As a caregiver, you need to find ways to streamline tasks to make your job easier. There are several types of caregiver apps that can help!

There are appointments to juggle, medications to track, diagnoses to understand, and countless other responsibilities. There are a variety of apps to consider. Some apps focus on major challenges caregivers face, like organization and care coordination, whereas others have more narrow purposes such as managing glucose, monitoring medications, and other care-related tasks.

Apps help organize your tasks, sync calendars, track medications, and stay on top of your loved one’s medical condition.

Apps are useful for several reasons! The ability to always connect to your preferred apps means you can keep track of everything without carrying anything other than your phone. Apps can sync to the cloud, go from device-to-device, and are much harder to lose than a clunky notebook or binder. Apps are usually built for specific purposes, and the narrow focus makes them a useful tool.  With apps, you can plug into pre-built systems instead of trying to invent your own process.

Calendar apps are great if you’re dividing caregiver duties. The best calendar apps for caregivers are sharable, so that everyone has access to the same information. You should look for apps with the ability to share and sync calendars. You want a tool that allows everyone on the care team, including the loved ones you’re helping, the opportunity to add appointments and important dates.

These are calendars you might want to try. There are a ton of options in this category so explore the app store to see what works for you:

• Google Calendar – Available on App Store, Google Play, and online.
• Cozi – Available on App Store, Google Play, and online. 

Organizational tools might be the most useful type of app for a caregiver. When you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, it’s easy to forget something especially if your to-do list is spread across multiple notebooks, calendars, and locations. Using digitals lists and reminders can help make sure you’re staying on top of your to-do list.

Here are some organizational apps you might try:

• Todoist – Available on App Store, Google Play, and online.
• Google Keep – Available on App Store, Google Play, and online.

When you’re dealing with chronic conditions, managing medication is key. Your loved one may have multiple prescriptions with different side-effects[AC1] [2]  and interactions. Fortunately, there are medication-focused apps on the market. Most of these types of apps offer alerts when patients need to take medications. Several also offer caregiver specific options, like drug warnings, and alerts when refills are needed.

Here are two highly rated medication apps:

• Medisafe – Available on App Store and Google Play.
• My Meds – Available on App Store and Google Play.

Sometimes apps are specifically built with certain diagnoses in mind. Add these specialized apps to your toolbox if you’re trying to help a loved one manage a chronic condition. These apps are places for tips and techniques, and many are built to track specific things like calories, glucose, or blood pressure. Having the information about your loved one’s condition at your fingertips helps with decision making and planning.

There are numerous apps built to support diabetic patients on the markets. These apps offer tips for managing sugar levels, recipes, and other ways to help your loved one manage their glucose level. Here are a couple examples you might choose from:

• Glucose Buddy – Available on App Store and Google Play
• mySugr – Available on App Store and Google Play.

Many glucose tracking devices work alongside specific apps, including the Dario Blood Glucose Monitoring System, Dexcom, and OneTouch Reveal®.

For dementia and Alzheimer patients, brain training apps offer activities that may help your loved one’s mind stay active longer.

Apps you might try:

• MindMate – Available on App Store and online.
• Lumosity: Brain Training – Available on App Store and Google Play.

Apps focused on specific disease and conditions might be useful to you and your loved one. New apps are released every day, so if there’s not currently an app for your loved one’s condition that might change in the future! Every diagnosis is different and specialized apps zero in on very specific health needs. Some apps like MyMHealth focus on several, often connected chronic conditions, while others are focused on one specific medical need. Both types of apps may prove useful on your caregiving journey.

• Chronic disease app – MyMHealth – Available on App Store and Google Play
• Blood pressure app – SmartBP App – Available on App Store and Google Play.

There are several apps available focused on caregivers. These apps include features around care coordination, medication, communication and other responsibilities most caregivers encounter.

Here are just a few examples of caregiving-focused apps:

• Ianacare – Available on the App Store and Google Play.
• CaringBridge - Available on the App Store, Google Play and online.
• Lotsa Helping Hands – Available on the App Store and Google Play.

Technology is a great tool to help organize your caregiving responsibilities. New apps are introduced all the time. Whether it’s focused on a specific condition or meant to streamline a particular task, it’s valuable to test apps as they become available. That way you can see if you can decrease your workload as a caregiver. The right lineup of tools can help ease the caregiving burden and let you focus on what’s really important: spending valuable time with your loved one.