9 Free Caregiver Apps to Use In 2024

“To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors” – Tie Walker.

Few things remain constant in life, and growing old is one of the unchanged facts. As people age, the need for proper care, support, and love from family arises. It’s quite challenging to manage schedules and provide round-the-clock care and support to the family members while earning a living.

In such cases, hiring an experienced and qualified caregiver to serve the people we care for and love in the comfort of our homes is all most families are currently looking for.

This is where home care agencies come into the picture. Many apps for senior caregivers are available in the market to help you care for your loved ones.

Caregiver App – A Brief Overview

A caregiver is a supporting service provided by the professional Caregiver at the patient’s home. It can range from the people who are getting older to the people recovering from chronic diseases, illness, recovering from surgery, or mentally or physically disabled.

Let’s examine some numerical figures that prove how rapidly the caregiving business is growing in the U.S.

• Approximately 17% of the U.S. has been reported caring for someone 50 years and above without any monetary reimbursement.
• In 2020, 41.8 million people in America cared for adults aged 50 or older without monetary compensation, accounting for 17% of the nation’s adult population.
• 89% of caregivers provide care for a relative or other loved one, such as a spouse.

In the past 5 years, there has been a 104% surge in home care agencies, and the demand continues to spike further. With such a booming home care industry, it’s quite hard to find a qualified caregiver to whom one can hand over the task of an elder.

Professional caregivers employed in families to cook for and look after their elderly relatives spend approximately 37. Four hours per week to caregiving activities. Those who are living in different places with their relatives spend an average of 23. And among those receiving care, 11 percent spent more than 7 hours per week on caregiving responsibilities.

From helping to keep track of appointments to assisting in health emergencies, caregiver apps are tackling all areas of caregiving. Here are 9 notable best caregiver apps that can help support caregivers daily.

9 Best Apps for Caregivers to Use In 2024

The role of caregiving has become more crucial in the current generation due to the increase in the number of elderly people. Fortunately, many different types of caregiver apps are available that make it significantly easier to keep track of all the tasks involved with being a caregiver.

These apps are useful in specifically notifying patients when to take their medication, setting reminders for the caregiver, and tracking other aspects of the patient’s life, which may include health.

Criteria for Selecting the Best Caregiver Apps

Having established the types of caregiver applications, the following are the main factors that can help in selecting the best applications:

• Ease of Use: The app should be user-friendly and easy to understand.
• Features and Functionalities: It is important to look for applications with tools that indirectly suit your needs.
• User Reviews and Ratings: Look at other comments made by App users about its functionality and efficiency.
• Compatibility with Devices: Make sure your mobile device model supports it, whether a smartphone or a tablet.

1. CaringBridge

CaringBridge is a free, nonprofit health platform that supports family caregivers as they navigate their loved ones’ health journeys. Caregivers can share updates, document the journey, streamline care coordination, and connect with a compassionate community through CaringBridge.

By addressing feelings of overwhelm, isolation, and loneliness, CaringBridge enhances emotional well-being and social connectedness, fostering a supportive environment for healing.

The CaringBridge community spans all 50 states and over 242 countries worldwide. The CaringBridge app offers the following features:

Key Features:

• Personal health updates
• Support and inspiration from a community
• Private, protected, and ad-free experience
• Ability to communicate with everyone simultaneously
• Tools to capture and document every step of the health journey
• Coordination of care with family and friends

Android ratings: 4.6
iPhone Ratings: 4.9
Play Store downloads: 5L+ Downloads

2. Medisafe

Keep your loved ones safe and secure, and don’t miss out on taking your medicines, pills, and necessary vitamins with Medisafe. It’s an easy-to-use free medication reminder app that notifies you about your medicines when they need to be refilled, and any medications that shouldn’t be mixed. The application has a database of 30,000+ drug-interaction warnings.

What’s exciting about the app?

Powered by GoodRx, the Medisafe app offers special discounts and medication coupons that are valid at thousands of drugstores nationwide. The app boasts a calendar, doctor appointment manager, and logbook to share with a physician if required; it offers a combination of basic medical needs under one roof.

Caregivers and healthcare workers can easily join the account and manage patient records.

Key Features of Medisafe include –

• Personalized Medication Reminders
• Medication Tracking and Reporting
• Drug Interaction Warnings
• Health Measurements and Progress Tracking
• Family and Caregiver Support
• Virtual Health Library
• Appointment Reminders
• Integration with Wearables and Health Apps

Android ratings: 4.7
iPhone Ratings: 4.7
Play Store downloads: 5M+ Downloads

3. IANA Care

IANA stands for “I Am Not Alone.” This program offers extensive support for those caring for their loved ones. It features advanced scheduling for care coordination, medication management, daily living activities like health and wellness, and appointment transportation logistics.

The app allows family members to stay connected and offers tools and resources for family mediation. Additionally, it provides financial and legal guidance related to caregiving. Here are the key features of IANA care –

• Request and Receive Practical Help
• Easily Invite People to the Care Team
• Keep Everyone Updated
• Receive Help Without Asking
• Stay Organized with a Team Calendar
• Control Notification Preferences

Android ratings: 3
iPhone Ratings: 4.4
Play Store downloads: 10K+ Downloads

4. MyMeds

One of the caregivers’ toughest jobs is managing patients’ medications. My Meds come to the rescue by organizing all medical information in a single place and scheduling timely medical reminders through text.

If the medicine is taken, then reply,” Yes.” The most interesting part of this app is that you can even add your other family members to the tracking list to notify them if the medicine has been taken. A follow-up reminder can be sent in case the medicine is skipped to be taken.

My Meds is one of the best apps for family caregivers to manage medication schedules during busy daily routine hours. It is available for free at the App Store and Google Play.

Features of My Meds include –

• Personalized Medication Reminders
• Medication List Management
• Refill Reminders
• Drug Interaction Alerts
• Health Tracking
• Medication History
• Caregiver Notifications
• Pharmacy Integration
• Progress Reports

Android ratings: 3.7
iPhone Ratings: 3.4

5. eCare21

Care for yourself, care for your family.

ECare21 is among the best caregiver apps on the market. Now, you can monitor your loved ones around the clock with wireless and wearable devices like Fitbit or a smartwatch using eCare21. This application allows caregivers and health providers to track the wearer’s heart rate, glucose, activity, calorie intake, sleep time, medication, weight, and more.

24/7 monitoring with such wearable devices allows health providers and caregivers to remain proactive even from a distance. The app is available for free on the App Store and Google Play, and its monthly subscription starts at $7.95. Here is what you can get with eCare-

• Personalized Health Reminders
• Comprehensive Health Tracking
• Secure Messaging and Communication
• Care Coordination Tools
• Educational Resources
• Virtual Appointments
• Emergency Alerts
• User-Friendly Interface

Android ratings: 3
iPhone Ratings: 4.3
Play Store downloads: 1K+ Downloads

6. Care.com

Finding quality care requires more than just a casual search—it requires trusted connections. At Care.com, you gain access to a comprehensive network of professionals, including caregivers, babysitters, nannies, housekeepers, tutors, dog walkers, pet sitters, and more. Our platform simplifies the process of finding the right care tailored to your local area and specific needs. Whether you’re seeking childcare, senior care, pet care, housekeeping, or tutoring, Care.com connects you with the best matches in your community.

From special events and date nights to full-time or part-time care, you can find exactly what you need:

• Job listings for caregivers
• Background checks
• Caregiving resources
• Receive Alerts
• Manage Everything
• Pay Easily

Join Care.com today to effortlessly find and manage the care that fits your lifestyle.

Android ratings: 3+
iPhone Ratings: 4.3
Play Store downloads: 1M+ Downloads

7. Connected Caregiver

Connected Caregiver is your free digital assistant designed to help you care for your loved ones. With this app, you can easily keep track of appointments, notes, and medication information. Plus, you can collaborate and communicate with everyone involved in your loved one’s care, all in one place.

Here’s what Connected Caregiver of –

• Manage the Loved One(s) You Care For
• Care Circle Management
• Medication Management
• Document Storage
• Dedicated Calendar
• Manual Health Vital Tracking
• Custom Notifications
• AVAILABLE DEVICE & FEATURE UPGRADES
• SAFETY+ MEDICAL ALERT
• Senior Medical Alerts
• Fall Detection for Seniors
• GPS Location & Geofencing
• First Motion & Step Tracking
• PROMPTER CONNECTED PILLBOX
• PEACE OF MIND BUNDLE

Android ratings: 3+
iPhone Ratings: 4.1
Play Store downloads: 10K+ Downloads

8. Symple

Symple makes it simple to track how your loved one is feeling over time. Whether it’s anxiety, fatigue, or pain, you can monitor up to 10 different symptoms and note any factors that might be affecting their health. It helps track symptoms and overall health for better care management.

With Symple, you get an easy-to-read graph and spreadsheet to organize all the information. You can use these tools yourself or share them with a doctor to better understand your loved one’s health. Many users find the app user-friendly and helpful for keeping track of important health details between doctor visits.

You can download Symple for free on your iPhone. The features of this simple app are divided into two categories: the free version and the upgraded version.

Track and manage your health effortlessly with these features:

• Log up to 5 symptoms in just seconds each day.
• Record up to 5 factors affecting your well-being.
• Sync steps, sleep, calorie intake, and heart rate data from Apple Health seamlessly.
• Fitness for everyone! Wheelchair users can monitor pushes via Apple Health.
• Customize your symptoms and factors, or select from our extensive list.
• Capture a daily photo (or up to 10 with an upgrade).
  Share a summary of your symptom history with your doctor.
• Export your data to your preferred spreadsheet application.

Upgrade powerful features:

• Enrich your data with time-stamped, daily journal entries.
• Track an unlimited number of custom symptoms.
• Monitor an unlimited number of custom factors.
• View extended graphing intervals.
• Protect your data with passcode security.
• Capture up to 10 photos daily, perfect for logging medications or meals.
• Automatically backup and restore your data to iCloud, ensuring you never lose it.

iPhone Ratings: 4.1

9. Alzheimer’s Caregiver Buddy

The app developed by the Alzheimer’s Association is the best app for family caregivers to manage their stress, uplift their mood, and navigate family conflict by reaching a 24/7 helpline.

The application features daily tips for hygiene and mealtime blended with fun and entertainment activities to stimulate the mind and body of the caretaker living with dementia. It also provides tips and articles on coping with new and overwhelming behaviors like hallucinations and aggression.

Alzheimer’s Caregiver Buddy is available for free iPhone or Android.

Key Features:

• Caregiving tips and advice
• Memory care resources
• Behavioral management

Android ratings: 4.3K
iPhone Ratings: 4.3K

How to Choose the Right App for Your Needs

Choosing the right caregiver mobile app depends on your specific needs. First, it is necessary to define what specific services are required, e.g., medication administration, appointment setting, or health condition monitoring. Next, identify the features of the various apps available to satisfy the outlined needs. Also, do not overlook customers’ feedback and the compatibility of the software with your device.

Tips for Maximizing the Use of Caregiver Apps

By following the tips below, you can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of caregiving using a caregiver mobile app, ensuring better care for your loved ones while simplifying your own responsibilities.

Pick the Right App:

• Know Your Needs: Consider what you require assistance with, such as being reminded when to take certain medications or visit a doctor.
• Check Reviews: Read what others say about the app; if they like it, then probably it’s a good one.
• Try Before You Buy: My dear ML, many apps allow users to try them for free, so try a few, then stick with your favorite one.

Set Up Helpful Alerts:

• Reminders: The app can help you get reminders, such as when to feed your child medicine or when to attend a doctor’s appointment.
• Personalize Settings: Try to fine-tune the alerts so they are helpful and not intrusive.

Connect with Other Tools:

• Sync with Calendar: This will allow the user to link the app to the phone calendar app so that all schedules are within the app.
• Use with Smart Devices: The app also syncs your smartwatch or fitness tracker for more health information.

Share Responsibilities:

• Invite Others: This will allow other family members or caregivers to use the app; everyone will know what is happening.
• Divide Tasks: This feature will help share caregiving responsibilities so that all chores are performed.

Utilize the app in the right way

• Regular Updates and Backups: Ensure your app and data are always updated.
• Utilize Customer Support: Stay connected to customer support in case there is any difficulty or something you do not understand

Conclusion

The requirement for caregivers is increasing rapidly in the USA. As a result, the demand for caregiver apps is also growing.

The above-mentioned apps are some of the most preferred apps available in the US for senior caregivers. With the right caregiver mobile app, caregivers can handle their day-to-day tasks most efficiently and keep track of their work 24/7.