If you don’t carry an iPhone, Android or tablet, I bet you don’t live in today’s fast-paced work or home environment. Today, most of us find increasing dependency on our cell phones and tablets, commonly known as mobile devices. They accompany us everywhere we go. These devices takeover doing jobs we once spent copious amounts of time doing ourselves. Do you agree?
Most families and caregivers of the elderly now need to keep schedules of multiple households and activities. We line up weekly medication and doctor appointments, grocery shopping, kids activities, and provide oversight to the myriad tasks associated with running two or three households at a time. Our elderly family members may also help out with caring for grandchildren on a regular basis and performing chores once delegated elsewhere.
Conversely, all sorts of individuals and families may be in time deprivation to enjoy more peace and collective gatherings with their families and loved ones.
Now I am not much of a techie, but I’ve come to appreciate technology’s ever-increasing importance in our lives, especially for family and professional caregivers. Some techie tools, like apps—applications designed for a specific purpose—come in to help us just when we’re drowning in “not enough time” syndrome. These apps are downloaded to our mobile devices.
With the growing aging population don’t think cottage industries aren’t taking advantage of marketing to the elderly and their caregivers. That’s why I think you should know about some apps to help you dispense with the mundane and time-consuming daily tasks. It just might give you more time to take care of your loved ones a little bit better and add back quality time to your busy schedule.
So let’s get to it with apps to help you connect, track medicines, press the alarm for emergencies, health, and even help you move. I’ll tell you about only the best ones I’ve found, device compatibility and if free or for a fee, along with a link to learn more.
Get Social
If you want or need to connect live or otherwise with your cohorts, these apps offer quick, easy and free access to your loved ones. Mind you, they do need a device to share a conversation with you. It’s an easy way to meet with a caregiver too.
1. What’s App is a favorite and free, free, free! Available for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and even Windows phones, it offers mobile messaging at its best. Why? Because you can text messages without charge or talk live by exchanging voice conversations. Everyone can gather together in a group to send images, videos and more. It’s all free since you use your internet data plan with no extra charges.
While many users already know about Skype and FaceTime, I’ll give you the essentials. Both Skype and FaceTime are apps for device-to-device real-time connecting. You can talk and see the person live. Both are free to use through Wi-Fi or an existing data plan.
2. Skype offers a seamless video conferencing system—audio and video. Even better, Skype provides screen-sharing for project collaboration and sending photos and files of any size. You can even send messages when a person is offline and they access them once they log on. It’s great for business, and free too! Woohoo!!
Skype runs on all devices: computers, laptops, Apple products and Androids and more. Skype charges a small fee if you choose to call a phone number from your device, and subscription plans are quite low to call just about anywhere in the world.
Skype runs on all devices: computers, laptops, Apple products and Androids and more. Skype charges a small fee if you choose to call a phone number from your device, and subscription plans are quite low to call just about anywhere in the world.
3. FaceTime’s popularity isn’t for naught. It works a bit different with video calling via a phone number or email address. It’s free and integrated into the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, so no downloading the app. You can use audio or video; you choose. Easy instructions are provided at the link above.
The sad part about FaceTime: Right now it doesn’t really work for Android or Windows but if you want what does work, check out these options.
Medicine Management
Chronic medical issues plague every age, but when you’re a caregiver, lining up meds for the day or week and knowing when to refill can be challenging. If you’re using a spreadsheet and carry it around with you, more alternatives abound. Don’t miss two!
4. At $0.99 cents, Pillboxie is an app everyone needs if medication management is a new career choice. While it only works with the iPhone and iPod Touch, it will track, streamline and remind you of every pill and the time to take it. No dose will be late or missed. Connection not necessary. Stress relief delivered!
5. Another freebie to the rescue, MedCoach works with iPhones, iPads and Androids. It’s probably the quickest and easiest of apps to fill scripts, get pill reminders and keeps your list of medications. What more could you want? Well, the D.C. Department of Health endorses it!
Emergencies
When lives are on the line, we must be quick and accurate. Dialing up numbers isn’t always so friendly when in a panic, so…
6. First Aid by American Red Cross rated as one of the best apps on the market today. Recently updated and FREE, you’ll put your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Androids into power mode during an emergency. It’s easy to use, integrated with 911, gives expert advice on daily emergencies and offers a full range of resources. What’s more, Spanish appears with a single touch. Also available for your Android devices. Get it NOW!
7. Emergencies rank high for stress, so I recommend trying one or more of theseten emergency apps that save lives during disasters. Tailor them for your locale and personal situations to assist your elderly loved ones better.
Bonus Apps
Three more apps deserve trying out, but they come with a small learning curve. Why? Each one provides multi-functions and with more functionality comes the time to learn each one for the best results.
CareZone helps you organize all your caregiving tasks in one app: meds, contacts, files, calendar, to-do lists and more.
Apple’s free Health app gives you a dashboard to fill up with all your health data or an elderly family member. What’s really nice? Medical ID can be accessed from your phone without unlocking it for emergencies. Wouldn’t that be nice for mom!
Moving Day any time soon? Get this app for free for Apple and Android devices! It allows you to write down all the details about your move, add items to create an inventory, make labels and barcodes for each box with its contents. Icing on the cake: View it and Print it. Voila! You are set for the movers.
Thousands of apps flood the market daily, some free, others for a fee; so, try a few and see what works for you and your family caregiving circumstances. Do you have an app to help you give better care to your loved ones? Share it with us!
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