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A friendly voice for your mum or dad, set up from your phone.
Dottie is an AI companion for elderly parents who live on their own. They tap her face and chat, any time of day. You do the setting up, and you can see how they're getting on without listening in.
No card needed. Works on the tablet or phone they already have.
You can't be there all day. Nobody can.
You ring when you can. The neighbours pop in. But there are long stretches where the house is quiet and there's nobody to tell about the robin on the fence or the thing on the radio.
- Someone to talk to, whenever they like.Early mornings, long afternoons, the small hours when sleep won't come. Dottie is always happy to chat.
- A proper conversation.Not twenty questions. She listens, laughs, has her own opinions and remembers the important things for next time.
- Company between your calls, not instead of them.Dottie gives them something to tell you about, too.
Our Sarah rang this morning. She's off to Lisbon next week.
Ooh, lucky her. All those hills and little yellow trams. Did you ever go abroad much?
Once, to Spain. Ron got so sunburnt he looked like a lobster.
Oh no! Every family has a lobster story. Go on, what happened?
You set it up. They just say hello.
- Time
- About two minutes
- Done by
- You, from your own phone
- They need
- A tablet or phone with Wi-Fi
Make a free account
Tell Dottie what to call them, a few things they love talking about, and who to ring if they ever need help.
Choose Dottie or Teddy
A woman's voice or a man's. Some people simply prefer one or the other.
Connect their device, once
Open a link or scan a QR code on their tablet. It stays connected, so there's never a password to remember.
They tap and talk
That's all they ever need to do. Settings stay with you.
What you see, and what you don't.
Enough to know they're all right. Not so much that it feels like spying.
- When they chatted, and how they seemed.A line or two after each conversation, including anything that worried Dottie, like a mention of pain or a caller asking for money.
- Never the full conversation, unless they agree.You can turn on full conversations only with their say-so. Dottie tells them honestly which setting is on.
- A heads-up if something's wrong.If they mention a fall, chest pain or feeling very unwell, a red help card appears on their screen with press-and-hold buttons to ring the emergency number or you. You'll see it at the top of your dashboard the next time you open it.
- Their stories, if they want to keep them.When they tell a good one, Dottie asks if they'd like to keep it for the family. More about the story book.
What Dottie isn't
Dottie is an AI, not a person, and she always says so. She isn't a medical, care or emergency service, she doesn't call anyone by herself, and she doesn't detect falls. If you're worried about your parent's safety, a personal alarm and regular visits matter more than any app. Our guide to an elderly parent living alone covers what to put in place.
Questions families ask
Will my parent actually use it?
There's nothing to learn: they tap Dottie's face and talk, the way they'd talk on the phone. No typing, no menus, no passwords. The free week is the best way to find out, and it costs nothing.
Can I read their conversations?
Not by default. You see when they chatted and a short summary of each chat. Full conversations are only shown if your parent agrees and you turn sharing on, and Dottie is honest with them about which setting is on.
What happens if they mention a fall?
Dottie stops chatting, tells them calmly to call for help, and a red help card appears on their screen with press-and-hold buttons to call the emergency number or you. It also shows at the top of your dashboard the next time you open it; we don't send texts or emails. Dottie doesn't call anyone by herself and isn't an emergency service or a fall alarm.
Does it replace my calls and visits?
No, and it isn't meant to. Dottie is company for the hours in between: the quiet mornings, the long afternoons and the nights when sleep won't come.
How do I bring it up without it feeling like I'm checking up on them?
Introduce it as something to try, not a monitor. Sit with them for the first chat, tell them honestly what you'll see, and let them decide whether you can read full conversations.