Heatwave safety for elderly parents: an automatic check-in on hot days

Heat is the quiet killer of older people. Researchers at ISGlobal counted 62,775 heat-related deaths in Europe in the summer of 2024, most of them older adults, and in Australia heatwaves cause more deaths than any other natural hazard. Many happen to people living alone, indoors, who didn't feel thirsty and didn't want to bother anyone.

OkayFolk Weather Watch reads the forecast for your parent's town every morning. On a dangerous day, judged on the "feels like" temperature so humid heat counts too, your parent gets a short message with plain advice and a button to tap "I'm okay". You're told it's a risky day. If there's still no reply by 1 PM their time, you're asked to call.

How it works

  1. Add their town

    Town or city only, never the street address. We find it on the map once.

  2. Every morning, we check the forecast

    Heat is judged on the feels-like temperature (35°C and above). Cold days count too: a frost night (0°C or lower).

  3. On a dangerous day, everyone knows

    They get tips and an "I'm okay" button. You get a heads-up, and a call request if they stay silent.

Try it free for 7 days

Every feature, up to 2 people, no card needed.

Start your free trial

Questions

Does it track my parent's location?

No. Only the town you type in is used, to read the local forecast. No GPS, no tracking.

Which countries does it work in?

Anywhere: Europe, the Gulf, Australia, India, the US and more. Forecasts come from Open-Meteo, a free public weather service.

Is it a medical service?

No. It sends general heat and cold advice from public health guidance and alerts the family. In an emergency, call the local emergency number.

More from OkayFolk

OkayFolk is not an emergency service and does not give medical advice. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.