How to request a wellness check on an elderly parent (by country)

Can't reach a parent who lives alone? When to ask police for a welfare check, which number to call in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, India or UAE.

By the Athnova Care team · Updated 2026-09-29

What a wellness check is

A wellness check (in the UK and Australia usually called a welfare check, or "concern for welfare") is a request for police, or another local service, to visit someone and make sure they are safe. It is free. You do not need to be in the same country to ask for one, but you do need to call the right local number.

It is not instant. Police grade each request by urgency, and a non-urgent one can take hours. Some forces pass welfare calls to health or social care instead of sending officers. So a wellness check is one step in a plan, not the whole plan.

When to ask for one, and when to call the emergency number

Emergency number: they said they were unwell before going quiet, someone hears them calling for help, they sent "SOS", or there is any sign of danger. Say it is an emergency.
Wellness check: you have tried their phone, their landline, the people around them and a neighbour, nobody can get to the door, and the silence is unusual for them.
Neither yet: they are an hour late for a call and you have not tried anyone nearby. Start with the people closest to them; a neighbour knocking is faster than any patrol car.

Which number to call, country by country

Use the number for the country and city where your parent lives. From abroad, short numbers like 101 or 105 will not connect: use the full-length number of the local police station, or ask a local contact to call.

Where your parent lives	Danger now	Worried, not an emergency	Other help
India	112 (ambulance 108)	Ask 112 for police, or call the local police station directly	Elder Line 14567, the national helpline for senior citizens
United States	911	The local police non-emergency line (search "<their city> police non-emergency")	Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-1116, Monday to Friday, for local senior services
United Kingdom	999	101, the police non-emergency number	The Silver Line 0800 470 8090 (free friendship line for people aged 55+, 24 hours); Age UK Advice 0800 678 1602
Canada	911	The local police non-emergency line (for example Toronto: 416-808-2222)	211, for community and senior services where it is offered
Australia	000	Police Assistance Line 131 444	My Aged Care 1800 200 422
New Zealand	111	105, the police non-emergency number	—
United Arab Emirates	999 (ambulance 998)	In Dubai: Dubai Police 901	—

United States and Canada: there is no national non-emergency number. Call the police department (or sheriff's office) for your parent's town; search "<their city> police non-emergency".

United Kingdom: 101 reaches the local force. Some forces also take welfare requests online, but they are not responsible for acting until they have confirmed the request with you, so do not wait on a form.

Australia: 131 444 is answered by the state or territory police where the call connects; Queensland calls it Policelink.

Numbers as published by police and public services in October 2026. For other countries, see the emergency numbers on our "Parents outside India" page.

What to say

Keep it short and factual. Something like:

"I would like to request a welfare check on my mother, [full name], aged [age], who lives alone at [full address]. I have not been able to reach her since [time], which is unusual because [she always answers before lunch]. She has [health conditions]. A neighbour, [name], has a key: [number]. I am calling from [country]; my number is [number with country code]."

Ask for a reference number, and how and when they will let you know. If you hear nothing, call back with the reference and ask whether anyone has attended.

What the police can and cannot do

They can visit, knock, speak to neighbours and, if they believe someone is in danger, go in. Powers to force entry vary by country and are limited for a general worry.
They may decide another service is better placed — an ambulance, social services or a mental-health team — and pass your call on.
They will usually not search for an adult who has simply lost touch, with nothing unusual going on.
A clear account (routine, health, who has a key, what you have already tried) gets a request graded faster.

If you are calling from another country

Save the full-length numbers of your parent's nearest police station and hospital before you need them.
Mind the clock: your evening may be their small hours, when a neighbour will not hear the phone. Have at least one contact who will.
If police in your parent's country will not take a call from abroad, contact your own country's consulate or embassy there, or report through your local police.
Keep your phone on and reachable: the police may call you back from a local or withheld number.

Better than a wellness check: knowing early

The families who never need a wellness check are the ones who know by mid-morning that something is off, and who have a neighbour and a key ready. A daily check-in gives you the first; an hour on the phone with neighbours gives you the second.

Athnova Care sends your parent one WhatsApp message a day in their language, follows silence with a reminder and a phone call in 25 countries, then alerts you and asks the neighbour you chose to look in. The daily WhatsApp check-in, the reminder and the family alert are free for one parent; the daily phone call and the neighbour step are in the full plan ($12 a month for the whole family, 14 days free first, no card).

Questions families ask

Is a wellness check free?

Yes. Police do not charge for a welfare check.

Can I request a wellness check from another country?

Yes, by calling the full-length number of the police where your parent lives. Short non-emergency numbers (101, 105, 131 444) only work from inside that country.

How long does a wellness check take?

It depends on how urgent the police judge it to be and how busy they are; a non-urgent check can take hours. If you believe your parent is in danger, call the emergency number instead.

Will my parent be upset that I called the police?

Some are. Talk about it before it ever happens: agree that if they do not answer by a certain time, you will ask a neighbour first and the police only after that.

What if I am wrong and they were fine?

That is the most common outcome, and police would rather check than miss someone who needed help. Use it to set up a better daily signal so it does not happen again.

Sources

Athnova Care tracks and coordinates care. It does not diagnose, prescribe or replace a doctor. In a medical emergency call the local emergency number.