How to make a check-in plan when you live alone
By Taya, founder of Ghosted · Updated
A check-in plan is an agreement with someone you trust: when you’ll check in, how long they should wait, and what they’ll do if they can’t reach you. You can use daily texts or an app. The agreement matters either way.
Choose someone who can follow up
Ask before adding anyone to an app. Choose someone who is comfortable calling you after a missed check-in and knows what to do if you don’t answer. A close friend who lives far away may need a local backup who can get to your home.
Make it specific: which number should they call, who else can they contact, and who has a key? Keep addresses, access codes, and other private details between you and the people you trust.
Agree on the timing
Pick a routine you can remember. With a daily text, agree on a time and how long your contact should wait before calling. Account for work, sleep, and time zones. A missed message can mean you forgot, so decide how to handle that before it happens.
With Ghosted’s free plan, you tap “Still Here” in the iPhone app. Your next check-in is due 24 hours later, followed by a 2-hour grace period. If you still haven’t checked in, Ghosted sends your contact a Telegram alert. Premium lets you change the timing.
Daily texts or a check-in app?
If you already text someone every day and they know when to follow up, you may have all you need. An app helps when you want the missed check-in message sent automatically.
| What happens | Daily text | Ghosted |
|---|---|---|
| You check in | Send a message at the agreed time. | Tap “Still Here” in the app. |
| You miss it | Your contact needs to notice and follow up. | An alert is sent after the grace period. |
| Your contact needs | Your usual messaging app and an agreed plan. | Telegram, an accepted invite, and an agreed plan. |
Ghosted doesn’t track your location, monitor your health, or call emergency services. It also can’t guarantee that your contact will see the alert or respond. A daily check-in is not a way to request immediate help.
If you have pets, plan how someone can get in
I built Ghosted because I live alone with dogs. An alert is useful, but it doesn’t feed them or open the front door.
Agree on who can get in and care for your pets. Share their feeding routine, any care instructions, and the details of someone who can take over if your first contact is unavailable. Ghosted sends the missed check-in alert; you arrange the care directly.
Send your contact a plan they can refer to
Fill in the blanks together. Keep a copy somewhere you can both find it.
I’ll check in using [text / Ghosted]. If [our agreed time passes / you get a Ghosted alert], please call me on [number]. If you can’t reach me, contact [backup person] and follow the plan we’ve agreed: [next steps].
[Name] can get into my home. My pet-care instructions are [where to find them]. If I’m travelling or changing my routine, I’ll let you know.
For Ghosted, make sure your contact has accepted the invitation through Telegram. There isn’t a test-alert feature yet. Revisit your plan when your routine, address, or contact changes.
Want the missed check-in alert sent for you?
Ghosted is free with one trusted contact. You need an iPhone; your contact needs Telegram.
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