June 201919Caregiving is as old as family. Families have always been taking care of each other. That will never change. But what has changed is the way family caregivers care for their loved ones. What separates today's family caregivers from those of the past is the availability of technologies to aid in their labor of love.More than 90 million people in the U.S. are currently providing care for a chronically ill, disabled, or elderly family member or friend. That number will only increase in the coming years as baby boomers--who are now turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 every day--grow older and require care. Fortunately, there are loads of new technologies designed to make family caregivers' lives a bit easier while keeping their loved ones safe and healthy.Many family caregivers personally spend hours upon hours caring for their loved one. Others live at a distance and have to coordinate remotely. Family caregivers manage doctor appointments, provide transportation, make sure medications are taken on time, and keep the home going-- ­ to name just a few of the vital tasks that they perform on a daily basis. Regardless of their caregiving situation, family caregivers are exhausted and stressed. Caregiving technologies lighten the load.Caregiving technology today offers much more than just medication trackers and appointment calendars. There are many apps, devices, and tools that can help caregivers do almost everything from A to Z, such as monitoring vital signs, designing healthy eating plans for cancer patients, and collecting medical records all in one convenient place.There are wearable sensors that remind a patient to take medication, provide directions, and contact family members for help if their loved one falls or if an emergency occurs. There is an exciting new virtual nurse assistant app--the world's first--that utilizes voice recognition and artificial intelligence (AI) to place a two-minute care check-up call every day. This can allow aging-in-place seniors to be healthier, safer, and maintain their independence.KEEPING LOVED ONES SAFE AND SECURE AND CAREGIVERS SANECXO InsightsJohn Schall, CEO, Caregiver Action NetworkBy
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