We move for work, for study, for love.

And at some point we realise our parents are growing older far away from us.

A new question appears: “If something happens, who would notice?”

Here are a few ideas for answering it, without turning affection into surveillance.

Start with a conversation, not an app

Before installing anything, talk about it.

Ask what worries them, and tell them what worries you.

You’ll often find they think about you too, and that peace of mind is something you both need.

Solutions that are imposed don’t last.

Ones you choose together become habits.

Make it mutual

The simplest way not to make someone feel watched is not to watch them.

With I’m Okay there are no roles: you tap “I’m okay” too, and they know how you are.

“This way we tell each other everything’s fine” sounds very different from “this way I can keep an eye on you”.

A tap instead of the checking-up call

Phone calls are precious, but the “just checking” ones can weigh on everyone.

A tap in the morning frees phone calls for the good stuff: talking about your day, not making sure someone got up.

Decide together whether you need a check-in time

If they live alone, a check-in time with automatic alerts can bring a lot of peace of mind.

Tie it to a habit, like breakfast, and give it a generous grace period.

If they feel uneasy about it, start without one: the “I’m okay” button is already enough to feel close.

Build a small circle

If you live hundreds of miles away, you can’t be the first to arrive if an alert goes out.

Involve a neighbour, a family friend, a sibling who lives closer.

In I’m Okay anyone can get alerts, and whoever steps in taps “I’ll handle it” to let the others know.

Help them without taking over

With their permission, you can set up their app from afar: check-in times, reminders, language.

They get a notification for every change, and can withdraw permission whenever they like.

If several tabs confuse them, there’s “Button only” mode: just “I’m okay” and “I’m not okay”.

Technology doesn’t replace being there

No app replaces a visit, a lunch together, a long phone call on Sunday.

But it can take some of the worry out of the days in between.

And leave room for what matters.

If you want to start on the right foot, read our guide for families.