User's Guide

How to use Near & Dear

A simple guide to setting up the app, understanding the Star and Companion roles, and making the most of every caring check-in.

Companion and Star

The Companion is the person using Near & Dear to keep up with someone they love.
The Star is the loved one using Near & Dear on their iPhone to answer simple daily check-ins.
Some people use Near & Dear on their own as a Star first, and connect a Companion later.
Near & Dear is a support tool. It is not a replacement for emergency services, professional medical care, or immediate in-person help.

When you first open Near & Dear, the app helps you choose the right setup path: for someone else, or for yourself.
Family members, caregivers, and friends who want to stay updated usually set it up for someone else.
If you will be answering the daily check-ins on your own iPhone, you are setting it up for yourself.
Near & Dear works best when the Star allows notifications on their iPhone, and when the Companion turns on only the check-ins that are truly useful. Starting simple is better than turning everything on at once.

During setup you may choose what name Near & Dear should use, which check-ins to turn on, wake-up and wind-down times, medication timing, and personal details that help the app sound warm and familiar.
You can adjust all of this later as things change.
If you turn a check-in off, it should stop appearing on your loved one's main screen and stop prompting them going forward.

After setup, Near & Dear helps you invite your loved one to connect from their iPhone.
They join and begin using the app with the check-ins you selected.
If an invitation expires or needs to be sent again, you can re-invite them.

Near & Dear uses different levels of urgency so routine updates do not feel like emergencies. Some responses can be reviewed later; more concerning ones are highlighted more strongly.
Examples that may lead to a stronger alert: a loved one says they need to talk, says they need to see a doctor, a reading appears dangerously out of range, or they begin the emergency call flow.
Opening an alert shows what kind of check-in it was, when it happened, the response given, and whether it was routine, concerning, or urgent.
Activity, insights, and reports let you look at patterns over time instead of reacting to a single moment.
Treat alerts as signals, not proof. And if something feels concerning, reach out — do not wait for a stronger alert.

Companions can send a message to their loved one without turning it into a phone call.
Stars can reply with a quick tap response or a typed reply.

Your home screen stays simple: a friendly greeting, a bell for notifications, settings, trophies, reports, and large buttons for each check-in you use.
You only see the check-ins that are turned on for your account.

Tap How I'm Feeling and choose the large button that best matches how you feel.
Most of the time Near & Dear simply thanks you and moves on.
If you choose the most serious option, you may see follow-up choices such as "I'm just having a bad day," "I need to talk to my Companion," "I need to go see a doctor," or "It's an emergency."
If you choose the emergency option, Near & Dear asks you to confirm before placing a call.

Tap What I Ate, choose the meal if needed, select what you ate, and finish.
If the right food is not listed, choose Something else and type it in.
If you arrived from a notification about one specific meal, the app may take you straight to that meal.

Blood pressure: tap Blood Pressure, use the large keypad, enter the top number, tap the slash, enter the bottom number, and submit.
Blood sugar: tap Blood Sugar, enter your reading on the keypad, and submit.
Heart rate: tap Heart Rate, enter your reading on the keypad, and submit.
Every reading screen is a big keypad rather than a small form.

Tap Medications, review the medicines shown for that time of day, mark what you took, and submit.
You should only see the medications that matter for that part of the day.

Near & Dear can remind the Star when it is time to check in, and tapping a reminder usually opens the right screen directly.
If a check-in was already completed recently, Near & Dear may skip the reminder on purpose instead of repeating itself.
Tap the bell to see check-ins that still need attention — useful if a reminder was missed.
Clearing several pending check-ins in one sitting may bring up a small celebration or supportive message.

Near & Dear may celebrate consistent responses with trophies and encouraging messages.
These are meant to feel warm and human, not to pressure or shame anyone.
Not every user sees the Trophy Case right away.

A Star who started alone may be asked to enter an invitation code to connect with a Companion.
When connecting, the Star may be asked whether to share Everything or Starting Today.
Everything shares earlier Near & Dear history. Starting Today shares only activity from the moment of connection.
That choice matters — read it carefully and choose what fits your comfort level.

Who pays depends on the setup: sometimes a Companion pays, sometimes a Star pays for their own use, and sometimes both have active coverage at the same time.
The account needs active subscription coverage to keep working normally.
If a Companion set things up and their subscription covers the account, the Star may not manage billing directly.
If a Companion removes a Star from monitoring, Near & Dear notifies them. Without their own coverage, they may be given a grace period to start a subscription before access ends.
No one should assume they can manage another person's subscription from inside the app. Before disconnecting anything, make sure at least one active subscription covers the person using Near & Dear.

The Star answers check-ins on their own iPhone, so what is shared depends on what the Star enters.
Not every alert means a crisis. Different levels of urgency exist so families can notice what matters without constant alarm.
Keep emergency contact information current if the app asks for it, and do not ignore repeated concerning responses.
If there is an emergency, call emergency services right away. Near & Dear supports connection and earlier follow-up — it does not make decisions for you.

Not getting reminders? Allow notifications for Near & Dear in iPhone Settings, open the app again, and check whether the check-in is still turned on.
Missed a check-in? Open the bell to see the notifications list and respond from there.
A check-in type disappeared? It was most likely turned off in settings for that account.
Changed settings and reminders seem off? Open the app again so it can refresh your reminders.
Some settings missing on your iPhone? If someone else manages your setup and you do not have your own subscription, some profile, check-in, or schedule settings may not appear.
A screen seems stuck? Close the app and reopen it from the Home Screen.
If a guide or chatbot answer differs from the wording on the screen in front of you, trust the app's live message first.

Tap the Ask Angel chat button in the bottom-right corner for help, or visit our Contact page to send us a message.