Taking care of an elderly family member is tough, especially
when you can’t be there all the time. It’s even tougher when that person has
health issues. Balance is a new app from the National Alzheimer Center that
hopes to help those caring for people with Alzheimer’s, so they can know what’s
going on all the time – even when they’re not physically there.
The app facilitates ongoing communication among multiple
caregivers (for example, a child of the patient with Alzheimer’s, the patient’s
doctor and the patient’s nurse), so all participants can track and share
changes in real-time. That way, if something changes with the patient’s
condition at 2 p.m., you won’t have to wait until your checkup at 5 p.m. to get
briefed on the details.
Balance also gives updates on the latest developments in the
disease and gives info on what to expect as the disease progresses. It goes
step by step through Alzheimer’s teaching caregivers about the stages of the
disease and how to care for a loved one. A virtual pill box lets caregivers
manage daily medications by inputting the names, dosages and refill dates of
the medications, as well as notifications on when to give the medication.
Balance application was developed by the National
Alzheimer Center, a division of the Hebrew Home at Riverdale.
“Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is all about balance,” said David V. Pomeranz, Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning and Program Development at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale. “We created this app because an Alzheimer’s patient typically has multiple medications, multiple caregivers, and multiple doctors all juggling many responsibilities at once. This app will help caregivers manage better.”
Balance app icons include:
* Learning: Everything you need to know about living with Alzheimer’s – from getting diagnosed to learning about the stages of the disease to understanding how to effectively care for someone with Alzheimer’s.
* Caregiving: Get helpful tips and information about daily caregiving – from bathing and hygiene to dressing to handling agitation.
* Pill Box: Manage daily medications by inputting medication names, dosing schedule, and refill dates and getting notifications on when to provide medicine to your loved one.
* Schedule: Effectively manage your loved one’s schedule – share calendars with other caregivers’ calendars.
* Doctor Diary: Track changes in mood, activity, memory and other behaviors and share directly with your doctor in real time. No more waiting for your next doctor’s visit to share essential updates.
* News: Read the latest news and information about Alzheimer’s to keep up with research, treatments and other developments.
“Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is all about balance,” said David V. Pomeranz, Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning and Program Development at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale. “We created this app because an Alzheimer’s patient typically has multiple medications, multiple caregivers, and multiple doctors all juggling many responsibilities at once. This app will help caregivers manage better.”
Balance app icons include:
* Learning: Everything you need to know about living with Alzheimer’s – from getting diagnosed to learning about the stages of the disease to understanding how to effectively care for someone with Alzheimer’s.
* Caregiving: Get helpful tips and information about daily caregiving – from bathing and hygiene to dressing to handling agitation.
* Pill Box: Manage daily medications by inputting medication names, dosing schedule, and refill dates and getting notifications on when to provide medicine to your loved one.
* Schedule: Effectively manage your loved one’s schedule – share calendars with other caregivers’ calendars.
* Doctor Diary: Track changes in mood, activity, memory and other behaviors and share directly with your doctor in real time. No more waiting for your next doctor’s visit to share essential updates.
* News: Read the latest news and information about Alzheimer’s to keep up with research, treatments and other developments.
* Family: Connect
with other family members for sharing calendars and working together to provide
complete care for your loved one.
* About: Learn about NAC and the Hebrew Home at Riverdale.
* NAC Store: Find the latest books, medical devices, vitamins and other essential Alzheimer’s products and services to purchase.
Balance is available on iTunes for $0.99.
* About: Learn about NAC and the Hebrew Home at Riverdale.
* NAC Store: Find the latest books, medical devices, vitamins and other essential Alzheimer’s products and services to purchase.
Balance is available on iTunes for $0.99.
Sources and Additional
Information:
http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/2013/03/balance-great-new-app-for-alzheimers.html
