Invitations

How do I invite someone to my Care Circle?

You can invite a trusted family member, friend, caregiver, or other authorized person to participate in your Care Circle.

How it works

1. Open Connect or Family Circle.
2. Select Invite Someone.
3. Enter the person's name and contact information.
4. Select what you want them to be able to access.
5. Send the invitation.
6. The invited person receives a secure invitation.
7. They accept the invitation and create or access their account.
8. Their permissions become active according to your settings.

Important — an invitation does not automatically give someone access to everything. The individual or their authorized representative controls what information is shared.

For example, you may allow someone to:

• Join Family Room
• Receive messages
• View selected activities
• View appointments

while preventing access to:

• private memories
• personal notes
• health information
• records
• other restricted information

How do I accept a family invitation?

Open the invitation and follow the instructions provided. After accepting, you may be asked to:

• create an account
• verify your identity
• confirm your relationship
• review your permissions
• allow browser notifications
• allow camera or microphone access if needed

You should review the permissions before continuing.

I did not receive my invitation

Check:

• Spam or junk email
• Text messages
• The email address or phone number used
• Whether the invitation has expired
• Whether the sender cancelled the invitation

If the invitation still cannot be found, ask the person who invited you to send a new invitation.

Family Room

What is Family Room?

Family Room is a simple shared space where family members can connect without requiring everyone to use the same application. The goal is to make connection easier.

A family member can open a shared Family Room link from a compatible phone, tablet, or computer browser.

Family Room can support:

• Family conversations
• Video calls
• Shared moments
• Remote check-ins
• Family greetings
• Care coordination

How do I start a Family Room?

1. Open Family Room.
2. Select Start Family Room.
3. Allow camera and microphone access if requested.
4. Share the room invitation with the people you want to join.
5. Family members open the shared link.
6. They join the room.

No complicated setup — the design goal is: one room → one link → simple connection.

Send Love

What is Send Love?

Send Love is designed for small moments of connection. A family member can send something meaningful without requiring a full conversation.

Available options can include:

• 🎙️ Voice Message — record a short personal message. Example: "Good morning Dad. Just wanted you to know we're thinking about you."
• 📷 Photo — share a photo from family gatherings, grandchildren, pets, gardens, trips, or everyday life.
• 🎥 Video Greeting — record a short video message.
• ✍️ Written Message — write a simple note.

The recipient can access these messages according to their preferences and permissions.

Messages

How do Family Messages work?

Family Messages provide a dedicated communication space for the individual's circle. Messages can be organized into:

• All
• Family
• Friends
• Care Team
• Approved Messages
• Unread

The exact categories depend on the user's configuration.

Can family members send messages directly?

Yes, if messaging permissions allow it. The individual can determine who can communicate with them. Depending on the configuration, messages may require:

Send → Review → Approval → Deliver

This can be useful when a family member has delegated message management to an authorized person.

Photos

How do I share photos?

Photos can be shared through the Family Circle or relevant memory features. Possible categories include:

• Family
• Grandchildren
• Places
• Celebrations
• Everyday moments
• Memories

Photos intended for reminiscence should remain visually simple and easy to view.

Important design principle — photos should not be placed inside COI. COI remains an abstract visual interface using light, gradients, and simple geometric patterns. Photos belong in the appropriate memory or family workspace.

Voice Messages

How do I send a voice message?

1. Open Send Love.
2. Select Record Voice.
3. Allow microphone access if requested.
4. Record your message.
5. Listen to it before sending.
6. Select Send.

Depending on the user's permissions, the message may be:

Draft → Review → Approved → Delivered

Can the system convert voice into text?

The Story Scribe capability can assist with converting spoken words into organized text. However, AI-generated text should be treated as a draft until reviewed and approved. The system should never silently replace the user's intended message.

Video Greetings

How do I send a video greeting?

1. Open Send Love.
2. Select Take Video.
3. Record your greeting.
4. Preview the video.
5. Confirm the recipient.
6. Send.

Keep video messages short and comfortable. The purpose is connection — not production quality.

Remote Family Support

How can family help from another city?

Family members do not need to live nearby to participate. Depending on their permissions, they may be able to:

• check shared updates
• join Family Room
• send messages
• send photos
• send voice messages
• send video greetings
• claim shared tasks
• view appointments
• participate in selected care coordination
• receive important notifications

The goal is to transform "I wish I could help" into "Here is something I can do."

Shared Tasks

What are Shared Tasks?

Shared Tasks allow family members and trusted people to coordinate practical support. Examples:

• 🛒 Groceries — "Pick up groceries Thursday."
• 🏠 Home — "Check the heating."
• 📅 Appointment — "Help prepare for Friday's appointment."
• 💬 Connection — "Call Dad this evening."
• 🧺 Household — "Bring laundry supplies."

How does claiming a task work?

A task can be posted to the shared circle. A family member can select I'll help, and the task then becomes associated with that person.

Example: Need groceries → Sarah → Claimed

This reduces the need for multiple text messages asking "Can someone do this?"

Privacy

Who controls Family Circle information?

The individual's privacy settings should be the foundation of the Family Circle. The user can determine what each authorized person can access.

For example:

The exact permissions depend on the user's configuration.

If the Individual Cannot Manage Their Dashboard

This is a core architectural principle of COI Orb: the dashboard belongs to the individual.

• If the individual can manage their workspace: Individual → controls their workspace
• If they choose to authorize someone: Individual → Authorized Person → assists with workspace
• If the individual is unable to manage the workspace: Authorized Representative / Proxy → manages on their behalf according to documented permissions

This does not mean that every caregiver automatically becomes the owner of the individual's information. The system should distinguish between:

• Viewer — can see permitted information.
• Contributor — can add information.
• Caregiver — can perform designated support functions.
• Authorized Representative — can manage designated areas on behalf of the individual.
• Administrator — manages platform-level operations, not personal ownership of an individual's information.

Care Circle Permission Model

Permissions should be implemented as granular capabilities rather than one giant family_access = true setting.

Example:

family_member

• view_profile
• view_memories
• view_appointments
• view_activities
• view_health
• send_messages
• send_photos
• send_voice
• send_video
• join_family_room
• create_tasks
• claim_tasks

Each capability should be independently configurable.

Permission Changes

Can I change someone's access?

Yes. The individual or authorized person can open:

Privacy → Care Circle → Select Person → Permissions

Then change individual permissions.

For example:

• Sarah
• Memories ✓
• Appointments ✓
• Activities ✓
• Health information —
• Messages ✓
• Records —

Changes should be logged.

Removing Someone from the Circle

How do I remove someone?

Open:

Privacy → Care Circle → Person → Remove Access

The system should immediately revoke their active permissions. Previously authorized access should not automatically continue simply because they were previously part of the circle.

Family Circle Notifications

Family members should receive only the notifications they are authorized to receive.

Notification categories could include:

• ❤️ Connection — new family message, new photo, new voice message
• 📅 Appointments — upcoming appointment, appointment preparation
• 🤝 Tasks — new shared task, task assigned, task completed
• 🛡️ Safety — authorized safety notification
• 💬 Messages — new message

Users should be able to control notification preferences.

The Family Circle Principle

The Help Center should communicate one important idea repeatedly: being family does not automatically mean having access to everything.

COI Orb is designed around:

• Connection without surveillance.
• Support without taking over.
• Participation without unnecessary exposure.
• Technology that keeps the individual at the center.

Frequently Asked Questions