We now live in an age where our reliance on technology is more prevalent than it has ever been. This can apply to both our professional and personal life, as there are apps out there designed to be a bit of fun and some which are serious and can assist with progression in your career. This applies to jobs in all industries, whether you work in law, retail, or in this instance, care.
Yes, being a caregiver is an incredibly challenging and personable job, so personable, in fact, that you would be forgiven for thinking there aren’t any apps that can assist with doing it, but there are. Some of these have been put together purely for the benefit of the patient, but others could assist you in dealing with the everyday stresses of your job as well. This article will go into detail about what these apps actually are and why they could help.
My GP
My GP is a free app that has been developed as a means to help patients and caregivers manage their hospital visits and the medication that patients should be taking. It is not just good for this, though, as it is also very useful when it comes to organizing caring as you can add children and elderly relatives to the app and arrange their appointments and prescriptions through it.
Keeping organized can be hard enough for anybody, but when someone’s health relies on it, staying on top of different appointments and prescriptions is vital. As such, using this app can be beneficial for caregivers everywhere.
My House of Memories
There are a lot of resources out there for people who are suffering from memory loss in their older age. This can come in the way of different methods people are encouraged to engage with to improve their memory or receiving memory care from somewhere like Brandywine Living, which offers assisted living in Colt’s Neck. However, another method that can make people comfortable is seen in apps such as My House of Memories.
My House of Memories is an app that is used by caregivers of people who have dementia. Essentially, by using pictures of objects from the past, patients are able to explore their memories and can gain great comfort in doing so.
Freestyle Libre
Freestyle Libre is an app used by people who have diabetes as it can be used to monitor their blood sugar levels and offer them a quick and useful way for caregivers to remotely monitor levels and act accordingly. This is a really good app to have, as it can provide peace of mind for both the caregiver and the patient that they are caring for as both can have more independence in their day-to-day life. This is especially the case if the caregiver is a family member who has stepped in to help as much as they can.
Medisafe
Medisafe is a very effective app that allows caregivers to keep track of medication and will send reminders either to them or to their patients to tell them when it is time to take medicine. This is another one that can go a long way when it comes to simply offering peace of mind. Being a caregiver can be incredibly stressful and so having easy access to technology that can make your life a little easier is a huge bonus.
Voice Analyst
This app is one that has been developed for people with Parkinson’s disease, but it can also be used by these patients’ carers as well. If their speech has been affected by their condition, then the app allows them to make themselves better understood. This means it is much easier for them to communicate with caregivers, family members, and friends, allowing them to retain their independence even if their condition worsens. It has been so well received that there are Parkinson’s charities who strongly recommend people use it.
Recipe Keeper
Planning meals and remembering recipes when you are working as a caregiver can be a big ask and also very time-consuming. The app Recipe Keeper allows you to store all of your recipes and also plan meals that suit the entire family. This takes into account any special dietary needs that people may have and also allows you to put together shopping lists that take these requirements into account, meaning you will not have to spend ages pondering over them when you go to pick up ingredients.
Jointly
Jointly is an app that has been developed by a charity based in the UK, Carers UK, though it can be used by people all over the world. It allows for group messaging features and is also good for producing to-do lists and medication lists for different patients. How does this help? Well, it essentially creates a whole circle of care for patients and also for the people who are looking after that patient. They are able to invite people to join their care circle so that the patient will be getting the best help available as questions can be shared, answers given, and a general update on their condition can be available at all times. The app works on all devices, and as far as cost is concerned, you will only have to worry about parting ways with the initial joining fee.
Conclusion
We can use technology for a whole variety of things now, both in our professional and our personal lives. The apps out there for caregivers can actually work to benefit both, as where they are practical on the face of it, they are also great for providing those that need care with more independence, meaning they do not have to be looked after as much and the caregiver will not have to come round as often.
It is important that caregivers have an idea as to the options that are available to them when it comes to apps as they will be able to make their work life a lot easier. Not only that, but they will also be able to be used as a means to make sure that the patient is receiving the best care possible.
