Long-Distance Caregiving: Technologies and Services to Assist You in Caring for a Loved One
- Mar 30, 2020
- 2 min read
This week’s guest writer is our friend Claire Wentz of caringfromafar.com. Remote caregiving has become a more frequent necessity in recent weeks. Claire has some great tips for you about how to managing caregiving from a distance. Check out caringfromafar.com for more information. Thank you, Claire!
If you’re one of the five to seven million family caregivers who lives more than an hour away from their aging parent, sibling, or relative, you’re probably familiar with the different challenges of long-distance caregiving. However, help is available to you. To explore a few different services and technologies that can make long-distance caregiving less of a challenge, read on!
Try a Face-to-Face Mobile App
When you’re caring for a loved one from a distance, it can be difficult to get a feel for his or her overall health and well-being. However, video-conferencing apps like Google Hangouts, Skype, and Zoom allow you to chat face-to-face with your loved one—even when you can’t be near one another. Video-calling devices like the GrandPad and ViewClix are other excellent options for seniors, and GrandPad can even be used without a Wi-Fi connection.
Prevent Social Isolation
According to the Institute on Aging (IOA), about a third of the seniors who lived independently in 2010 also resided alone. Living alone certainly has its benefits, but it also puts many seniors at risk of social isolation, loneliness, depression, and sometimes even an early death. As such, you may wish to find a roommate for your loved one if you’re worried about his or her mental and emotional well-being. Plus, a roommate can help to look out for your senior loved one and call for medical assistance in the event of a health emergency or accident.
Don’t Forget About Your Loved One’s Animal Companions
As a caregiver, you’re responsible for the health and safety of your loved one—as well as the animal companions that live with him or her. If your loved one gets sick and cannot care for his or her animal companion, however, it’s important to look online for a professional pet sitter who can help out in the meantime. When searching for a pet sitter, be sure to read customer reviews and look for a candidate who offers overnight care and any other specialty services you may need.
Long-distance caregiving is hard, but modern-day technologies make it easier than ever to care for a loved one from afar. With access to mobile apps and a plethora of online resources, you can give your senior loved one everything he or she needs—even from hundreds of miles away.
No matter who you are, or where you are in your hospice journey, you are The Heart of Hospice.
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