Setting Up FamilyPulse: Step-by-Step Guide
When Jennifer decided to try FamilyPulse for her 83-year-old mother, she expected a complicated setup process involving sending her mother devices or scheduling a technician visit. Instead, she finished setup during her lunch break, her mother received her first call that evening, and by the next morning Jennifer had a detailed wellness summary in her inbox. The entire transition from "curious about AI wellness calls" to "receiving daily reports" took less than an hour, and her mother did not have to learn anything new or install anything.
This guide walks through every step of setting up FamilyPulse, from creating your account to receiving your first [wellness report](/features/family-dashboard).
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Average FamilyPulse setup time is 4 minutes 23 seconds from downloading the app to scheduling the first call. This includes account creation, adding your parent's information, and configuring call times. The longest part of most users' setup is deciding which notification preferences they want. No setup time is required from the senior receiving calls, as they simply answer their existing phone.
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What Do You Need Before Starting Setup?
Having a few pieces of information ready makes setup seamless.
What You Need:
What Your Parent Needs:
[CALLOUT]
Important: Talk to your parent before the first call arrives. Let them know to expect a daily check-in call from FamilyPulse. Unexpected calls from unfamiliar sources may concern seniors or lead them to hang up. A brief heads-up, such as "You'll get a friendly call tomorrow morning checking on how you're doing, and it helps me know you're okay," prepares them for a positive experience.
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How Do You Create Your FamilyPulse Account?
The account creation process takes about two minutes.
Option 1: Mobile App
Download the FamilyPulse app from the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). Search for "FamilyPulse" and look for the official app with the family care icon. Download and install the app.
Option 2: Web App
If you prefer using a computer, visit familypulse.me and click "Get Started." The web app provides identical functionality to the mobile app.
Creating Your Account:
Open the app or website and tap "Get Started" or "Sign Up." Enter your email address, which becomes your account identifier and where you receive alerts. Create a secure password of at least 8 characters. Check your email for a verification link and click it to confirm your account. Sign in with your new credentials.
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How Do You Add Your Parent to the System?
After creating your account, you add your parent's information so calls can begin.
Step 1: Initiate Add Process
Tap "Add Loved One" from the dashboard. If this is your first person added, this option appears immediately after account creation.
Step 2: Enter Basic Information
Name: Enter how your parent prefers to be addressed. If your mother is Margaret but everyone calls her Maggie, enter Maggie. The AI will greet them by this name.
Phone Number: Enter the phone number where calls should go. This can be a landline or mobile phone. For mobile phones, ensure the number you enter is the one that actually rings, not a Google Voice or secondary number unless that is where they answer.
Timezone: Select your parent's timezone to ensure calls arrive at the intended local time.
Step 3: Set Relationship and Preferences
Relationship: Select parent, grandparent, spouse, aunt, uncle, or other relationship. This helps personalize communications and dashboard displays.
Preferred Name: Confirm how they want to be addressed during calls.
Notes: Add any relevant information about them that might be useful, such as typical schedule, known health conditions, or conversation preferences.
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"I was nervous about adding my father's information because he can be particular about his privacy. But when I saw how little information was required, just his name and phone number really, I realized they've designed this to be as non-invasive as possible. Dad doesn't even know there's an account somewhere with his name in it. He just gets a friendly call." - Robert, 61, son caring for father with early-stage Parkinson's
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How Do You Schedule the Daily Calls?
Call scheduling determines when your parent's phone rings each day.
Choosing Call Time:
Consider when your parent is typically awake, alert, and home. Morning calls work well for early risers who have established morning routines. Midday calls suit those who sleep in or have busy mornings with appointments. Afternoon calls work if mornings are unpredictable. Evening calls help for those who are out during the day but reliably home in the evenings.
You can select a time window (Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Evening) or specify an exact time. Exact times provide consistency that helps seniors remember to expect the call.
Choosing Call Days:
Every day is recommended for establishing consistent patterns and maximizing the value of trend analysis. Weekdays only works if weekends involve different schedules or family visits that provide in-person check-ins. Custom days allow any pattern, such as Monday, Wednesday, Friday, if daily calls seem excessive for your situation.
Setting Retry Preferences:
If your parent does not answer, FamilyPulse can retry after a configurable interval, typically 30-60 minutes. You choose how many retry attempts before the system records a missed call and notifies you. Missed call notifications can be immediate or bundled with the daily summary.
Data Visualization
Recommended Call Times by Senior Schedule Type
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How Do You Customize the Wellness Questions?
[FamilyPulse AI calls](/features/ai-wellness-calls) include standard wellness questions, but you can add custom questions for specific monitoring needs.
Standard Questions Cover:
General wellbeing, specifically how they are feeling overall today. Sleep quality, including how they slept and whether they feel rested. Nutrition, covering what they have eaten and their appetite. Activities, asking what they have done or plan to do today. Mood, checking on their spirits and emotional state.
Adding Custom Questions:
Navigate to your parent's settings and find the Custom Questions section. Add questions relevant to specific concerns.
Examples of effective custom questions:
Best Practices for Custom Questions:
Keep questions simple and answerable in conversation. Avoid yes/no questions when possible, as open-ended prompts generate more useful information. Do not add too many custom questions initially, as long calls may feel burdensome. Add questions one at a time based on emerging concerns rather than trying to cover everything from the start.
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Tip: The standard questions cover the most important wellness indicators for most seniors. Custom questions work best for specific, known concerns rather than general monitoring. If you are unsure what to add, start with standard questions only and add custom questions as specific monitoring needs emerge.
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How Do You Configure Notifications and Alerts?
Notification settings determine how and when you hear about your parent's wellbeing.
Immediate Alert Configuration:
Choose which situations trigger immediate notifications: [Health concerns detected](/features/concern-detection), such as pain reports, symptom mentions, or significant changes from baseline. Mood changes, including sadness, anxiety, confusion, or unusual emotional states. Missed calls, either individual missed calls or patterns of missed calls. Custom triggers, such as specific topics or keywords you want flagged.
Daily Summary Configuration:
After each call, you receive a summary. Choose delivery method as email, push notification, or both. Choose timing as immediately after the call or bundled at a specific time if you prefer reviewing reports at a set time.
[Family Dashboard](/features/family-dashboard) Access:
Beyond notifications, the dashboard provides complete access to call history, trends, and patterns. You can check the dashboard any time, not just when notifications arrive.
Adding Other Family Members:
If siblings or other relatives want access to wellness reports, invite them from the Family section of your settings. Each family member creates their own account. You grant access to specific seniors and set what each family member can see. Each family member configures their own notification preferences.
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How Do You Launch the First Call?
With setup complete, you are ready to start the service.
Activating Your Trial:
Review all settings to confirm phone number, call time, and notification preferences are correct. Start your trial period, which includes your first calls at no charge. The first call schedules automatically based on your selected time. If you complete setup before the day's call time, the first call can happen the same day.
Preparing Your Parent:
Before the first call arrives, contact your parent to explain what to expect. Keep the explanation simple: "You'll get a friendly phone call tomorrow morning from FamilyPulse. It's a check-in service I set up so I know you're doing okay. Just answer it like a normal call and chat for a few minutes. It helps me worry less knowing someone's checking on you every day."
Address likely questions: "Is it a robot?" You can explain it is a computer that talks like a person and has nice conversations. "Do I have to do anything special?" Just answer the phone and talk normally. "Why are you doing this?" Because it helps me feel connected to how you are doing, and I worry less knowing you're getting checked on daily.
First Call Experience:
The phone rings at the scheduled time. Your parent answers normally. A friendly AI voice greets them by name and engages in a few minutes of conversation about how they are feeling. The call ends warmly. Within minutes, you receive the first summary.
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"The first call surprised my mother a bit, even though I'd told her about it. But by the third day, she mentioned she looks forward to the morning call. She said it's like someone caring enough to check in on her, and she doesn't have to bother me with small updates because the service handles it." - Patricia, 54, daughter caring for mother with mobility limitations
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What Should You Review After the First Call?
The first summary establishes your baseline and confirms the system is working.
First Summary Contents:
Confirmation that the call completed successfully. Length of the conversation. Topics covered and responses given. Initial wellness assessment. Any concerns noted, though first calls rarely trigger concern alerts because baseline is not yet established.
Adjustments to Consider:
Call time: If the summary notes the call seemed to interrupt something or your parent seemed rushed, consider adjusting the time.
Custom questions: Based on what emerged in the first conversation, you might add specific questions.
Notification settings: The first summary helps you calibrate whether you want more or fewer notifications.
Setting Expectations:
The first few calls establish baseline for your specific parent. [Concern detection](/features/concern-detection) becomes more accurate over time as the system learns what is normal for them. Expect the most useful insights to emerge after about two weeks of consistent calls when patterns become visible.
What If Something Does Not Work Right?
Common setup issues have straightforward solutions.
Calls Not Going Through:
Verify the phone number is entered correctly, including area code. Confirm the phone is working by calling it yourself. For mobile phones, ensure cell service is available at call time. For landlines, confirm the line is connected and functioning. Check if call blocking features might be rejecting the FamilyPulse number.
Parent Not Answering:
Consider whether the call time might not be optimal. Remind them about the calls, especially in the first week. Check if their phone has a ringer that they can hear. Some seniors silence phones or miss calls due to hearing issues. Consider a different call time if mornings or evenings work better.
Reports Seem Inaccurate:
Remember that initial calls establish baseline, so early assessments are preliminary. The AI learns your parent's normal patterns over time. If something seems wrong with analysis, contact support with specifics.
Getting Help:
The in-app help center provides answers to common questions. Email support at support@familypulse.me for personalized assistance. Response typically within 24 hours. Describe your issue specifically for fastest resolution.
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Support Tip: When contacting support about call issues, include the date and time the problem occurred, your parent's name (so they can look up the account), and exactly what happened or what you expected. The more specific you are, the faster support can resolve the issue.
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What Happens After Setup Is Complete?
With calls running, your ongoing involvement is minimal but important.
Daily Habits:
Review each day's summary, either via notification or dashboard check. This takes about 30 seconds on normal days. Note any patterns emerging. Respond to concern alerts promptly.
Weekly Habits:
Review trend visualizations on the [dashboard](/features/family-dashboard) to spot patterns not visible in daily summaries. Compare this week to previous weeks. Adjust settings if patterns suggest different timing or questions would help.
Ongoing Value:
Over time, the system provides increasingly valuable insights. [Early detection of concerning changes](/features/concern-detection) before they become crises. Peace of mind from consistent daily contact, even when everything is fine. Data useful for healthcare conversations, including mood and sleep trends. Reduced worry because you know within hours if something is wrong.
Setup takes minutes. Your parent does nothing new. And every day forward, you receive the visibility into their wellbeing that previously required being physically present. This is what technology-enabled elder care looks like when designed correctly: simple for everyone involved and genuinely useful for maintaining connection across distance.
