TELUS LivingWell Companion Alternative: A Daily Check-In
TELUS LivingWell Companion is a personal emergency response service from TELUS Health, with a home button and a mobile device with GPS and fall detection, connected to a response centre. I'm Alive is a lighter safety net: your parent taps once a day on their own phone, and if they miss it, you're told by text, email and app notification. Protect Me is $29.99 US a year.
Download FreeSide-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | I'm Alive | TELUS LivingWell Companion |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | Free daily check-in; Protect Me $29.99 US/yr | A monthly fee |
| Equipment | None — your parent's smartphone | A help button at home, or a mobile device |
| What sets off an alert | A missed daily check-in | Pressing the button, or fall detection on the mobile device |
| Who responds | The family, friends or neighbours your parent chose | A 24/7 response centre |
| Calls emergency services | No — I'm Alive is not an emergency service and doesn't call 911 | The response centre can send help |
| Away from home | Anywhere the phone has signal | The mobile device works where there is cellular coverage |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between TELUS LivingWell Companion and I'm Alive?
TELUS LivingWell Companion connects a help button to a response centre that answers when your parent presses it, and its mobile device can detect falls. I'm Alive doesn't respond to a button: it notices when your parent doesn't check in. Your parent taps once a day; if they don't, they get a reminder, then the people they chose are alerted. There's no response centre, and it doesn't call 911.
How much does I'm Alive cost in Canada?
The daily check-in is free in the app, with one contact and one missed check-in alert a month. Protect Me is $29.99 US a year, with an alert every time, text messages and up to 10 contacts. Protect Me On The Move is $39.99 US a year and adds up to three check-in times a day, live location sharing and Follow Me for trips. Stay Connected is a one-time $4.99 US. Your bank converts the price.
Who is TELUS LivingWell Companion better for?
People who need someone to answer within minutes: a history of falls, a condition that can cause sudden collapse, or a doctor's advice to have monitored help. A response centre and fall detection do that job, and I'm Alive does not.
Who is I'm Alive better for?
Independent parents who don't want to wear a button and don't need monitoring, where the family's real worry is that a day could pass without anyone knowing. One tap a day, nothing to wear or charge, and the family hears only when a check-in is missed.
Do the contacts need the app?
No. Alerts reach contacts by email, and by text message on Protect Me and Protect Me On The Move. A contact who installs I'm Alive also gets app notifications.
Does my parent need a smartphone?
Yes, an iPhone or an Android phone. On iPhone they can also check in from a home-screen widget or by saying "Hey Siri, I'm OK". The app is in English.
Can we use both?
Yes. A button covers the moments your parent can press it or a fall is detected. A daily check-in covers a day when nobody hears from them at all. Some families start with the check-in and add a monitored device if their parent's needs change.
How do we know the alerts work?
Send a clearly marked test alert from the app and check that each contact received it. Do it once when you set up, and again whenever you change contacts.
What happens if your parent misses a check-in?
Their check-in time passes and their phone shows a reminder. If your parent still doesn't check in, the contacts are alerted: on Protect Me every time, by text, email and app notification, to up to 10 people; on the free version, one contact, once a month. The contacts decide what to do next — call, ask a neighbour to knock, or visit.
Can your parent check in without opening the app?
Yes. On iPhone, your parent can check in from a home-screen widget or by saying "Hey Siri, I'm OK". Your parent can also choose to let simply opening the app count as the check-in.
What if your parent goes away for a few days?
Turn on pause (vacation mode) while your parent is away, so nobody is alerted by mistake, and turn it off on the way home. A visit to family, a hospital stay or a holiday shouldn't set off alerts.
Will I be told every day that the check-in happened?
No. You hear when a check-in is missed, not every day. That keeps alerts meaningful: when one arrives, it's worth acting on.
Is I'm Alive available in French?
Not yet. The app is in English, so it suits parents who read English, or who have someone nearby to help with setup. After that, the daily job is one tap.
Does it work for snowbirds who spend the winter in the US?
Yes. I'm Alive works anywhere the phone has signal, Florida or Arizona included. Alerts still reach contacts in Canada by email and app notification, and by text message on Protect Me.
Does one plan cover both parents?
No. Each plan protects one person who checks in on their own phone, so each parent needs their own plan. That way you hear if either one misses.
Can a home-care worker or a neighbour be a contact?
Yes. Contacts can be anyone your parent trusts: family, a neighbour with a key, a friend, or a home-care worker who has agreed to it. Protect Me allows up to 10 contacts, and none of them needs the app.
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