How Sarah's Daily Check-ins Saved Her Life

Living alone at 68, Sarah Thompson had a stroke at 3 AM. Because she missed her morning check-in, her daughter was alerted within minutes and called emergency services. This is her inspiring story of how a simple daily habit saved her life.

A Normal Evening Turns Critical

Sarah Thompson had lived alone in her Seattle home for five years since her husband passed away. A retired school teacher, she valued her independence and had built a comfortable routine. Her daughter, Emily, lived 20 miles away and worried constantly about her mother living alone.

"I used to call Mom every morning," Emily recalls. "But sometimes I'd miss a day because of work meetings or the kids' schedules. I always felt guilty, but I had no way to know if she was really okay unless I called."

Six months ago, Emily convinced her mother to try DailyOK. Sarah was skeptical at first—she didn't consider herself "tech-savvy" and thought the app might be too complicated. But after Emily helped her set it up, Sarah found it incredibly simple: just tap a button twice a day, morning and evening.

The Night Everything Changed

On November 3rd, Sarah went to bed at her usual time, around 10 PM. She had completed her evening check-in on DailyOK without any issues. But at 3:17 AM, Sarah suffered an ischemic stroke while sleeping.

When Sarah woke up around 7 AM, she immediately knew something was terribly wrong. The right side of her body felt weak and numb. She tried to get out of bed but fell. Her phone was on the nightstand, just a few feet away, but she couldn't reach it.

"I remember lying on the floor, feeling scared and helpless. I couldn't move properly, and my phone might as well have been on the moon. I kept thinking about how long it might be before anyone found me."

The Alert That Saved Her

Sarah's morning check-in was scheduled for 8 AM. When she didn't complete it, DailyOK's system waited the standard grace period. At 8:30 AM, the app sent an alert notification to Emily.

Emily was at her desk at work when her phone buzzed with the DailyOK alert. "My heart dropped," she remembers. "Mom had never missed a check-in before. Not once in six months."

Emily immediately called her mother—no answer. She called again—still nothing. Within three minutes of receiving the alert, Emily had called 911 and was racing to her mother's house.

Time is Brain: The Critical Golden Hour

Emergency responders arrived at Sarah's home at 8:47 AM—just 17 minutes after the DailyOK alert was sent. They found Sarah on the floor beside her bed, conscious but unable to move her right side.

Dr. Michael Chen, the neurologist who treated Sarah at Harborview Medical Center, emphasized how crucial the timing was:

"In stroke treatment, we have a saying: 'Time is brain.' For every minute a stroke goes untreated, the average patient loses 1.9 million neurons. Sarah received treatment within the critical window because her daughter was alerted immediately when she missed her check-in. This made all the difference in her recovery."

Sarah received tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot-busting drug that must be administered within 4.5 hours of stroke onset for maximum effectiveness. Thanks to the early alert, she received treatment within 90 minutes—well within the optimal window.

The Road to Recovery

Sarah spent five days in the hospital and then three weeks in rehabilitation. The early treatment significantly improved her prognosis. While she had some initial weakness on her right side, intensive physical therapy helped her regain most of her function.

"The doctors told us that if Mom had been found even a few hours later, the outcome could have been drastically different," Emily says. "She might have had permanent paralysis or worse. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if we were still relying on our random phone calls."

Today, three months after her stroke, Sarah has returned home and regained her independence. She still uses DailyOK religiously—twice a day, every day.

Why Simple Daily Check-ins Matter

Sarah's story illustrates several critical points about living alone and emergency preparedness:

• Medical emergencies don't wait for convenient times. Sarah's stroke happened at 3 AM when most people are asleep and unreachable.
• Even nearby phones can be unreachable. Sarah's phone was just feet away, but in her condition, it might as well have been miles.
• Regular phone calls aren't reliable. Before DailyOK, Emily would sometimes go days without calling, never knowing if something was wrong.
• Immediate alerts make the difference. The 30-minute window between Sarah's missed check-in and Emily's alert was crucial for emergency response.
• Peace of mind matters for everyone. Both Sarah and Emily report feeling much less anxious now, knowing there's a reliable system in place.

Sarah's Message to Others

Sarah is now an advocate for daily check-in systems, especially for older adults living alone. She's shared her story with friends and at her community center.

"I was stubborn about my independence. I didn't want my daughter to worry, but I also didn't want her to feel like she had to check on me constantly. DailyOK solved both problems. It's so simple—just two taps a day—but it saved my life. If you're living alone or have a loved one who is, please don't wait for an emergency to put a system in place."

The Statistics Are Sobering

Sarah's experience isn't unique. According to medical research:

• Nearly 800,000 strokes occur in the United States every year
• About 25% of stroke victims live alone
• For every 15-minute delay in treatment, stroke victims have a 4% lower chance of a favorable outcome
• Approximately 1 in 4 stroke survivors will have another stroke
• Early treatment can reduce long-term disability by up to 30%

For older adults living alone, having a reliable check-in system isn't just about peace of mind—it's about survival and quality of life.

What's Next for Sarah

Sarah continues her physical therapy and has made lifestyle changes to reduce her risk of another stroke. But perhaps most importantly, she's never alone in an emergency anymore.

"Every morning when I tap that button, I know Emily will see it," Sarah says. "And if something goes wrong, I know she'll know within minutes. That confidence has given me back my independence. I'm not afraid to live alone anymore—but I'm also not truly alone. It's the perfect balance."

Emily agrees: "I sleep better at night now. I don't constantly worry about Mom. The app does the monitoring, and I just get to be her daughter instead of her constant supervisor. It's changed both our lives for the better."

Learn More About Daily Check-ins

If you or someone you love lives alone, consider setting up a daily check-in system. Whether you're a senior living independently, a solo traveler, or someone with medical concerns, having a reliable safety net can make all the difference.