Technology is in every part of our lives these days. Whether it’s recording your favorite TV show while you’re at dinner or using your phone to set your alarm in the morning, the great achievements in technology have made our both our personal lives and professional lives better, including the role of caregiver.

While a caregiver’s job is never easy, there have been a few technological advances to make things go a little smoother. There are several mobile phone applications available that can help remind caregivers when the ones they are caring for need to take their medication. One such app – Med Helper, can track not only the pill schedule, but also doctor’s appointments, prescriptions and even the correct dosage of each medication. A similar program is the Caregiver’s Touch, an app that not only has a mobile version, but a web version as well. Not only can you track medications, you can also store insurance information and emergency contacts.

In the same mobile category, GPS trackers can be extremely useful technological devices for caregivers. These trackers come in several forms, the most popular being the wrist watch. Like traditional GPS, it tracks the location of the device and the signal can be monitored from a cell phone.

The mobile applications are convenient and certainly helpful, but there are other advancements that may not seem so obvious in this mobile phone-driven world. For example, sensor-based home monitoring systems are available to notify caregivers of emergency situations, such as a fall.  See Balancing Work, Home and Cargiving.

Technology for caregivers can be an amazing help, but seniors need empowerment as well. Personal emergency response systems (PERS) allow the person wearing the device to get medical help in an emergency at the simple push of a button. While some are home-based, the ones on the higher end allow more mobility outside of the home.  See consumer information on PERS devices and services from the Federal Trade Comission.

Better technology to assist caregivers and seniors can provide for a safer home care situation and quality of life.