16 Caregiver Apps You Should Use in 2023

Family caregivers need all the help they can get. That’s why caregiver apps, which put an array of helpful tools at your fingertips, can be such a boon. These software applications can be installed on your smartphone to help you stay organized, keep in contact with your support network and access important information.

Here’s a list of the best apps for caregivers. Find them for free at the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play Store for Android, and get much-needed support in a variety of areas, including:

Organization and Communication

These mobile caregiving apps can help you connect with your care network and coordinate schedules:

1. Carely. Create a personal social network made up of the people you share caregiving responsibilities with. Post comments, photos or questions, use the calendar to easily track appointments and schedule caregiving, and explore local caregiving resources.
2. Caring Village. Store important documents, track medications and prescriptions, and communicate with your support network from a single dashboard. A wellness journal allows you to post updates on your loved one’s health; shareable to-do lists make it easy to coordinate help; and a preparedness checklist ensures you’re ready for the unforeseen.
3. Lotsa Helping Hands. Gather your team and use the care calendar to coordinate caregiving duties, like rides or meal preparation. You can also send and receive supportive messages, post photos and keep your care circle updated on your loved one’s health.

Medication Tracking

Manage your loved one’s medications effectively with these apps for caregivers:

4. Medisafe. Get medication and refill reminders, drug interaction warnings and in-depth information on your loved one’s health conditions. You can also track vital signs and other metrics and send medication reports to your loved one’s healthcare provider.
5. MyMeds. Create an account to connect with caregivers, providers and pharmacists. Set up medication reminders, communicate with healthcare providers in real time and manage prescriptions.
6. RxSaver. Quickly compare prices and save on prescription medications by finding coupons at nearby pharmacies.

Monitoring

Keep tabs on your loved one’s well-being so you can respond effectively and quickly if the need arises:

7. eCare21. Monitor your loved one’s vital signs, physical activity, sleeping patterns and more with this remote monitoring app that connects to wearable devices or other simple monitoring tools. Share data with your loved one’s healthcare provider so they can make informed recommendations, even from a distance. The app is free, but in-app purchases offer additional features.
8. PainScale. Track pain levels, discover pain triggers, evaluate the effectiveness of medications and treatments, and better understand how to manage pain. Compile the data you’ve gathered to help health providers more quickly find the best treatment solutions.

Dementia Support

These dementia specific apps aim to help people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and their caregivers:

9. Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias Daily Companion. Search the app to discover practical advice from experts and fellow caregivers as you handle the daily challenges of caring for someone with dementia.
10. Dementia Talk. Track challenging behaviors, develop a behavior care plan and connect with your care team so you can establish effective responses to difficult behaviors. You can also track schedules and medications and find tips for self-care.
11. MindMate. Ideal for someone in the early stages of dementia, this app offers stimulating brain games, healthy recipes, and tips for keeping physically and mentally fit. Available on the Apple App Store or for your PC or desktop.
12. Iridis. Developed by the University of Stirling and Space Architecture (Europe) Ltd., this app helps you create a dementia-friendly environment, with tips on lighting adjustments, noise reduction, and furnishings to promote comfort and safety.

Preparation

Feel more confident about your ability to handle unexpected emergencies:

13. First Aid: American Red Cross. Access step-by-step instructions and informative videos so you know how to handle an injury or emergency. You can also locate the nearest hospital and call 911 through the app.

Just for You: Mobile Apps for the Caregiver

Taking time for yourself helps prevent caregiver burnout. Try these apps to support your own well-being so you can better support your loved one:

14. Insight Timer. Find a wealth of options that support mind, body and spirit, including guided meditations, calming music, breathwork techniques, live yoga classes and inspirational quotes. The app is free but in-app purchases offer access to extra features.
15. UCLA Mindful. Developed by the Mindful Awareness Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the app offers guided meditations and instructional videos on meditation and the science behind mindfulness.
16. Podcast App. This app opens the door to the world of podcasts, where you can find inspiration, humor, entertainment, heartwarming stories and practical advice. Follow your curiosity wherever it wants to go, or seek out podcasts aimed at supporting caregivers, such as these:

• The Happy Healthy Caregiver Podcast. Host and certified caregiving consultant Elizabeth Miller talks with caregivers about how they can support their own well-being while caring for others.
• Daughterhood The Podcast: For Caregivers. Host Rosanne Corcoran, the primary in-home caregiver for her mother with Alzheimer’s disease, speaks with guests about grief, compassion fatigue, music therapy and a variety of other topics.
• Twenty-Four Seven: A Podcast about Caregiving. Longtime NPR journalist Kitty Eisele, a full-time caregiver for her father, talks about navigating the medical, legal and emotional challenges of caregiving.

Gathering Your Resources

Whether you’re looking to streamline some of your duties, find helpful advice, or relax in a moment of calm, caregiving apps make it easier to access the resources you need. The American Senior Housing Association can serve as another valuable resource. Use our community locator to find quality respite care near you, or explore senior living options for your loved one.