Well-known code of 'three rings' to indicate safety now available on a smart phone app

The 3rings app aims to help the older generation inform their family and friends that they are safe and well, by automatically ringing the recipient’s phone or sending them a text message or email.

Founder Steve Purdham, who was inspired by his concerns regarding his mother, 82 said: “We wanted to create a simple solution which answered the question, ‘are my parents okay today?’. Despite there now being more forms of communication available than ever before, the older generation are often excluded from the latest technologies. This led us to remember a time when giving someone three rings via the telephone was used to provide peace of mind.

Traditionally, ‘three rings’ was the request from relatives and friends to let them know you were officially home and safe. With 3rings.co.uk’s new app, an older person can make one call using their ordinary landline phone that will send an automated message to the internet enabled smartphones of as many or little relatives and friends as they wish.

The app has been developed in the wake of an abundance of research that suggests families do not always have time to visit older relatives as much as they would wish.

Mr Purdham states however that: “3rings isn’t meant to be a replacement for personal calls and visits but helps ease the worry caused by distance and hectic lives.“

He said: “We strongly believe that this offering can be a catalyst for the changing family care of ageing parents in the UK [and] the objective is to help loved ones maintain their independence and not feel like a burden.”

The service is available online at 3rings.co.uk with free apps for IOS and android. There are two paid-for services (£5.99/month and £9.99/month) and a free trial available.