5 helpful apps for family caregivers
Posted: 4/9/2020 8:00 AM by
Interim HealthCare
No two days are the same when you're a caregiver for senior loved ones. They have provided love and care for you throughout your life. It's only natural that you would want to provide care for them when they need it most.
But, balancing life, work, home and caring for older loved ones can be difficult. Especially when faced with extra challenges in the world.
Thankfully, developers have worked hard to create some intuitive apps that help you stay organized and continue being the rock for your family.
Our 5 favorite apps for family caregivers
We're all on our smartphones throughout the day -- it's become an extension, like another arm! So why not put your phone to work, helping you stay organized and keep your commitments to your family, work and senior loved ones?
Here are some of the most helpful apps for family caregivers:
CareZone
With a plethora of tools to keep important health information organized, CareZone is an excellent resource for caregivers. It's hard to remember health information for ourselves, let alone others. Save medications, allergies, surgery information, insurance and ID cards in a single place. You can also document symptoms and make notes for doctors appointments, and can share relevant information with other family members as needed. CareZone is available for Apple and Android devices.
First Aid: American Red Cross
No one wants to face an emergency situation, but if one does arise, it pays to be prepared. From decoding symptoms, to basic first aid and even CPR guidance for common emergencies, this app can help you stay calm and prepared in the event of an emergency. This is a free download for Apple and Android devices.
Calm
It's extremely important for caregivers to care for themselves first. The Calm app doesn't help you juggle tasks or keep track of information. Instead, it helps you relax. From short, daily meditations to sleep stories (give them a try!) from celebrity narrators, Calm is an excellent addition to your smartphone. Many meditations and stories are free with the app, but for access to their entire library, you may want to consider a premium membership (which is surprisingly reasonable, but not necessary at all to enjoy the app). Calm is available for Apple and Android devices.
eCare21
It can be stressful to worry about your senior loved ones, especially when you can't be with them 24/7. eCare21 helps you stay connected by letting you remotely monitor important stats like glucose, heart rate, sleep, physical activity and more by syncing with popular devices. Although designed primarily for doctor's offices, eCare21 connects patients, caregivers and doctors to keep everyone on the same page, and help you monitor your loved one. The app is free to download for Apple and Android devices, with monthly service fees for access to its services.
Cozi Family Organizer
Keeping track of your work schedule, the kids' activities, and your spouse's meetings is a LOT. Add in doctor's appointments and other important reminders for your senior loved one, and suddenly it feels like the tipping point. That's a lot of information to remember! Cozi Family Organizer is can help you sync calendars, reminders, grocery lists and more with your family, so that everyone is always in sync. While the app is free, access to all features is $29.99 for the year. You can download Cozi on Apple and Android devices.
Extra help -- and peace of mind.
At Interim HealthCare, we're here to help you continue to do it all for your family. We know you can't be with your senior loved ones 24/7/365, so we provide compassionate, exceptional home care services that help you balance it all, while your loved one stays happy and healthy at home. To learn more about our senior home care services, visit our website or contact your nearest Interim HealthCare location.