Caregiving Resources

These resources will help you make a caregiving plan, and guide you in making adjustments when needed:

If the care your loved one needs includes help managing their finances, check out these resources from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:

More Than a One-Person Job

It's important to keep in mind that one person can't do it all.

(Example of a care map of family members and caregivers who take care for an oder adult, including their support group, from the Altas of Caregiving.)

It's also very common that conflicting opinions or efforts between family members come into conflict.

The resources linked below may help family and friends find common ground to agree on care decisions and act as a team.

People other than immediate family members often step up to care for LGBT seniors, "elder orphans", and those who (for whatever reason) can't look to relatives for care. They may have special concerns, however: 

When Caregiving Isn't the Only Job

The reality is that many caregivers also have other jobs - which can bring extra stress but also additional rewards. These sources have advice on juggling responsibilities:

Organizational Tools and Tech

Caregivers need all the organizational help they can get - and online apps can be tremendously helpful to track all the details. 

Don't forget to make good use of smartphones!

The built-in Health apps on the Apple iPhone and the Health apps on Android phones do more than just track steps, with possibilities of other biometric features in the future. 

Getting a reminder to take medications by text message could also be very useful.

And if possible, everyone should take advantage of the ability to enter emergency information into the health information section of their smartphone, so emergency medical personnel can get access when needed (without having to unlock the phone or expose other personal information). Include medications, medical conditions, and emergency contacts - and remember to update that information regularly.