Free Daily Check-In Calls for Seniors: Programs by State

Free daily check-in calls for seniors do exist, but almost all of them are local. They are run by sheriff’s offices, police volunteers, Area Agencies on Aging and nonprofits, usually for one county or city. Only one state on our list, Maryland, runs a true statewide daily call program.

We checked every program below on its official page in October 2026, listed what actually happens when a call goes unanswered, and noted the ones that have quietly closed. If your area isn’t covered, the last sections explain how to find a program near you in one or two phone calls.

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Last verified: October 14, 2026

Programs change often, especially volunteer-run ones. Phone numbers are copied from each program’s own page; call to confirm before you rely on one. If you spot a change, email support@checkrise.co and we will update this page.

Three Kinds of Free Check-In Programs

Not every “check-in call” is a safety check. Before you sign up, know which kind you are getting:

Daily safety calls. An automated or live call at the same time each day. If nobody answers after a few tries, the program calls a neighbor or relative, and if that fails, sends a deputy or officer. Sheriff “Are You OK?” (often written R.U.O.K.) programs and Maryland’s Senior Call Check work this way.
Call-in programs. The reverse: the senior phones the program every morning. If they don’t, staff call them, then a contact, then send help. Hernando County, Florida and Greene County, New York run it this way.
Friendly calls. Volunteers call weekly or a few times a month to chat. These are wonderful for loneliness, but most have no emergency step if you don’t pick up, so they are not a safety net.

In the tables below, the “Missed call” column tells you which kind each program is.

Programs That Have Closed

Several programs still show up in older articles and directories but are no longer taking people. Don’t spend a morning on hold for these:

Ohio “Staying Connected” (Ohio Department of Aging) stopped accepting new applications in August 2023.
AARP Friendly Voices ended in February 2026, according to AARP’s help center.
Front Porch / Covia “Social Call” closed on August 1, 2025.

Where to Start in Any State

Two national lines can point you to whatever runs locally:

Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116 (call or text, or search at eldercare.acl.gov). Run for the federal Administration for Community Living, it connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging, which usually knows every reassurance program in the county.
Dial 2-1-1. Local 211 helplines keep lists of community services; in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, 211 runs a daily call program itself.

Free Check-In Call Programs by State

States are listed by population, largest first. “Statewide route” is the official line that connects you to local services; it is not a check-in program itself unless we say so.

California

Statewide route: California Aging and Adult Information Line, 1-800-510-2020 (calls are routed to your county’s Area Agency on Aging). The Institute on Aging’s Friendship Line, 888-670-1360, is a 24/7 support line for Californians that also makes regular outreach calls to people who ask for them; it is emotional support rather than a safety check.

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
You Are Not Alone (YANA), San Diego County Sheriff	Sheriff's jurisdiction (unincorporated areas and contract cities)	Live volunteer call Monday to Friday before 10 a.m., plus a weekly visit	After 3 tries, volunteers go to the home; a deputy or EMS if needed	Your local Sheriff's station
Y.A.N.A., El Dorado County Senior Services	El Dorado County, 60+	Daily call between 8 and 10 a.m.	After 3 tries, family or neighbors are asked to check, then law enforcement	530-621-6150
YANA, Fremont Police volunteers	City of Fremont	Volunteer call Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon	Follow-up steps after several tries (details not published)	510-790-6691
TeleCheck, Jewish Family Service LA	Los Angeles and West Hollywood	Volunteer call every weekday morning	Repeat calls, emergency contacts, a social worker, then a welfare check	877-275-4537 (JFS intake)

Texas

Statewide route: Texas Health and Human Services connects you to one of 28 Area Agencies on Aging at 1-800-252-9240. There is no statewide check-in program.

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Plano Care Call, City of Plano 9-1-1	City of Plano	Automated daily call at a set time; press a button to confirm	A Care Team member calls back, then your emergency contact or Plano Police for a welfare check	972-941-7900
Telephone Assurance Program, Round Rock Police	City of Round Rock	Daily wellness call from police volunteers	Not published (emergency contact and medical info on file)	512-218-5510
Are You OK?, Arlington Police	City of Arlington, 65+	Weekly volunteer call on a set day	Emergency contact is called; volunteers can transfer to 911	817-459-5589 or the online form
Are You Okay?, Harris County Constable Pct. 7	Precinct 7 (south/southeast Houston), 65+	Volunteer hotline calls plus visits (page says daily and weekly)	Not published	713-274-3541

Florida

Statewide route: Florida’s Elder Helpline, 1-800-963-5337 (1-800-96-ELDER), connects you to your county’s helpline and Aging and Disability Resource Center.

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Sunshine Daily Reassurance, 211 Palm Beach and Treasure Coast	Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Okeechobee	Daily volunteer call, 7 days a week, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.	Not stated on the program page	Dial 2-1-1 and ask for Sunshine calls
CARE LINE, Hernando County Sheriff	Hernando County	Call-in: you phone the Care Line each morning, 6 to 9:30 a.m.	Staff call you, then a neighbor or friend, then a deputy is sent	352-754-6830 ext. 53660
TelePals, Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay	Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk	Weekly volunteer companionship call	No emergency step (social call)	813-819-0725

New York

Statewide route: NY Connects, 1-800-342-9871, or your county Office for the Aging (directory). In New York City, call Aging Connect at 212-244-6469 (212-NYC-AGING).

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Are You OK?, Putnam County Sheriff	Putnam County	Daily call, once or twice a day at times you choose	After several tries, a patrol car is sent	845-225-4300 ext. 42209
Senior Call-In Program, Greene County Sheriff	Greene County	Call-in: you phone 7 to 10 a.m. daily	Office calls you, then your contacts, then sends a patrol unit	518-731-4273
Telephone Assurance Program, Catholic Charities for Erie County	Erie County, 60+ living alone	Weekly volunteer well-being call	No emergency step (social call)	716-262-6164
Friendly Visiting, NYC Aging	New York City	Volunteer visits in person, by phone or video	No emergency step (social program)	212-244-6469

Pennsylvania

Statewide route: PA Link, 1-800-753-8827, or your county’s Area Agency on Aging (finder). Pennsylvania has 52 AAAs covering its 67 counties.

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Telephone Reassurance (Project HEARTH), Family Services of Montgomery County	Montgomery County, 60+	Scheduled weekday calls from trained volunteers	Not published	610-326-1610
CheckMates, AgeWell at the JCC of Greater Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh area	Weekly peer-led friendly call	No emergency step (social call)	412-697-3528

Montgomery County’s page notes that low-income clients are subsidized, so ask about cost when you call.

Illinois

Statewide route: Illinois Department on Aging Senior HelpLine, 1-800-252-8966 (711 TRS).

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Community Care, DuPage County Sheriff	DuPage County; over 62 or disabled, living alone	Automated calls on set days and times; enter a code to confirm	A dispatcher calls, then your neighbor or family, then a deputy is sent	630-407-2400
R.U.O.K. Personal Wellness Check, Lake County Sheriff	Lake County; homebound or living alone	Daily wellness call at a set time	Emergency contacts and key holders on file are called	847-377-4200
Senior Well-Being Check, City of Chicago	Chicago	One-time check on request, with follow-up services	Not a recurring call	311 (info: 312-744-4016)
Friendly Visiting Program, Catholic Charities Joliet	Will, Grundy, Kankakee; 60+	Weekly volunteer phone call	No emergency step (social call)	815-221-6020

Ohio

Statewide route: 1-866-243-5678 connects you to the Area Agency on Aging that serves your community. The state’s own “Staying Connected” daily call program is closed to new applicants (see above).

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Care Calls, City of Cleveland Department of Aging	Cleveland; 60+, or 18–59 with a disability	Automated call on the weekdays you choose, between 7 and 11 a.m.	Retries for 30 minutes, then your emergency contact, then a possible home check by Public Safety	216-664-6316
Senior Watch, Union County Sheriff	Union County	Daily call from the 911 center at the time you choose	Callback after 10 minutes, then your key holder, then paramedics and law enforcement	937-645-4110
Senior Safe, Dayton Fire Department	City of Dayton	Automated text or call Monday to Friday, plus home safety help	Not published	Online form; 937-333-4500

Georgia

Statewide route: Georgia Division of Aging Services, 1-866-552-4464, or find your Area Agency on Aging (directory). In metro Atlanta, call Empowerline at 404-463-3333. We could not find a county-wide check-in call program in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb or Gwinnett.

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Guardian Call, Forsyth County 911 Center	Forsyth County (GA)	Live call on the days and times you choose	At least 3 tries, then a sheriff's officer is sent	678-455-8073
RUOK?, Cherokee Sheriff's Office	Cherokee County	Daily call at a time you choose	After a few tries, a deputy is sent	678-493-4233
Daily wellness call, Houston County 911 Center	Houston County (GA)	Automated daily welfare call	Sheriff's office is alerted to send a deputy	478-542-9911
S.A.F.E., Whitfield County Sheriff	Whitfield County; 60+ living alone	Friendly call Monday to Friday	Not published	Sign-up form on the sheriff's page

North Carolina

Statewide route: NC Division of Aging, 919-855-3400, or the NCDHHS Customer Service Center, 1-800-662-7030, to find your regional Area Agency on Aging.

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Senior Well Check, Wake County Sheriff	Wake County; 65+ living alone	Automated call daily at 9 a.m.; press 1 if you're OK	Retries at 9:05 and 9:10, then your key contact, then a deputy	984-298-1363
Are You OK?, Brunswick County Sheriff	Brunswick County	Daily call between 7 and 11 a.m., 365 days a year	Calls to you and your key holders, then an officer is sent	910-253-2777
Reassurance Program, HopeLine	Statewide (NC residents)	Scheduled social check-in calls at the frequency you choose	After 3 tries, your emergency contacts; then emergency services for a well check	919-832-3326
TeleCare Reassurance, Senior Resources of Guilford	Guilford County	Regular calls from a matched volunteer	Not published	336-333-6981 (High Point: 336-884-6981)

HopeLine is not limited to seniors and calls are not necessarily daily, but it is the only free reassurance program we found that covers all of North Carolina.

Michigan

Statewide route: Michigan has no statewide check-in program. Your local Area Agency on Aging (16 statewide) is the place to ask; the state’s aging bureau is at 517-241-4100.

Program	Area	How it works	Missed call	Sign up
Automated wellness calls, Monroe County Sheriff with City of Monroe	Monroe County (city route confirmed)	Automated call at the time and frequency you choose	After retries, Central Dispatch sends an officer	Registration form on the City of Monroe page
Friendly Reassurance, The Senior Alliance	34 communities in southern and western Wayne County (not Detroit); 60+ homebound	Scheduled live calls, often from other seniors	Emergency contact required at sign-up	734-722-2830
Phone Pal, Community Access Line of the Lakeshore (2-1-1)	Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa counties	Friendly safety and wellness calls from staff and volunteers	Not published	231-733-7003

Monroe County’s program started as a 2026 pilot, so confirm it is still enrolling.

Maryland: The One True Statewide Program

Maryland is not in the top 10 by population, but it is the model the rest of the country should copy. Senior Call Check, run by the Maryland Department of Aging, places a free automated call or text every day between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at a time the person chooses. If there is no answer after two more tries, an alternate contact is called, and if no one can be reached, a non-emergency welfare check is requested. It is open to Marylanders 60 and older with a landline or cell phone. Enroll at 1-866-502-0560 (1-866-50-CHECK) or on the Department of Aging site.

How to Find a Program If Yours Isn’t Listed

Most counties have something, even if it never made it onto a website. This order usually gets an answer fastest:

Call your Area Agency on Aging

Use the statewide route above or the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116). Ask for "telephone reassurance" or a "friendly caller" program. Those are the terms the aging network uses.

Call the sheriff's non-emergency line

Ask whether they run an "Are You OK?", "R.U.O.K.", "YANA" or senior check-in program. Many county sheriffs do, and few advertise it well. City police departments sometimes run their own.

Ask the local senior center

Senior centers often know which volunteer groups, churches or Meals on Wheels programs make daily calls in town.

Dial 2-1-1

Local 211 helplines keep directories of community services and can search by ZIP code.

What to Ask Before You Enroll

Five questions tell you whether a program is a safety net or a friendly chat:

How often do you call? Daily, weekdays only, or weekly? Weekday-only programs leave Saturday and Sunday uncovered.
What exactly happens if I don’t answer? Look for a clear chain: retries, then a named contact, then someone sent to the door.
Can I choose the time? A fixed 9 a.m. call doesn’t suit everyone’s routine.
What phone do I need? Some automated systems need a touch-tone keypad; a few programs are call-in only.
What if I’m away? Ask how to pause calls during trips or hospital stays so no one is sent to an empty house.

When a Free Program Isn’t Enough

Free programs are worth using where they exist. The catch is coverage: most cover a single county, many run on weekdays only, some depend on volunteers being available, and a few have long waiting lists. If your parent lives somewhere without a program, or you want the family alerted rather than only the sheriff, a paid check-in service fills the gap.

We build one of those services, so take this as informed rather than neutral. CheckRise sends a daily text message check-in anywhere in the US. If there’s no reply, it sends a reminder, places an automated call, then texts and calls up to five family contacts in turn, starting about 75 minutes after the missed check-in. It costs $1 for the first 7 days, then $14.99 a month. Families often set it up for a parent who lives in a county with no free program, and some people use both.

If you can’t reach someone right now, don’t wait for a program to start: our guide on how to request a welfare check walks through who to call. For the bigger picture, see how to check on elderly parents living alone and our roundup of daily check-in apps for seniors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there free daily check-in calls for seniors?

Yes, but most are local. Sheriff's offices, police volunteers, Area Agencies on Aging and nonprofits run free daily or weekday check-in calls in many counties. Maryland's Senior Call Check is the main statewide example. To find one near you, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 and ask for telephone reassurance.

What is a telephone reassurance program?

A telephone reassurance program calls an older adult on a regular schedule to make sure they are okay. Some are automated daily safety calls that send help if there is no answer; others are friendly volunteer calls focused on conversation and loneliness. Ask what happens on a missed call to know which kind you are getting.

What is an "Are You OK?" program?

"Are You OK?" (also R.U.O.K.) is the common name for sheriff and police programs that call enrolled residents each day. If the person doesn't answer after a few tries, the office calls a key holder or sends a deputy to the home. Examples include Putnam County, NY, Cherokee County, GA and Brunswick County, NC.

Is Maryland's Senior Call Check still running?

Yes, as of October 2026. Maryland's Department of Aging lists Senior Call Check as a free daily automated call or text between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. for Maryland residents 60 and older. Enrollment is at 1-866-50-CHECK (1-866-502-0560).

Does AARP still offer Friendly Voices calls?

No. AARP's help center says the Friendly Voices program ended in February 2026. Older directories still list its phone numbers, but they no longer enroll people.

Is Ohio's Staying Connected program still available?

No. The Ohio Department of Aging stopped accepting new applications for Staying Connected in August 2023. Ohio residents can call 1-866-243-5678 to reach their local Area Agency on Aging, and some cities, such as Cleveland, run their own automated call programs.

What if there is no free program where my parent lives?

Ask the local Area Agency on Aging and sheriff's office first, since many programs are not online. If nothing exists, a paid daily check-in service works anywhere in the US. CheckRise, for example, texts once a day and alerts family by text and phone call if there is no reply, for $14.99 a month after a $1 trial.

No free program near your parent?

CheckRise texts once a day anywhere in the US and calls in the family if there's no reply. $1 for your first 7 days.

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