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Caregiving Resources

More Than a One-Person Job

It's also important to keep in mind that one person is usually not enough. These resources 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. 

 

Here are some review articles on software apps to consider:

For ideas on how to use computers in caregiving, see the link below (and also the box for Technology Tools on on our page for Caring at Home):
 
Document storage apps (like DropBox, iCloud, Google Docs, etc.) can be used to keep any notes, forms, or checklists, and to share them with other members of your caregiving team.  That could be a very effective way to use .pdf forms like these:

Don't Forget the Phone!

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. 

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.