Meet Mark Murphy and A. Murphy
Created for families who care across any distance
Cozy Check-ins was co-founded by Mark Murphy, a former Fire/EMT, and A. Murphy, whose parents live independently in rural Mexico. Cozy Check-ins is a simple, non-medical daily check-in service. It was created to help families stay connected with older adults who live on their own — including families separated by long distances or borders — by giving them one gentle, expected daily signal that their loved one is okay.
We are Mark Murphy and A. Murphy, the co-founders of Cozy Check-ins.
We created Cozy Check-ins because we needed a simple way to know that the people we love were okay—even while living in another country.
A. Murphy is from Mexico. Her parents are getting older, but they continue to work and live independently in a rural Mexican community. Because we live far away, we cannot simply stop by their home when a call goes unanswered or something does not feel right.
Like many families separated by distance, we needed a gentle, practical way to stay connected without taking away their independence.
Cozy Check-ins was created with her parents—and families like ours—in mind.
Why We Created Cozy Check-ins
Families do not stop worrying because a parent lives in another town, another state, or another country.
A. Murphy is deeply concerned about her parents as they get older. They remain active and continue working, but they also live independently. Being in another country makes it difficult to know quickly when their normal routine has been interrupted.
We wanted a simple way for them to complete an expected daily check-in so we could receive reassurance that the check-in had happened.
When the expected check-in is missed, it gives the family or trusted contact a reason to reach out.
It does not tell us that everything is medically okay. It simply helps us notice when the normal daily signal is missing.
That additional point of connection can matter greatly when the people you love are far away.
Mark's Experience
I'm Mark Murphy, co-founder of Cozy Check-ins and a former Fire/EMT.
During my years in fire and emergency medical service, I often met older adults and their families after something serious had already happened.
One call has stayed with me for years. An older woman had fallen, fractured her hip, and remained on the floor for approximately three days before help arrived.
I do not share that experience to suggest that Cozy Check-ins could have prevented what happened. Cozy Check-ins is not a fall-detection or emergency-response service.
The experience stayed with me because it showed how serious delayed discovery can become when someone lives alone and no one realizes that their normal routine has stopped.
It made me ask a simple question:
How can a family be given a reason to check sooner when a loved one's normal daily routine does not happen?
That question became an important part of Cozy Check-ins.
A. Murphy's Perspective
I'm A. Murphy, co-founder of Cozy Check-ins.
For me, Cozy Check-ins is deeply personal.
My parents live in Mexico. They are getting older, but they continue working and living independently in their rural community.
I am proud of their independence, and I do not want them to feel watched or controlled. At the same time, living in another country means I cannot simply stop by their home whenever I become concerned.
When they do not answer a call or message, distance makes the uncertainty more difficult.
I wanted a respectful way to know that they had completed their expected daily check-in. I also wanted a system that would help us notice when that check-in did not happen.
We built Cozy Check-ins with my parents in mind, but we know our family is not alone.
Many people live far from their aging parents. Some are separated by a few hours. Others are separated by states, borders, or entire countries.
Cozy Check-ins is for families who want to remain connected across that distance.
Connection Should Not Stop at the Border
Aging parents and the people who love them do not always live near one another.
Families may be separated by:
- Work
- Immigration
- Marriage
- Military service
- Financial circumstances
- Rural geography
- State or national borders
Distance should not mean that families have no simple way to maintain a daily connection.
Cozy Check-ins provides one additional point of contact: a simple expected check-in that can reassure a family when it is completed and encourage someone to reach out when it is missed.
It cannot confirm that a person is medically healthy or physically safe. It cannot replace direct communication, trusted neighbors, caregivers, medical alert systems, or emergency services.
It is simply one more way for families to stay connected.
Why We Chose a Non-Medical Approach
Making Cozy Check-ins non-medical was a deliberate decision.
Mark's Fire/EMT experience taught us to respect the difference between a communication tool and a medical or emergency-response service.
Cozy Check-ins is not designed to diagnose medical conditions, monitor vital signs, detect falls, evaluate symptoms, track someone continuously, or dispatch emergency responders.
It focuses on one simple purpose:
Helping older adults and the people they trust maintain a consistent daily connection.
Not every older adult needs or wants a medical alert device. Some families are looking for a gentle way to know whether a loved one completed an expected daily check-in.
Cozy Check-ins was built for that space.
It is intended to support dignity, independence, family awareness, and connection across distance without pretending to replace professional care.
What Guides Cozy Check-ins
Dignity
Older adults deserve to maintain their independence and make their own choices. A check-in service should support them without making them feel controlled or constantly watched.
Simplicity
Technology should not create another burden. A daily check-in should be understandable, approachable, and easy to complete.
Family Connection
Checking on someone should feel caring rather than intrusive. Cozy Check-ins helps families create a predictable routine without relying only on repeated calls and messages.
Privacy
Families trust Cozy Check-ins with personal information. We are committed to treating that information carefully and collecting only what is reasonably needed to provide the service.
Who Cozy Check-ins Is For
Cozy Check-ins was created for families like ours, including:
- Adult children with aging parents
- Families separated by long distances
- Cross-border and immigrant families
- Older adults who live independently
- Older adults who do not want to wear a medical alert pendant
- Trusted relatives, friends, and neighbors
- Community organizations supporting independent older adults
Cozy Check-ins is not the right solution for every situation.
Anyone who needs medical supervision, professional caregiving, fall detection, continuous monitoring, or immediate emergency response should use an appropriate professional service.
Common Questions
Who founded Cozy Check-ins?
Cozy Check-ins was co-founded by Mark Murphy, a former Fire/EMT who served from 2012 to 2022, and A. Murphy, whose parents live independently in a rural Mexican community. They built it because their own family needed a simple way to know their loved ones were okay across a long distance.
Why was Cozy Check-ins created?
Families separated by distance had no simple, respectful way to know that an older parent was okay each day. Mark's years in emergency medical service showed him how serious delayed discovery can become when someone lives alone. A. Murphy's parents live in another country, where an unanswered phone call cannot be resolved by stopping by.
Is Cozy Check-ins a medical or emergency service?
No. Cozy Check-ins is a non-medical daily check-in service. It does not provide medical monitoring, diagnosis, fall detection, or emergency dispatch, and it does not contact 911. A completed check-in only means the person completed the expected check-in — it does not confirm that they are medically healthy or physically safe.
Who is Cozy Check-ins for?
Adult children with aging parents, families separated by long distances or borders, older adults who live independently, older adults who do not want to wear a medical alert pendant, and community organizations supporting independent older adults.
Our Approach to Information
The Cozy Check-ins website provides general, practical, non-medical information for older adults, families, caregivers, and community organizations.
We aim to explain topics in clear, everyday language.
When an article discusses health, aging, safety, or emergency-related concerns, it should clearly distinguish general information from professional medical advice and rely on trustworthy sources where appropriate.
Content may be reviewed and updated as guidance, technology, services, or reliable information changes.
Families should speak with an appropriate licensed professional about medical symptoms, medications, mobility, mental health, or care needs.
Important Notice
Not an emergency or medical service. Cozy Check-ins helps families stay in touch through daily check-ins. It is not a medical alert system, a health-monitoring device, or an emergency-response service, and it is not a substitute for professional medical care, in-person care, or emergency services. Cozy Check-ins does not contact 911, police, fire, or EMS — when a check-in is missed, it notifies the people in your family Circle. Messages and alerts may be delayed or fail to deliver due to phone, carrier, internet, or service issues, so please don't rely on Cozy Check-ins as your only safety measure. If you or your family member is having an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) right away.
Our Personal Mission
Cozy Check-ins comes from two parts of our lives.
It comes from Mark's experience as a Fire/EMT, responding after emergencies had already occurred.
It also comes from A. Murphy's experience of loving and worrying about aging parents who live independently in another country.
Together, those experiences led us to create a service with an honest and clearly defined purpose.
Cozy Check-ins is not meant to replace family, caregivers, healthcare professionals, medical alert systems, or emergency responders.
It is meant to help families remain connected—one simple check-in at a time, even across borders.
Contact Us
Have a question about Cozy Check-ins or want to explore a partnership with a community organization?
Contact us at Info@cozycheckins.com or visit the Cozy Check-ins contact page.