When you are the sole family caregiver for someone with MCI, Alzheimer's or dementia, staying organized is a necessity. If you’ve been used to sharing responsibilities with someone for years, it can be overwhelming to be in charge of EVERYTHING suddenly. Fortunately, there are easy-to-use tools that you can have in the palm of your hand to help you stay on top of your busy schedule.
If you don't have a smartphone, consider upgrading. It will make your life easier. Smartphones + apps are the easiest way to supercharge your caregiving skills while helping your loved one maintain their independence.
Why Upgrade To A Smartphone?
Smartphones are more than just a phone — they’re more like a Swiss-Army-Knife-Personal-Assistant: one thing that does more than one job.
One smartphone replaces all these things:
- Phone
- Computer
- Clock
- Alarm Clock
- Timer
- Stop Watch
- World Clock
- Calendar
- Note Pad
- Reminders
- Address Book
- Magnifier
- Calculator
- Recorder
- Camera
- Photo Album
- Map
- GPS
- Newspaper
- Compass
- Dictionary
- Thesaurus
- Translator
- Encyclopedia
- Copier
The best part? All those things are in the palm of your hand. Everything is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Smartphones help caregivers do more things, faster. And since you’ve got more things to do now, that’s a big help.
How Do Apps Work?
“App” is shorthand for an application. These are small programs that extend what your phone can do for you. Many are free, and most are low cost. Apps help you do things like:
- Find coupons
- Find a sale
- Find movie times
- Buy movie tickets
- Get the weather forecast
- Get directions
- Measure heart rate
- Track your steps
- Track your sleep
- Make a To Do List
- Get a birthday reminder
- Get a doctor’s appointment reminder
- Check your bank balance
- Pay a bill
- Transfer money between accounts
- Make a restaurant reservation
- Calculate a tip
- Check-in for a flight
- Book a hotel
- Order food for delivery
- Avoid traffic jams
- Listen to music
- Listen to a book
- Read a book
- Watch a video
How Easy Are Smartphones and Apps To Use?
Learning how to use smartphones and apps can seem impossible, especially if you've never had one before. But, anyone can do it! It doesn’t matter how old you are, or how technically savvy you are. There are free video tutorials, and resources available, not to mention helpful “how-to” books and manuals. Apple has free classes for learning how to use iPhones and free tech support at the Genius Bar.
Smartphones help you manage, measure, track and organize all the things you’re responsible for without overtaxing your mind. They help you do more with less effort and in less time. A smartphone is a family caregiver’s secret weapon.
