Plain-English definitions
Caregiving glossary.
The words and phrases that come up when families start caring for an older adult — explained simply.
- Carer
- Anyone who looks after a family member, partner, or friend who needs help because of age, illness, or disability. A carer is usually unpaid and is not necessarily a professional care worker.
- Daily check-in
- A regular message or prompt sent to an older adult to confirm they are safe and well. They usually respond with a single tap or reply.
- Dementia clock
- A large clock that shows the day, date, and time of day in simple wording. It helps people with memory problems orient themselves.
- Hydration reminder
- A prompt sent to encourage someone to drink. It is often used for older adults who no longer feel thirsty strongly enough to keep hydrated.
- Live-in care
- A professional care worker who lives in the home of the person they support, providing round-the-clock help with personal care, meals, and companionship.
- Loved one
- The person you care for. In our service, this is the older adult or relative who receives the reminders.
- Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
- A stage between normal ageing and dementia. Memory, thinking, or judgement may be slightly worse than expected, but daily life is still mostly independent.
- Push notification
- A short message sent to a smartphone, even when the app is not open. It requires the web app to be added to the home screen.
- Reminder confirmation
- A simple response from the person receiving a reminder, showing they saw it. The confirmation appears in the family dashboard.
- SMS reminder
- A reminder sent as a text message to a mobile phone. It works on any phone that can receive texts.
- Telecare
- Technology and services that help people live independently at home. Examples include pendant alarms, fall detectors, and daily check-in services.
- Welfare check
- A contact made to confirm someone is safe and well. It can be done by phone, text, in person, or through a daily check-in service.