Let’s face it: Looking after the elderly is anything but easy. Between particular feeding times, doctor’s appointments, exercise, and regular washing and bathing, amongst other things, you’ll have a lot to do but not always the time to do it. Add to that a job, household chores and taking care of the kids, etc, and you could be on your way to a certified burnout!
Needless to say, family caregivers need all the help they can get. Luckily, technology has stepped up and you can now utilize an array of caregiver apps to help yourself do everything efficiently. From day-to-day organization to medical tracking and communication tools, here are 5 family caregiver apps to make life easier.
Care Zone
For: Organization / Communication
This family caregiver app allows you to compile and store your loved one’s medical records securely. On Care Zone, you can manually enter or upload all advance directives, contact information, medicine charts, and files, etc, and even share them with others to take some of the burdens off of your own shoulders. The app comes with an open calendar option, as well as a to-do section, wherein you can add details or assign specific tasks to specific members of your care team.
Care Zone is available for free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Medisafe
For: Medical assistance
This application is ideal for those catering to the very old or the very sick. Medisafe outshines its competitors on account of its simple and easy-to-use interface. Along with that, it comes with expert tips, medicine refill reminders, discounted prescription offers, and an option to track medical progress, all online. The perfect app for family caregivers.
And that’s not even the best part! The app allows you to connect with your health care provider directly, thereby enabling quick and efficient communication should you need emergency assistance. It is available for free on both Google Play and App Store.
eCare21
For: Remote monitoring
Do you have a work trip coming up and are worried about how you will manage your loved one’s strict routine while away? Monitor them online with eCare21. It gathers, processes, and displays data on heart rates, glucose levels, and sleep and exercise patterns from FitBit and other smart devices, as well as health care providers, so you can keep an eye out even from a distance.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? The only drawback of eCare21 is that if you want a subscription, get ready to dish out $7.95 a month. Otherwise, this is one of the best apps for family caregivers out there.
MindMate
For: Alzheimer’s and dementia
If you are looking after a loved one with dementia or suspect that your elderly family member may have started displaying symptoms, MindMate can go a long way in helping you manage them. The app boasts of a whole lot of guidance on dementia, from symptoms and causes to how you can try and slow down the progression of the disease. It comes with a host of actionable tips and medical information as well.
MindMate is a class apart from other apps that focus on dementia in that it covers many different aspects of looking after someone suffering from it. And what’s more, each feature has been designed in a way that allows holistic living for them. It has options for mental and physical exercises to keep them active and nutritional advice to ensure they have a healthy diet. On top of that, it has a secure storage option for pictures and videos you can show to the patient to revive their memory.
MindMate is available for free on the App Store. It is one of the most popular apps for family caregivers.
Headspace
For: Caregiver’s wellbeing
Remember: You have to look after yourself first and then everyone else. If you fall sick too, who will take your place? No one. Sad as that might be, you must prioritize your own self-care. And Headspace will enable you to do just that.
The app is based on the ancient practice of meditation, which has countless physical and mental benefits. It can reduce anxiety and depression and enhance focus. Headspace guides users through different meditative processes. It offers various five to 10-minute meditation practices so they can re-center and clear their mind on a busy day. The trial is free for both iPhones and Android.
No matter which family caregiver app you choose, make sure you go through it thoroughly to see all that it has to offer. But before everything else, we recommend determining where you are lacking the most. For instance, if you have medical knowledge but tend to forget to refill the medicine box, opt for Care Zone or another such app to organize your day.
Irrespective, though, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with senior care in and around your community. This is in case you ever need more professional assistance.
We Are Here To Help
At Sycamore Creek Ranch Memory Care we are here to help. We want families to make the best decision for their situation.
Furthermore, the staff at Sycamore Creek Ranch is proactive. That means we are not waiting for a problem to arise. Instead, we are actively engaged with each and every resident. And with only 16 residents we can do that! Come for a tour at Sycamore Creek Ranch! See how we can help!