Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from family members and centers are answered below.
For Families
What information will be provided to me?
How's My Mom will provide you with a picture of your loved one taken that day, any messages directly from your loved one, the activities your loved one participated in that day, a well-being update, and any updates that the center would like to send you.
How will I receive the information?
How's My Mom will send you an email message containing the picture and content described above. The email message will be sent to you just minutes after the update is completed.
Who will gather the information on my loved one?
The staff of the center at which your loved one lives will gather the information, take the picture, and submit the update electronically.
How often will I receive an update?
Your center will determine how often they are able to send updates to you. However, you choose the days of the week on which you receive the updates.
Can I send a message back to my loved one?
Yes! You can send a secure message back to your loved one. The staff of the center at which your loved one lives will read the message directly to your loved one.
What if the center is not already in the How's My Mom network?
It's easy. Just go to the registration page and tell us the name and contact information of the center. How's My Mom will contact them directly and let you know when they've signed up. You also can tell them about How's My Mom or send them a link to the website, www.howsmymom.com.
For Centers
How do we gather the information?
You will use a handheld device to take the picture and enter the update information. As you spend time throughout the day in the center, you can take a few minutes to talk with the resident and collect the information.
Which handheld devices do you currently support?
How's My Mom offers a free app for the iPhone, iPad 2, and iPod Touch 4 available for download from the App Store. How's My Mom also offers a free Android app available for download at Google Play (formerly the Android Market).
What if we don't have one of the listed handheld devices?
You can also take pictures using a digital camera and complete the updates through our website.
How do we send the information to the family member?
As soon as you complete the update, How's My Mom will send it to the family member automatically.
How do we know which residents we need to send an update to?
How's My Mom will maintain the list of subscribed residents in center. You just log onto your account on the handheld device, and all the residents who need updates will be presented to you electronically.
Are the update days always the same each week?
It depends on the selections of the family member. The member chooses his update days at registration, so you will likely have the updates spread across different days of the week.
Can the update days be changed?
The update days are set by the members and cannot be changed.
How do our families sign up for the service?
You add residents and family members to your center's online roster. To add a new resident, simply log into your account and click the "Add New Resident" button. Once you've registered the resident, that information is sent automatically to the How's My Mom app on your smartphone or tablet.