytime.

One thing to know: Livindi reaches your family, not a call center. It doesn't dispatch emergency personnel and isn't a replacement for 911.

See senior monitoring systems

5.0 from 69 customer reviews. Named Most Comprehensive in NCOA's 5 Best Monitoring Systems for Older Adults.

Livindi remote monitoring kit: LivindiPad tablet, door sensors, multi-sensor, motion sensor and wearable call button

What families say

★★★★★

"At the core of supporting our Mom (from afar), knowing that she is moving about the house is the key to knowing she is OK and not in distress."

Bob, son of a 90-year-old mother

★★★★★

"When I travel out of state I am still able to connect with her the same as when I am home."

Bev, niece and caregiver

Common questions

How can I monitor my elderly parent from another state?

Use something that tells you about changes without your parent having to do anything, plus a way to see them. Home sensors and an app handle the first part, and a video calling tablet handles the second. Livindi does both in one system.

Can I monitor my parent without a camera?

Yes. Door and motion sensors can show activity and alert you to changes with no surveillance cameras. See elderly monitoring without cameras.

How do I know when my parent needs more help?

Changes in routine are often the first clue, such as eating, sleeping or moving around less. Read signs an aging parent needs help at home.

How can I stop calling my parent all day to check on them?

Check activity in an app instead, and call because you want to. Read how to help aging parents stay at home without constantly checking in.

More about caring for a parent at home

Let Livindi worry about Mom and Dad

Questions before you buy? Email us at support@livindi.com.

See kits and pricing

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So glad we got this for my Dad

Thank you. I have to tell you my dad called me 3 times with livindi after u set him up and I haven’t seen him smile so much as tonight since mom died 3 months ago. He kept saying this is amazing! When we were ending the call , I said ok I will talk to you tomorrow and he said oh no, I will see you tomorrow! I’m so glad we got this for him - we r hoping it alleviates his loneliness a little - my dad and mom were together 65 years! So nice to see a smile - thank you again!

Livindi will make it easier to stay in my own home

I would have been so relieved to have Livindi when I cared for my elderly mother. Now I am grateful that I can include Livindi in my plans for my future and stay in my own home. I will be able to get help for my needs and special assistance without disrupting my children’s lives.

Happy to know my parents are ok

This product is solid and impressive. I bought the large version for myself, mom, sister, and father in law that is 3000 miles away. It takes the worry away and my 92 year old Mom had no trouble using it. It was too difficult for her to use the phone. She has hearing problems and the transcription helps her better understand me when we talk on the video. Her vision isn’t great and is really bad with gadgets, but she loves using the tablet to talk with the family and get pictures. The larger screen was important and I used Wi-Fi and it was not difficult to connect.

Video and sound quality are great. Sending my mom photos is easy because she gets to see fresh photos of the family. It’s perfect for everyone to stay in touch and better than face time. It was really helpful because with COVID no one can travel to see my mother anymore.
Excellent motion and door sensors. We just stuck them to the walls, doors and refrigerator. I look in on Mom every day and check in on her when I see thing that are unusual like doors opening late at night or she is not drinking or eating.

My mom likes the picture gallery the most.

I like being able to see when my mother has passed by the motion detector and when people have come in or out of a door - it has helped me identify an issue with movement through the house. My mom likes the picture gallery the most. The video calls are okay too. For me (child), being able to see doors opening and movement is good.

Videocalling.

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