Caring for Loved Ones? There's An App for That

With the aging Baby Boomer population, more and more people are finding themselves having to take care of older relatives. Fortunately, there’s an app for that, too, as Apple’s tagline goes. Caring in Place has released an iPhone app allowing caregivers to track their responsibilities at a glance.

“Families learning to care for their aging loved ones have it tough,” said Josh Fotheringham CEO of Caring in Place. “The majority of family members suddenly become family caregivers overnight because of an unexpected trigger event – a fall, a car accident, an emergency room visit, or simply a physician that says it’s time to get involved. Most families aren’t prepared for what comes next.”

While there are a number of options, such as placing a person in a care facility, an AARP study has shown that people have better outcomes when cared for by their own family members. “An active family caregiver has the potential to measurably improve the health conditions of their aging family members. A little bit of practical knowledge coupled with simple, clinical guidance can go a long way towards improved health outcomes,” Dr. Kevin Knopf,, a hematologist and oncologist and a clinical board chair at Caring in Place, said.

The app features a number of checklists that users can follow while caring for aging loved ones, reminding them to do things like putting medications into pill boxes and checking blood pressure. They can also share these checklists with other family members, showing the tasks they’ve already completed. This allows family members to easily share responsibilities.

Ease of use is important because half of  family caregivers also work full time and are raising their own families. The idea is to give caregivers expert advice in the palms of their hands.

“Family caregivers are often plagued by the doubt and uncertainty of not knowing what to do,” Denise Brown, Founder of CareGiving.com, sif. “Caring in Place removes the second-guessing that often accompanies caregiving, and provides caregivers peace of mind knowing they are doing the right things at the right time.”