Here at Concordia, we have the opportunity to meet and talk with caregivers of all types, and we know that a family caregiver’s job is not easy. We also know first-hand how rewarding it can be to care for a loved one.
We appreciate all of the hard work, time and effort that caregivers put forth for their loved ones’ well-being, and understand how important it is to look out for family caregivers. Because a caregiver’s job can be overwhelming and stressful at times, we want to share tools that can make your lives easier. The tools and devices below are tailored with caregivers in mind, and we hope they make your journey more manageable:
1) Organize with Apps – With technology playing such a major role in our lives, it’s no wonder there are apps created specifically with caregivers in mind. These apps can help caregivers stay organized, keep records, share access with family members, and most importantly, ask for and coordinate help from others such as family and friends. Caring Bridge is one free app to check out, and there are a list of others here. Organizing with an app can give you peace of mind knowing your information is all in one place and you, in addition to those helping you, can keep track of your loved one’s needs.
2) Get Peace of Mind with Adaptive Equipment – There are many adaptive equipment options that can assist your loved one on a daily basis to keep them living independently longer. Examples include equipment to help with bathing, getting around the house with walking aids, and tasks of daily living such as pocket magnifiers, hand held reachers, and even dressing aids to help with putting on socks or stockings and buttoning shirts or pants. Taking advantage of these types of equipment can be beneficial for you and your loved one’s confidence.
3) Keep Dementia Patients Safe with GPS Tracking – One common symptom of dementia and/or Alzheimer’s can be wandering, which is often a huge fear for family caregivers. There is tracking technology that can notify you if your loved one wanders, and it can even go as far as having a trained team find your loved one if they did happen to wander off and get lost. One organization, Project Lifesaver, offers this type of technology with the mission to “bring loved ones home.”
4) Send Reminders to Your Loved Ones – There are devices that allow you to record a message and play it back to your loved one at scheduled times. One example is Reminder Rosie. This voice-controlled reminder system can be all you need to remind your loved one to get to an appointment on time or complete a task at home. Because it can operate almost entirely by voice, which greatly reduces the need for your loved one to press buttons, you can have peace of mind knowing your messages are getting to your loved one at the right time. If you need help reminding your loved one to take their medicine, you can receive medication management through a medication dispensing unit offered by Concordia Private Care. This technology has security features and online reporting, in addition to other features, which means peace of mind for the user, family, and caregivers.
Taking advantage of the tools available to you when caring for your loved one can alleviate stress, save time and help you stay organized. If you’ve used any of these tools, or if you have other tools that you’d like to share with us, please comment below.
If you’d like to browse our medical equipment that can help you and your loved one, visit Concordia Medical Equipment where you can find, learn about and purchase equipment all in one place, from the comfort of your own home.
Do you have questions about Concordia or are interested in how we can help you and your loved one? If so, please contact us any time via our online contact form or by calling our administrative headquarters at 724-352-1571. Or, visit the care levels & services page of our website to learn about the types of care we offer, including In-Home Care, Memory Care, Long-Term Nursing Care, Adult Day Services, Hospice Care and more.
There is always a LOT happening at Concordia! Would you like to stay up-to-date with our news and events? Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter here.