According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, more than 65 million Americans devote a large chunk of their time to caring for an aging relative or disabled family member. Many of these people, in addition to being a caregiver, have full time jobs, are married, have children, and carry other responsibilities. It can be an overwhelming task to wear all these hats and still maintain a quality of life.
Mobile phone apps for caregivers can add a semblance of balance to this juggling act. Whether you carry an Android, iPhone, or other device, these apps can assist you with a plethora of information and organizational shortcuts.
Free Apps for Most Smartphones
Unfrazzle is an great app for many caregivers, since it’s free and customizable. It allows you to connect with relatives or friends who also care for your loved one. The app enables the user to create a list of responsibilities and appointments. A handy journal keeps track of thoughts you jot down to discuss later with the doctor or other family members.
CareZone is another free app that works well on most smartphones. It has a log where you can enter your family member’s information, such as his social security number, birth date, medications and other important information. Much of this is necessary to have on hand when filling out paperwork at the doctor’s office and other places. It also allows you to send a recorded message to over 100 people. This is useful when you need to update loved ones and friends about the person’s health or other factors. The app also allows you to share your task list, photos, and journal.
App for iPhone Users
The Caregiver’s Touch app is $5.99, but its numerous features make it a worthwhile investment. It includes a place to keep essential information about the senior citizen, manage medications, store insurance information, and has a security feature to protect private information. The app also allows you to share information with those on your contact list.
App for Android Users
Tell My Geo is a useful Android app. It allows you to track your loved one by using a GPS system. It costs $9.95 per month, per phone, and must be downloaded on the senior citizen’s phone as well to be effective. This is particularly useful for Alzheimer’s patients who may wander off.
It is frustrating to transport your loved one to a doctor’s appointment and discover that you left his medical history, list of medications, or other important information at home. Calling various support people with updates about your loved one is just another time-consuming task that many caregivers rarely have time to accomplish.
These apps for caregivers are a way to make the most of today’s technology and help you balance all your tasks with just a click of a button. They also prevent you from having to carry around bulky paperwork and notepads.
