ElderMinder Support

Simple check-ins between Elders and the people who look after them.

Questions, problems, or ideas? Email wjfrench@proton.me and you'll get a reply, usually within a couple of days. Answers to the most common questions are below.

Getting Started

What's the difference between an Elder and a Keepr?

An Elder is the person being checked on. A Keepr is a trusted family member or friend who checks on them. You choose your role the first time you sign in, and each account is one or the other.

How do we connect our two accounts?

Either of you can start it. Whichever way round, both accounts have to exist already with their roles chosen — ElderMinder can only link two people who have each signed up.

If the Elder starts: tap Add beside My Keeprs on the home screen, enter the Keepr's email address, and tap Link Keepr. The link is live straight away. That Keepr's name and details only fill in once they next open the app themselves, so a row that hasn't appeared yet isn't a mistake.

If the Keepr starts: tap the add button at the top of the home screen, enter the Elder's email address, and tap Send Request. That leaves a request and nothing more — no location, no check-ins — until the Elder accepts it. It's deliberately the Elder's decision, since it's their whereabouts and their check-ins the link would open up.

Someone asked to be my Keepr. Where do I find the request?

On your home screen — anything waiting shows up near the top as “… wants to be your Keepr”. Tap it for the full list, with Accept and Decline beside each one. You can also reach the same list any time by tapping Add beside My Keeprs. Accepting is what links you; declining removes the request without telling them anything.

I sent a request to an Elder. What happens now?

You wait for them to accept, and they appear on your home screen when they do. ElderMinder won't chase them for you: the request sits on their home screen until they next open the app, and there's no notification to prompt them. If it's been a while, a phone call is more use than sending it again.

The app says it can't find the person I'm adding.

Two things to check. First, that they've finished signing up and picked the role you're expecting — an account registered as an Elder can't be added as a Keepr, or the other way round. Second, that you're using the exact email address they signed up with, since a different address won't match.

Can one Elder have several Keeprs?

Yes. An Elder can link as many Keeprs as they like, and each of them sees the same check-in status and, if it's turned on, location. A Keepr can likewise look after more than one Elder.

Check-Ins

How does a check-in work?

A Keepr sends a check-in with a short message. The Elder gets a notification and responds with either I'm Safe or Need Help. The Keepr sees the answer, and the time it was given, on their home screen.

What are scheduled check-ins?

An Elder can set a cadence — every 2, 4, or 6 hours, or once a day — and the app will prompt them to check in on that rhythm. If they don't respond to a prompt, the app follows up with a reminder.

My Elder hasn't responded. What should I do?

ElderMinder shows you when they last responded, but it can't tell you why they haven't this time — a phone can be off, out of battery, or simply set down in another room. Treat a missed check-in as a reason to get in touch directly rather than as an alert, and if you're genuinely worried about their safety, contact them or emergency services the way you would if the app didn't exist.

I'm not getting notifications.

Open the iOS Settings app, find ElderMinder, and make sure Notifications are allowed. It's also worth checking that Focus modes or Do Not Disturb aren't silencing them, and that the app has been opened at least once since installing.

Location Sharing

Who can see the Elder's location?

Only the Keeprs the Elder has linked. Location sharing is off until the Elder turns it on, it needs their permission both in the app and in iOS Settings, and they can switch it off at any time from their home screen.

The location looks wrong or out of date.

Location accuracy depends on the device, its surroundings, and iOS — indoors or in a built-up area it can drift, and the app shows the most recent position it received rather than a live feed. If it's badly out of date, check that the Elder's phone has signal, that ElderMinder still has Location permission in iOS Settings, and that sharing is still switched on.

How do we stop sharing location?

The Elder can turn the toggle off on their home screen, which stops it immediately. Turning off Location permission for ElderMinder in iOS Settings has the same effect.

Your Account

How do I remove a Keepr?

An Elder can unlink a Keepr from their home screen, or from the same screen they use to add one: tap Remove on that person's row and confirm. It takes effect straight away — that person can no longer see the Elder's location or check-in history, and can't send any more check-ins. Nothing stops the Elder adding them again later.

How do I remove an Elder?

A Keepr can unlink an Elder from that Elder's screen: open them from your home screen, scroll to Connection, and tap Remove. They'll drop off your list and you'll stop seeing their check-ins and location. The Elder is told the next time their app is open, and it's their own removal — from their home screen — that finally closes off access, so an Elder who wants a Keepr gone should remove them from their side rather than wait.

How do I delete my account?

Open your profile, tap Delete Account, and confirm with your password. This removes your profile, your check-in history, your last shared location, your links to the people you're connected with, and your sign-in — immediately and permanently. There's no way to recover a deleted account.

Can I change from Elder to Keepr, or the other way round?

Not within an existing account — the role is set when you first sign in. If you need to switch, delete the account and sign up again with the other role. Email us if you'd rather we help with that.

Privacy

What ElderMinder collects, who can see it, and the choices you have are set out in full in the privacy policy.