Frequently asked questions
Short, plain answers to the things caregivers ask most. Each one links to a page where you can read more.
Privacy
Is my data private? Yes. Everything you log — daily notes, the diary, photos, medications, the seizure log, milestones, emergency info — lives on your device and, if you turn on sync, is reachable only by the people you specifically invite into your circle. Not us, not anyone else. No ads, no trackers, and nothing about your family's care is ever sold or mined. Available More in Privacy comes first.
Does anything get sent off my phone? Only if you choose it. CareHaven works on its own with no internet at all. Smart help is private by design: obvious identifying details — like the name of the person you care for — are stripped on a best-effort basis before any request leaves your device. Available See Privacy & security (in depth).
Can I lock the app? Yes. You can set a PIN, unlock with Face ID, and have the app lock itself after a quiet stretch — set it up at menu icon (top left) → Settings → Privacy & Lock → Set Up Unlock PIN. The most sensitive plans, like a crisis plan or a Letter of Intent, are also kept out of your phone's system-wide search. Available See Privacy & security (in depth).
Getting started
Do I need an account? No. There is no sign-up, no password to create, and no email to hand over. You open the app and begin. Available See Setting up for the first time.
How much do I have to fill in to start? Only a name. Setup is one calm screen at a time, and the birthday, sex, and diagnoses are all skippable. Anything you skip waits for you on a Home card so you can finish later. Available See Setting up for the first time.
Can I look around before I add my own person? Yes. You can load sample profiles to see what a fully set-up family looks like, with about two weeks of activity already filled in. Your real data is saved and comes back when you turn demo mode off. Available See Exploring with demo data.
Is there a walkthrough? Yes. A self-teaching tour points out the + button, the menus, and search the first time each one matters, and ends back on Home. You can replay the whole walkthrough any time at menu icon (top left) -> Settings -> Help -> Walkthrough. Replaying never changes your saved data. Available See Setting up for the first time.
Devices
What devices do I need? An iPhone or iPad running iOS 17 or later. There is also an optional Apple Watch app for quick logging from your wrist. Available See What you need to run CareHaven.
Does it work offline? Yes, fully. The core app needs no internet connection. A few smart helpers need to be online the first time, but things like growth percentiles are figured out right on your device, and the provider lookups and plain-language explainers are saved for offline use after the first time you open them. Available See What you need to run CareHaven.
Is there an Apple Watch app? Yes. The Watch app lets you quick-log a moment, dictate a note, and glance at the day. The full app on your iPhone does everything; the Watch is there for when your hands are full. Available See Across your Apple devices and the Using the Apple Watch app walkthrough.
Can I use it hands-free in the car? Yes. With CarPlay, you can log a moment and ask CareHaven things by voice through Siri while you drive. Available See Across your Apple devices.
Features
Which conditions does it support? CareHaven is built for families caring for someone with complex needs, including autism, ADHD, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, feeding challenges, and more. The app quietly reshapes itself to fit the conditions you add and hides the tools meant for someone else's situation. Available See Support tailored to a diagnosis.
Does CareHaven diagnose anything? No. CareHaven is not a doctor and does not diagnose. It helps you notice patterns, keep good records, and build something a clinician can read. Smart helpers like the vital explainer are written to never diagnose and to point you toward emergency help when it matters. Available See Medical.
Is the seizure timer real? Yes. The seizure log has a built-in stopwatch with a gentle five-minute consider-911 warning, and it shows up on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island so you can stay with your child while it runs. Open it at Main Menu -> Medical -> Seizures, then tap the stopwatch. Available See the Log a seizure with the timer walkthrough.
Can it help in a hard moment? Yes. The Calm Tools include guided breathing and grounding cards for you, and the In-the-Moment Coach offers calm say, skip, and why cards for situations like meltdowns or a panic attack — both at Main Menu -> Caregiver. Available See Caregiver tools (for you).
Can I keep notes for more than one person? Yes. CareHaven holds up to 12 people, each with their own profile, logs, and settings. You switch between them by tapping the name pill (top center of the screen). Available See Finding your way around.
Sharing
Can two people share care? Yes. You can invite a co-caregiver to edit a specific person's profile, and their changes sync to you. When two edits clash, the most recent one wins. Invite them at Main Menu -> Team -> Shared with -> Invite someone. Available See Sharing care with others (sync) and the Invite a co-caregiver walkthrough.
How do I hand off to a sitter? You build a handoff packet that lays out today's plan, cues, emergency info, medications, and what's coming up. The app can add a short friendly note on top and even translate it. Available See the Create a handoff for a sitter walkthrough.
Can I share something with a doctor or a school? Yes. You can generate a Care Report PDF with the sections you choose at Main Menu -> Caregiver -> Reflect (Recap + Wins) -> Care report PDF, and visit briefs pull your logged data into a doctor-ready summary you can read aloud or share. Available See Sharing & reports.
Cost & availability
How do I get it right now? Through the free TestFlight beta. Open the beta link on your iPhone and you can install CareHaven in a couple of taps. Available The public App Store release is on the way. Coming soon See Getting CareHaven (TestFlight & App Store).
What does it cost? The TestFlight beta is free to install, and every feature is unlocked for testers. Available See Getting CareHaven (TestFlight & App Store).
How do I report a problem or send feedback? For now, send feedback through TestFlight or email shawn@carehaven.org. A built-in feedback option is on the way but is turned off in the current beta. Coming soon See Giving feedback.
My question isn't here. Try the Full feature catalog for what the app can do, Troubleshooting if something isn't working, or the Glossary for any unfamiliar terms.