Questions families ask

Signal Homecare uses small, discreet sensors to notice the everyday rhythms of life at home. This includes things like whether the kettle has been used, whether the front door has opened, the general level of movement around the home, and room temperature.

Over the first couple of weeks, Signal Homecare learns what a typical day looks like. After that, it quietly flags when something seems noticeably different from the usual pattern. It doesn't track specific activities or record any images or sounds, just the simple, factual details that tell a story about how the day is going.

No. Absolutely not. Signal Homecare will never place a camera or microphone in someone's home. This isn't an optional setting or a premium feature. It's a fundamental design principle.

Our system uses sensors that detect patterns: door openings, movement, appliance use, temperature. There is no hardware in our system capable of capturing images, video, or audio. We believe you can care for someone without watching them, and everything we build reflects that.

Family members who have been set up to receive notifications. This is decided by the family when Signal Homecare is configured, and it can include multiple people (a son and daughter, siblings, a close family friend) whoever the family decides should be in the loop.

This means the sense of responsibility is shared, which many families find helpful. You don't have to be the only one keeping an eye on things.

No, and it's not designed to. Signal Homecare is a supportive layer that sits alongside the care and contact your family already provides. It's there to fill the gaps between visits and phone calls, not to replace them.

If your loved one needs in-person care, professional support, or regular medical attention, Signal Homecare works alongside those arrangements. It can give you useful information that helps inform those conversations, but it doesn't replace human presence, professional carers, or medical advice.

Signal Homecare can be a helpful tool for families where dementia is a factor, particularly in noticing changes in daily routine over time. Because it works passively (with no input needed from the person at home) it can provide valuable information without adding any burden or confusion.

However, Signal Homecare is not a specialist dementia care product and should not be relied upon as the sole form of support for someone living with dementia. Every situation is different, and we'd always recommend discussing your particular circumstances with a healthcare professional or dementia support organisation to ensure the right combination of support is in place.

Signal Homecare is designed to be set up by you. The sensors stick on, there's nothing to wire in, and the hub handles the rest. Most people have it done within an hour. The sensors are small and unobtrusive, and the person living there doesn't need to do anything.

If the daily pattern shifts noticeably (for example, if the kettle hasn't been used by its usual time, or there's been no movement by mid-morning), Signal Homecare sends a calm notification to the family members set up to receive them.

It's not an alarm. It's a heads-up. You then decide what to do with that information. Maybe you'll give them a ring, maybe you'll pop round, maybe you'll check in later. The decision is always yours.

Signal Homecare also adapts over time. If routines naturally evolve (perhaps someone starts getting up a bit later, or stops going out on Wednesdays), Signal Homecare gradually adjusts its understanding of what's normal. It's designed to account for the natural evolution of daily life, not just flag every minor variation.

Yes, absolutely. Multiple family members can receive notifications and stay informed. This is often one of the most valuable aspects of Signal Homecare. It gives everyone a shared picture, so conversations about Mum or Dad are based on the same information rather than assumptions or worry.

It can also help distribute the sense of responsibility. When more than one person is keeping an eye on things, the weight doesn't fall entirely on one pair of shoulders.

Yes. Signal Homecare is £399 for the hardware and £55 a month for the service, rolling, with no minimum term.

Our costs page sets that alongside what personal alarms, home care visits, live-in care and residential care cost, so you can see where we sit — including where we cost more than the alternatives.

If you'd like to talk through whether it's a good fit for your situation, please get in touch. There's no obligation and no pressure.

We'll get back to you to arrange a conversation, usually by email or phone, whichever you prefer. There's no hard sell, no pressure, and no obligation.

We'll listen to your situation, explain how Signal Homecare works in more detail, and help you decide whether it's the right fit for your family. If it isn't, we'll tell you honestly. We'd rather help you find the right support (even if it isn't us) than sell you something that doesn't fit.

Their wishes are important, and they should be respected. We always recommend having an open, honest conversation with your loved one about Signal Homecare: what it does, what it doesn't do, and why you're considering it.

Many people are more comfortable with the idea once they understand that there are no cameras or microphones, and that it's designed to support their independence rather than restrict it. The sensors are discreet, there's nothing to interact with, and life carries on exactly as normal.

That said, if someone is strongly opposed to any form of monitoring, that's a conversation the family needs to have together. Signal Homecare works best when the person at home understands and is comfortable with it.

Yes. Signal Homecare is designed to complement existing care arrangements, not compete with them. Whether your loved one has a carer who visits regularly, attends a day centre, receives meals on wheels, or has support from neighbours and friends, Signal Homecare adds a quiet additional layer of awareness.

It can be particularly useful in the times between care visits, giving you confidence that things are going smoothly even when no one else is there.

Signal Homecare requires an internet connection and mains power to operate fully. If either is interrupted, the system's ability to monitor and send notifications will be affected.

We are actively developing our approach to handling outages, including how we notify families, how quickly the system recovers, and whether any local data can be preserved during short interruptions. Full details will be published in due course.

We want to be honest about this: it's an area we take seriously and are working hard to get right. If you have specific concerns about connectivity or power reliability in your area, we're happy to discuss them.

Data protection is a core priority for us. The data Signal Homecare collects (sensor readings like door open/close events, motion detection, temperature, and appliance usage) is encrypted end-to-end. Data is scrambled on the hub before it leaves the home, stays protected while being sent, and remains secure on our UK-hosted servers. We use the same level of encryption as your bank.

We will never sell, share, or trade your data with third parties for any commercial purpose. Your information is used solely to provide the Signal Homecare service to your family.

We're currently preparing our full data protection documentation, which will provide complete details of how data is handled, stored, and protected. In the meantime, if you have specific questions about data safety, please don't hesitate to ask.

Every Signal Homecare kit includes a small, discreet hub with its own WiFi network and mobile internet connection, two door sensors, two motion sensors, one temperature sensor, and two smart plugs for key appliances like the kettle and the television, plus 24/7 system monitoring. The kit is the same for every home. What changes is where the sensors go.

No. Signal Homecare comes with its own mobile data connection, so it works independently of any existing broadband or WiFi in the home. This means Signal Homecare won't go offline if the person changes their internet provider, or if they don't have an internet connection at all.

The Signal Homecare hub includes a battery backup, so brief power interruptions won't affect the system. If a longer outage occurs, our team will be aware of it through our 24/7 monitoring and can take appropriate action.

Alerts are sent as push notifications through the secure Signal Homecare app. Multiple family members can receive alerts, so caring responsibilities can be shared. If required, the person at home can also receive notifications.

Signal Homecare is currently in its beta programme. We're looking for a small number of families to help us refine and improve the system. Beta testers receive the full Signal Homecare system (fully supported) completely free, forever. If you're interested, register your interest through our contact form and we'll be in touch.

Signal Homecare is £399 for the hardware and £55 a month for the service, on a rolling basis with no minimum term. That's £1,059 in the first year and £660 a year after that.

The kit is two door sensors, two motion sensors, a temperature sensor and two smart plugs, with 24/7 system monitoring. It's a fixed kit, designed to be set up by you.

Our costs page sets those figures alongside what personal alarms, home care visits, live-in care and residential care cost, so you can see where we actually sit.

If the bathroom is a concern, one of the motion sensors in the kit can be placed there. If someone has been in the bathroom for longer than usual (especially overnight), Signal Homecare can alert family members.

This is important because research shows that around 1 in 5 falls in over-65s result in being on the floor for more than an hour, and that traditional call alarms are often not pressed in these situations.

Signal Homecare doesn't claim to prevent falls, but it can help families become aware sooner when something doesn't seem right.