CareCalls sends scheduled reminders and check-ins by phone or text, gives the person time to respond, then — only if they still cannot be reached — notifies people in their support network. This article explains that repeat service from delivery through to alerts. (It does not cover one-off reminders or live professional calls.) To set up a service, start from our services page.
What is the repeat reminder and check-in service?
Each use can be:
- A reminder — prompts a specific task (for example taking medication).
- A check-in — asks whether someone is OK and expects a response.
- Both — combined in one delivery where your account allows it.
You can add as many schedules as needed, at any time of day, seven days a week. Each schedule has its own time, days or dates, and message.
The delivery and alert flow
Each scheduled slot follows the same path: deliver the reminder or check-in, wait for a response, retry if needed, then alert the support network only if the person still cannot be reached.
1. A reminder or check-in is sent
At the scheduled time, CareCalls contacts the person on the phone number or mobile set up for the service — as a phone call or text (SMS), depending on how that service is configured.
They hear or read a message — usually a preset reminder or check-in, or a personalised message recorded in a familiar voice. Different schedules can use different messages for different times or days.
2. They acknowledge it
- Phone: they confirm by pressing any number key on the phone after the message.
- Text: they reply Y to acknowledge.
If they acknowledge in time, no alert is sent — the cycle is complete for that slot.
3. If there is no answer, the system tries again
If they do not answer or acknowledge the first time, CareCalls waits and tries again. By default that is two attempts, 10 minutes apart (both can be adjusted per person).
Second phone number on the retry: if a second number is registered (for example a landline at home and a mobile when they are out), the first attempt uses the primary number and the retry uses the second number — not the same line twice. That way a missed ring on the hallway phone can still reach them on their mobile a few minutes later.
You can also set how long the phone rings before an attempt counts as missed (for example 20–120 seconds), which helps if they need longer to reach the handset.
4. If every attempt is missed, alerts go out
Only after all delivery attempts for that slot have failed do alerts go to people in the support network (optional, up to three alert contacts per person).
Each alert can be delivered by phone, text, or email, using the contact details you chose when setting up the service.
At the same time or one after the other: when you configure alerts, you choose whether they should be sent:
- At the same time — everyone listed is notified together as soon as the reminder or check-in is missed.
- One after the other — alerts go out in the order you set. Each person is asked to confirm they will check on the person receiving the service; if they do not confirm, the next person is contacted. (If you use email alerts, they do not wait for a reply — many families put email last in the list.)
Alerts are there so a missed medication prompt or check-in does not go unnoticed — the same safety idea as in stories like regular check-ins after a fall.
Other main features (at a glance)
Once the core flow above makes sense, these are the main extras people use with the same repeat service:
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Flexible schedules | One-off date, weekly days, or monthly day (including last day of month) per reminder slot. |
| Several slots per day | Independent schedules — for example morning medication, afternoon hydration, evening door check. |
| Phone or text delivery | Choose the channel that suits the person’s phone and habits. |
| Personalised messages | Your own recorded or written wording per schedule — see how to set up a personalised message. |
| Configurable retries | Change how many attempts run and how long to wait between them. |
| Second number | Retry on an alternate line (landline + mobile is common). |
| Alert modes | Notify everyone at once, or escalate one after the other. |
| Pause and manage online | Pause or update the service from the web app; see what can delay the first delivery when starting out. |