Every Way to Check on an Elderly Parent in Australia
From free volunteer phone calls to high-tech monitoring, here's every welfare check option available to Australian families — including who each one is best for, what it costs, and its limitations.
Quick Guide: Which Service Do You Need?
Budget is tight / free options first
→ Red Cross Telecross (free)
Fall risk is the main concern
→ MePACS or VitalCALL (pendant + welfare call)
Just need confirmation they're alive each day
→ CareAlert or Snug Safety (automated check)
Loneliness, health tracking & family insights
→ Kindly Call (AI companion calls)
Free & Government-Funded Services
No cost, but availability varies by location.
Red Cross Telecross
FREEAustralia's most established welfare call service. Trained Red Cross volunteers phone each morning to confirm the person is safe. If no answer, an escalation protocol contacts nominated family members, and if needed, police for a welfare check.
Note: Not available in all areas. Morning-only. Brief safety check, not conversational. No family dashboard or health tracking. Volunteer availability can fluctuate.
Local Council Community Visitors
FREEMany local councils coordinate volunteer visitor programs. A volunteer visits weekly or fortnightly for a chat and to check on wellbeing. Contact your parent's local council directly — these programs are often underpublicised.
Availability varies widely by council and region.
Personal Alarm + Welfare Call Add-ons
Primarily fall detection devices with an optional daily call.
MePACS
St John Ambulance
Professional 24/7 response centre with optional daily welfare check call. GPS tracking available.
Note: Pendant required. Only 20% of seniors wear them consistently.
Phone: 1800 685 329
VitalCALL
Tunstall Healthcare
Personal alarm with 24/7 monitoring. Welfare check calls available as an add-on.
Note: Equipment lease required. Good coverage in metro areas.
Phone: 1800 100 333
INS LifeGuard
INS Group
Personal alarm, GPS tracking, and daily welfare check option. Can integrate with Support at Home funding.
Note: Actively pursuing AT-HM scheme registration for funded access.
Phone: 1300 367 467
What if they refuse to wear a pendant? See alternatives that work →
Automated Check-In Services
Technology-based systems that confirm safety via button press or app.
CareAlert
From $25/mo
Automated phone call at a set time. Person presses a button to confirm they're okay. If no response, nominated contacts are alerted. Works on landline or mobile.
Care Calling Now
From $39/mo
Scheduled automated calls with customisable messages. Missed calls trigger SMS and email alerts to family. Dashboard for monitoring patterns.
Snug Safety
Free (basic) / Premium from $5/mo
App-based check-in system. Person confirms they're safe via the app daily. If they don't check in, emergency contacts are notified. Free tier is surprisingly capable.
AssureOkay
From $10/mo
Daily text message check. Person replies “OK” to confirm wellbeing. Simple, low-tech, works on any mobile phone with SMS capability.
Limitations of automated services: These confirm the person is alive and responsive, but provide no companionship, conversation, or health insight beyond “answered / didn't answer.”
AI Companion Call Services
The newest category: AI-powered voice calls that combine safety with genuine conversation.
Kindly Call
Australian-made
AI voice companion that calls daily for a warm, personal conversation. Remembers names, stories, and health details across calls. Adapts to personality and pace. Sends family a summary after each call with mood indicators, health mentions, and any concerns.
- • Daily conversations (3-10 min)
- • Health trend monitoring
- • Emergency keyword detection
- • Medication reminders
- • Dashboard with insights
- • Call summaries via email
- • Mood & health trend graphs
- • Instant emergency SMS
- • Any phone (landline or mobile)
- • No equipment or apps needed
- • 365 days/year
- • Flexible call times
When to Request a Police Welfare Check
If you can't reach your parent and are genuinely concerned for their immediate safety, you can request a police welfare check by calling 000 (emergency) or your local police station (non-emergency).
When to call police
- • Unable to reach them for an extended period (24+ hours unusual)
- • Last contact suggested they were unwell or in distress
- • Neighbours report curtains closed, mail piled up
- • Known fall risk and not answering phone
Police will attend the address and check. There is no charge for this. Don't hesitate — police prefer a false alarm over a late discovery.
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