Your weekly phone call
- Someone sees the home
- No
- What you hear back
- Whatever she chooses to tell you
Know how your parent is really doing, every week.
The same trained Okavia visitor stops by for 30 minutes and texts you what they saw: the fridge, the mail, the mood, the walk to the door. Things a phone call can't tell you.
Now visiting homes in Hays, Kansas.
Okavia
Maya visited Rose today, 11:00 to 11:31. Mostly fine, one thing worth a look.
Fridge is full and her knee seems better. One thing: the railing on the back step is loose, and she leans on it going out to the garden.
Thank you. I'll call her neighbor Carol about the railing.
Phone calls tell you she's fine. A visit shows you.
Most families find out something was wrong after it already went wrong. Here's how the usual options compare when you live hours away.
Check-in apps
- Someone sees the home
- No
- What you hear back
- That she tapped "I'm OK"
Home care agencies
- Someone sees the home
- Yes, but usually in multi-hour shifts
- What you hear back
- Depends on the agency
Okavia
- Someone sees the home
- Yes, the same person every 30-minute visit
- What you hear back
- A written report on your phone after every visit
How it works
You set it up from wherever you live. Your parent gets a friendly face, not a stranger at the door each week.
Tell us about your parent
Their address in Hays, what they enjoy talking about, and how to get in the door. About five minutes.
Meet the visitor
We introduce one visitor who comes every time. Your parent says yes before any visits start.
A 30-minute visit
At a time that suits your parent. Conversation first, checklist second.
Your report arrives
A text when they leave, with a link to the full report. Anything flagged comes with a suggested next step.
What the visitor notices
Every visit covers the same five things, so you can see changes week to week instead of guessing.
- Mood and conversationChatty or quiet, sharp or confused, worried about anything.
- Food and eatingFresh food in the fridge, signs of a recent meal, expired items piling up.
- HomeMail picked up, dishes and trash under control, unopened bills.
- SafetyClear walkways, working heat or AC, anything new that could cause a fall.
- Getting aroundMoving like usual, new bruises, any falls they mention.
Someone you'd trust with a key
Okavia employees, not gig workers
Every visitor is hired, trained, and supervised by Okavia. No app marketplace, no strangers picking up shifts.
The same person every week
Your parent gets to know one visitor, and the visitor learns what normal looks like for them. That's how small changes get noticed.
Background checked and trained
Before going out alone, each visitor passes a background check, completes paid training, and shadows an experienced visitor.
Company, not home care
Visitors don't give medication, bathe, or do housework. If your parent needs that, we'll point you to a licensed Hays agency.
If something is wrong during a visit
Every visitor follows the same plan, built into their app.
- Call 911 first if anyone is hurt or in danger.
- Call you right after.
- Write down exactly what happened. It goes into your report.
Work at Okavia
We're hiring part-time visitors who live in Hays. You'll be an Okavia employee with a regular schedule, visiting the same people each week and writing their family a short report after every visit.
- A real job
- Hourly pay, paid training, and mileage covered. You're on our team, not a contractor.
- Same people every week
- We match you with a small group of older adults near you, so you get to know them.
- Who we're looking for
- Patient, observant, reliable people who stay in Hays year-round. Retirees welcome. You'll need a car, a smartphone, and to pass a background check.
Questions families ask
What if my parent doesn't want visits?
That's common, and we won't start without their agreement. Many parents warm up when it's framed as a weekly visitor rather than "someone checking on you." When you sign up, you can ask us to call your parent and introduce ourselves first.
Is this home care?
No. Visitors provide company and observation only. They don't give medication, help with bathing, or do housework. If your parent needs that kind of help, we'll point you to a licensed Hays agency.
What happens in an emergency?
The visitor calls 911 first, then you, then records exactly what happened. You'll see it at the top of that visit's report.
Who are the visitors?
Okavia employees who live in Hays. Each one passes a background check, an interview, paid training, and a shadow visit before visiting alone.
What happens over the summer and holidays?
We hire visitors who live in Hays year-round. If your visitor is away, we'll tell you ahead of time who's covering.