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Participation Guidelines

Safety Disclaimer & Agreement

By participating in GrandFriend Network, you agree to the following:

1) Independent Participation

GrandFriend Network facilitates introductions between participants but does not supervise, monitor, or control interactions. Participants are solely responsible for their own decisions, actions, and safety.

GrandFriend Network may implement screening, identity verification, background checks, or other safety measures at its sole discretion as the program evolves. Participation is not contingent upon such screening unless otherwise stated.

GrandFriend Network is not responsible for the actions, behavior, or outcomes of interactions between participants.

2) Meeting Guidelines

Participants are encouraged to meet in public places, especially for initial interactions, and prioritize personal safety at all times. Each individual is responsible for choosing when, where, and how they engage. 

3) Respect & Conduct

Participants agree to treat one another with respect, kindness, and consideration. Harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated. GrandFriend Network reserves the right to discontinue participation for individuals who violate these expectations.

4) Boundaries

Participants are responsible for setting and maintaining their own personal boundaries. Either participant may end communication at any time for any reason. 

5) Financial, Legal & Personal Boundaries

Participants agree that they may not solicit, request, pressure, encourage, offer, or knowingly accept:

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  • Loans or financial assistance

  • Access to bank accounts, credit cards, passwords, or financial records

  • Property transfers, deeds, titles, or co-ownership arrangements

  • Beneficiary changes, inheritance considerations, or estate-related benefits

  • Powers of attorney, guardianship, executor roles, or other legal authority

  • Medical decision-making authority or healthcare proxy designation

  • Large or extravagant gifts that could create obligation, dependency, or undue influence

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Participants may exchange modest, voluntary gifts (such as cards, homemade items, flowers, books, or small tokens of friendship), provided they are reasonable in nature and free from expectation, pressure, or personal gain.

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GrandFriend Network does not recommend, facilitate, witness, endorse, or participate in financial, legal, medical, estate, or caregiving arrangements between participants.

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Any participant who feels pressured, manipulated, financially solicited, isolated from family or friends, or uncomfortable in any way is encouraged to report concerns immediately.

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GrandFriend Network reserves the right to pause, review, suspend, or discontinue participation when safety, exploitation, boundary violations, or undue influence concerns arise.

6) Emotional Boundaries & Healthy Relationships

GrandFriend Network is designed to foster meaningful, family-like connections built on mutual respect, trust, and healthy boundaries.

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Participants agree not to engage in behaviors that may create unhealthy emotional dependency, manipulation, intimidation, isolation, or undue pressure, including but not limited to:

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  • Repeated unwanted communication after boundaries have been communicated

  • Using guilt, threats, shame, or emotional pressure to gain attention, time, access, or compliance

  • Encouraging another participant to withdraw from family, friends, caregivers, medical providers, or other support systems

  • Creating expectations of exclusivity, ownership, or obligation within the relationship

  • Attempting to control another participant’s personal decisions, relationships, routines, or communications

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Meaningful closeness and genuine family-like bonds may naturally develop over time; however, all participants are expected to respect personal autonomy, outside relationships, and clearly communicated boundaries.

 

If concerns regarding emotional safety, dependency, boundary violations, or unhealthy relational dynamics arise, GrandFriend Network reserves the right to review the situation and take appropriate action to support participant wellbeing.

GrandFriend Network recognizes that life circumstances, health conditions, cognitive abilities, and support needs may change over time. Changes in health, cognition, safety, or vulnerability do not automatically result in removal from the program.

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If GrandFriend Network becomes aware that a participant may be experiencing:

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  • Cognitive decline

  • Memory impairment

  • Confusion affecting decision-making

  • Increased vulnerability to exploitation

  • Significant mental or physical health changes affecting safe participation

 

GrandFriend Network may initiate a confidential safety review to help determine the most appropriate path forward.

 

Possible outcomes may include:

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  • Additional check-ins or support planning

  • Adjustments to participation expectations

  • Involvement of trusted family members, caregivers, or support persons (with participant consent when appropriate)

  • Transition to a modified level of participation designed to support continued connection while prioritizing safety

  • Temporary pause, modified participation, suspension, or discontinuation of participation if safety cannot be reasonably maintained

 

GrandFriend Network is committed to treating all participants with dignity, compassion, and respect throughout all stages of life.

7) Changes in Health, Cognition, Safety, or Vulnerability

8) Non-Clinical, Non-Emergency, and Non-Caregiving Program

GrandFriend Network is a companionship-based community designed to foster meaningful, family-like connections. GrandFriend Network is not a:

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  • Crisis intervention service

  • Counseling or psychotherapy service

  • Medical provider or healthcare facility

  • Emergency response service

  • Case management or social work service

  • Home health, caregiving, or personal care service

  • Legal, financial, or professional advisory service

  • Substitute for licensed professional care, family support, or emergency assistance

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Participants are solely responsible for seeking appropriate professional support, medical care, emergency assistance, mental health services, legal advice, financial guidance, or other qualified services when needed.

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Participation in GrandFriend Network does not create a professional, clinical, fiduciary, caregiving, guardianship, therapeutic, or legally protected provider-client relationship between participants, board members, volunteers, founders, representatives, or GrandFriend Network.

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Participants are solely responsible for contacting 911, local emergency services, crisis resources, healthcare providers, family members, caregivers, or other appropriate support professionals when urgent assistance is needed.

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GrandFriend Network reserves the right to pause, review, modify, or discontinue participation when a participant’s needs exceed the scope of companionship-based participation or when safety cannot be reasonably maintained.

If a participant feels unsafe or experiences inappropriate behavior, they are encouraged to contact GrandFriend Network. While we cannot control interactions, we may take appropriate action based on reported concerns. 

9) Reporting Concerns

GrandFriend Network strives to create meaningful matches but does not guarantee compatibility, relationship outcomes, or the success of any connection.

10) No Guarantees

Participation in GrandFriend Network is voluntary. By engaging in the program, participants acknowledge and accept any risks associated with connecting with others.

11) Voluntary Participation

12) Identity & Accurate Information

Participants agree to provide truthful, accurate, and current information during registration, screening, and participation.

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Participants may not intentionally misrepresent:

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  • Identity

  • Age

  • Relationship status

  • Criminal history when requested

  • Health or support needs when relevant to safe participation

  • Intentions for joining the program

 

GrandFriend Network reserves the right to pause, review, suspend, or discontinue participation if false, misleading, incomplete, or concerning information is discovered.

Participants agree not to engage in GrandFriend-related interactions while impaired by alcohol, illegal substances, misuse of prescription medications, or other impairing substances.

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Participants may not bring firearms, weapons, or other dangerous items to GrandFriend-related meetings, events, or introductions where prohibited by law or where safety concerns exist.

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Participants are encouraged to avoid unsafe environments and to immediately report threats, violence, intimidation, stalking, or safety concerns.

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GrandFriend Network reserves the right to pause, review, suspend, or discontinue participation when physical safety concerns arise.

13) Safety During In-Person Interactions

14) Privacy & Confidential Information

Participants are responsible for protecting their own personal information and are encouraged to use caution when sharing:

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  • Home addresses

  • Financial information

  • Medical information

  • Family details

  • Social Security numbers

  • Account passwords

  • Legal documents

 

Participants may not pressure others to disclose confidential, financial, legal, medical, or personal information.

 

GrandFriend Network cannot guarantee confidentiality between participants but encourages thoughtful sharing and healthy boundaries.

GrandFriend Network does not provide transportation services, medical supervision, personal care, lifting assistance, mobility assistance, medication management, or caregiving services.

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Participants who choose to provide rides, enter private residences, assist with mobility, or engage in physically supportive activities do so voluntarily and at their own discretion and risk.

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GrandFriend Network does not require or endorse such arrangements.

15) Transportation & Physical Assistance

Participants may not publicly represent themselves as employees, agents, spokespersons, counselors, caregivers, or official representatives of GrandFriend Network without written authorization.

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Participants are encouraged to obtain consent before sharing photographs, videos, personal stories, or identifying information involving other participants.

16) Photos, Social Media & Public Representation

17) Assumption of Risk & Personal Responsibility

Participation in GrandFriend Network involves voluntary social interactions with independent adults whose actions, behaviors, health conditions, circumstances, and decisions cannot be predicted, monitored, or controlled by GrandFriend Network.

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By participating, participants acknowledge and voluntarily assume all risks associated with communication, meetings, travel, social activities, emotional connection, sharing personal information, and interactions with other participants.

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To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, participants agree that GrandFriend Network, its founders, board members, volunteers, representatives, advisors, and affiliates shall not be liable for personal injury, emotional distress, financial loss, property damage, disputes, relationship outcomes, criminal conduct of participants, or other damages arising from participation.

If you have any concerns or need to report an issue, please contact us at

hello@grandfriendnetwork.org

Last Updated: May 2026

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