3 Free Apps to Help Caregivers Get Organized, Find Support 

One thing a caregiver needs, other than patience, is a tool to help track and manage the health and well-being of their loved one.

At the touch of a fingertip, apps on smartphones, tablets and computers allow you to:

• Arrange transportation.
• Receive drug interaction alerts.
• Schedule and divvy up appointments.
• Set reminders for pills.
• Upload and share important documents.

Various smartphone apps can help you “track someone, shop for supplies, look up trusted information, manage medications, schedule appointments, book transportation, find specialty pharmacies or join support groups,” says Laurie M. Orlov, founder of the Aging and Health Technology Watch website based in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Many apps are free, though you will see ads. Some will ask you to add features for a fee. Apps can be downloaded for Apple and Android smartphones, and their affiliated websites can be accessed on a Mac or PC.

“A good app should be easy to use for caregivers and/or patients,” says Pamela D. Wilson, a Denver-based caregiving expert, advocate and speaker. “Apps offer the convenience of accessing information from anywhere, which means caregivers can monitor a loved one’s care or activities from a distance.”

“Apps can also send notifications for reminders and fall concerns to alert caregivers of time-sensitive issues,” Wilson says.

1. CaringBridge helps get the word out, gather support

Helping people establish a support network so they won’t go through health problems alone was the reason CaringBridge was created in 1997. It began as a free and ad-free website and now is also an app.

The nonprofit platform focuses heavily on communication to share diagnoses, treatment updates and milestones by posting journal entries, photos or videos. It allows assigning tasks to family and friends and an option to use other resources, such as fundraising, ordering groceries or starting a meal calendar.

CaringBridge says more than 300,000 people use its popular platform every day to rally around loved ones.

2. Caring Village concentrates on coordination

The Caring Village app helps you create a custom “village” or care team to coordinate activities or arrange transportation and provide meals. You can include as many people as you want and easily assign roles to team members with secure in-app messaging, shareable to-do lists and other features.