A new app that monitors the health of elderly people has been launched by Miramichi, New Brunswick-based Unicare Home Health Care and sister company Uniclean Solutions.

The app, WellCheck, was developed by CEO and owner Lisa Williams to track important health information and to allow it to be shared with family members and healthcare providers. 

Williams was inspired to develop the app after experiencing two health emergencies with her own parents during the pandemic.

“In a time where we are required to practice physical distancing, COVID-19 has brought about challenges for families who are caring for elderly parents,” Williams said in a statement.

“The absence of physical contact certainly adds to feelings of helplessness and disconnection. The WellCheck app helps to solve this problem with digital report taking and real-time tracking – all on a mobile phone.”

The app shows patterns in health status and can thus help to prevent a health crisis, Williams said. It also offers resources and questionnaires that guide users when making notes on activities, medications and more. Information gathered can be shared at the click of a button.

“Both of my parents ended up in hospital during the lockdown and I felt helpless not knowing or being able to be updated on their conditions,” Williams said.

“My two brothers live out of province and WellCheck would have made it much easier for me to keep them updated and informed."

Williams started Unicare Home Health Care as a single mother in her living room. In an earlier interview, Williams told Entrevestor that her own grandmother's determination to live at home first inspired her to start her company. She wanted to provide exceptional personal care to seniors in their own homes.

She now employs over 200 people in five locations across New Brunswick. She said the app offers the capacity to build a community forum and address concerns that are yet to come.

Williams is involved with the Education and Training Committee for New Brunswick and has worked to establish a standardized training curriculum for all home support caregivers.

She was recently named a Woman Entrepreneur Icon by Startup Canada. The group has also named her its National Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018.  She is a member of the Wallace McCain Entrepreneur Leaders Program.

WellCheck is owned by Unum Health, a software company incorporated in 2017.