Do not even think about managing your loved one’s care without technology. Even if you only learn to do what you must for banking, bill paying, and household management, once your loved one gets sick, you will need to up your skills to manage the many things involved.

Apart from messaging from pharmacies, therapists, and DME (durable medical equipment) suppliers, there will be many administrative tasks that will be required. Log-ins to doctors’  offices for appointments and information, patient portals to access medical information, and clearances for procedures for example, will involve passwords, apps, and digital signatures. You will want to streamline payments and bank efficiently for your patient’s pharmacy and supply needs. There will be a lot more. Get step by step help but learn to master digital skills as soon as possible so that you can manage caregiving. 

You will not be free from paper, however. Do purchase some office supplies so that the papers, bills, and printed information you receive can be managed efficiently and retrieved easily. One way to do this is to purchase a tiered desk organizer and have a shelf for each set of paperwork such as hospital related, pharmacy related, insurance related, etc. Another method might include use of manila envelopes that are marked with the type of contents and then placed upright in a magazine file holder. Whatever is easiest, implement it right away so that you don’t get buried under a mess of paperwork during pressured times.

Time management may also require both digital as well as old fashioned paper tracking. Use a digital calendar on your phone which can easily be updated. Alarms will help. But make sure that there is also a paper calendar hanging in the patient’s home so that aides, family members, and the patient himself can see what to expect on which days. Make sure it’s big and marked in bold colors so that all members of the care team can see doctors’ appointments, therapy visits, and aide schedules.

Classic executive functioning skills will need digital updating to optimize the myriad tasks required to manage your patient’s care. So, get with the program! Get techy!

Read more about caregiving from Caring Professionals Home Care Agency:

• Medication Management Tips
• Hospital to Home Discharge Process: Essential Steps and Requirements
• Five Pro-tips for Dealing with a Hospitalized Loved One
• Hospital Admissions Guide: Critical Tips and Emergency Preparedness
• Turn off the TV for my Senior??? Yes
• Handling the Difficult Patient During a Medical Crisis