Common questions
Straight answers, no small print.
- Will my parent know it isn't a person?
- Yes — and we insist on it. Porchlight introduces itself as an automated check-in service at the start of every call. We never pretend to be a human or a family member.
- What happens if nobody answers?
- We call once more a short while later. If that call also goes unanswered, you receive a missed-check-in alert. We tell you what we observed and nothing more — the decision about what to do is yours.
- What kinds of things trigger an alert?
- Mentions of a fall, chest pain, or not being able to reach someone; noticeable confusion compared to previous days; distress; or two unanswered calls. Alerts describe what was said, they don't interpret it medically.
- Is Porchlight a medical or emergency service?
- No. It is not a medical device, a diagnosis, a monitoring system, or an emergency response service. It gives no medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.
- Are the calls recorded?
- Calls are transcribed so we can create your summary, and recordings are kept for a limited period before deletion. Your parent is told at the start of the call, and either of you can ask us to delete the history at any time.
- Who can see the summaries?
- Only the family contacts you invite. We don't sell data, and we don't share summaries with insurers, advertisers, or anyone else.
- What if my parent is hard of hearing?
- Porchlight speaks slowly and clearly, and you can turn the pace down further in your settings. It also repeats questions patiently rather than moving on.
- Can my parent stop the calls?
- Always. They can say they'd rather not talk today, or that they'd like the calls to stop altogether — and we tell you. Consent belongs to them, not to us.
- Does it work with a landline?
- Yes. Landline, cordless, flip phone, or smartphone — anything that rings.
- Can we try it first?
- Yes. Every plan is month to month with no contract, so you can try it for a month and cancel any time from your dashboard.