Technology for Caregivers at a Distance

Being a caregiver isn’t always easy, but there’s a lot of great technology helping caregivers do their best for the ones they love.

Caregivers who don’t reside with their older loved ones may use technology to keep track of their well-being. While cameras could serve this purpose, the loss of privacy is an issue; no one wants to be watched in their own homes.

Other options abound. Many smartwatches, for example, can detect when the wearer falls and can send alerts. There are wall-mounted radar detection monitors that can send for help in the event of a fall. Video doorbells and digital locks also enable caregivers to monitor visitors.

“If you have someone coming in to help your mother with bathing three days a week, but she is not able to hear the doorbell or might be asleep and miss the person, then you can give them a code to get into the house and set it up,” says Amy Goyer, a caregiving expert with AARP.

Another option is a system that includes motion sensors, which allow monitoring a loved ones’ movements around the home, checking that they’re up and out of bed and haven’t fallen.

Some aspects of home maintenance can be addressed through technology. For example, one danger is leaving the stove on, particularly when a person has some cognitive decline. Goyer says there are monitors for stoves and microwaves that can automatically turn them off when they’re left on unattended for too long. One is called iGuard Stove and it can be purchased for about $500.

Caregivers can also use apps and websites to monitor their loved ones’ finances, to ensure they’re not being scammed and are paying their bills, says Genevieve Waterman, director of corporate partnerships and engagement for the National Council on Aging. They can monitor their email and set up alerts through banks to look for unusual activity.

One company, EverSafe (www.eversafe.com/home-21) , gives financial caregivers the ability to monitor a loved one’s accounts, Waterman says. EverSafe CEO Liz Loewy is a former prosecutor who oversaw a unit that focused on abuse of older adults.

“Financial elder financial abuse is the one type of abuse that has the highest mortality rate,” Loewy says. She says EverSafe monitors a person’s accounts, including credit, banking and retirement savings. The service learns the account holder’s normal behaviors and detects changes, sending alerts to the account holder and their designated care team.

Elaine Silvestrini is associate personal finance editor at Kiplinger.com. For more on this and similar money topics, visit Kiplinger.com.

©2024 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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