Posts Tagged ‘tech-savvy seniors’

As more than 8,000 baby boomers turn 60 each day, many find themselves caring for an older relative or loved one while also struggling to balance their own retirement, health, jobs, family and aging concerns.  With generations living longer than ever before, I believe we are on the verge of an “elder care tsunami” that has the potential to drown us all.

We are in an era of government cutbacks on much-needed social services for our senior population. At the same time, individuals are dealing with their own property values, savings and retirement funds diminishing.  All told, people are in dire need of practical solutions for dealing with elder care issues – saving their precious time, energy, financial and emotional resources so they can continue to keep their life in balance.

Caregivers and our senior population are in desperate need of information, direction, resources and practical “how to’s” to expedite their needs, so I partnered with Presto Services Inc. (www.presto.com), developer of a computerless email service, to launch a pair of elder care applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch – Elder911.net and Elder411.net. Both applications are FREE! I divided the eldercare information into two separate apps because they serve two very different purposes. Let me explain:

Elder911.net is specifically for emergencies like a fall or sudden illness, putting critical tips and information in hand to help immediately navigate the complexities of a crisis. Amidst the panic and stress of the situation, you will have access to expert advice on what to ask the doctor, planning hospital discharge and life after the initial event.

Both iPhone applications have videos, audio and text that are easy-to understand-and practically presented. They also feature things like interactive checklists, the ability to add personal notes to content, and more.

Elder411.net is a comprehensive database of elder care information providing you access to my tested and proven solutions to caregiving problems as you encounter them.  It’s great for accessing on-the-spot caregiving information, and for planning ahead. More than 500 pieces of practical advice are organized according to my ten steps to make elder care easier. It covers the full spectrum of caregiving issues – talking about tough subjects, keeping the home safe, managing financial and legal needs, considering housing options, and more.

The need to care for an aging parent creates unique and intensive demands on our time and resources. It is my goal to make sure no ones goes through it alone. These two iPhone applications will help caregivers gain instant access to critical caregiving advice directly from their mobile iPhone.

This post was written by guest contributor Dr. Marion Somers.  Dr. Marion has been working in the field of elder care for over 40 years as a geriatric care manager, caregiver, author, speaker, teacher of all things elder care. More information on Dr. Marion and the apps can be found at www.drmarion.com