Updated September 2026

Thanks to advances in medicine and public health, people are living longer than ever before. This means more and more family caregivers are responsible for managing the diverse needs of a loved one with chronic illness or frailty. How can family caregivers balance this added responsibility along with their own personal needs, work, parenting and other demands in their lives?

Digital technology offers practical solutions for caregivers seeking to solve a problem, learn new skills and get support. Where else but online can you find a peer group of caregivers to talk to when you need it at 1:00 in the morning? How convenient it is to post a shared schedule that lets friends and family sign up for tasks like bringing by a meal, driving your loved one to a doctor’s appointment or giving you respite from caregiving.

This fact sheet offers an introduction to some of the types of tools currently available to help manage your caregiving responsibilities and other tasks. Technology changes quickly, so even more new devices, apps and services will be available in the future to help you manage care.

Who Uses Technology?

Smartphones, tablets and the internet are now part of daily life for most American adults, across every age group. Older adults, including many caregivers over 65, have closed much of the gap with younger generations in smartphone ownership and internet use over the past decade. Technology is no longer an optional add-on for caregiving; it’s often the fastest way to reach a doctor, coordinate with family, or find support at 2:00 in the morning.

This shift means caregivers increasingly expect and can rely on technology to make caregiving easier: to communicate with a care team, monitor a loved one’s safety, manage medications, and find a moment of support or calm in a demanding day.

Finding the Right Digital Tools for Your Situation

Hundreds of thousands of health-related apps are available across the two major mobile platforms, Apple (iOS) and Android, and the number keeps growing. With so many choices, how do you find the ones that are right for you and your situation?

No special credentials or qualifications are required to create a website or app. Anyone with the talent, resources and determination can “go live” with their creation — there’s no guarantee it has undergone expert review to ensure the information is accurate.

A few tips to help you screen websites and apps:

For health and nutrition information, ask your doctor or health provider for suggestions, or go to trusted sources such as the U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) or the Mayo Clinic.
Check for user ratings and reviews, and look for advice from real caregivers like you. Keep in mind that some reviews are paid for or fake.
Ask a trusted friend, family member or your care team for their recommendations.
Visit the “About Us” page on a website or app to check the credentials of the organization behind it.
Before downloading an app, think about what you want it to do and how it fits what you’re already doing offline. A great app for your neighbor may not be right for you.
Test an app with a free or trial version before paying a fee or subscription.
Look for simple installation, ease of use and regular updates. Be cautious of apps that bombard you with ads or demand more access to your personal data than they need.
Check the privacy settings and information for the app, device or service so you know how they use your personal data and what protections are in place.

Types of Caregiver Technology, Organized by Task

Rather than shop by device, it’s often easier to start with the task you need help with. Most of these tools work across your phone, tablet and computer, and sync automatically between them. The examples listed below are not specific recommendations, but give you a starting place for what is available.

Coordinating Care & Communication

Shared tools let family, friends and neighbors see what’s needed and sign up to help without you having to ask each person individually. This can include organizing meals, getting a ride to an appointment, or coordinating a visit.

Examples: Lotsa Helping Hands, CaringBridge, CareZone, a shared Google Calendar or Google Doc, group texts or a private Facebook group for the family.

Telehealth & Patient Portals

Video visits and online patient portals now let you and your loved one see a doctor, nurse or therapist without leaving home, message the care team with questions, view test results, and request prescription refills. All of these options can save hours of driving and waiting.

Examples: Your health system’s patient portal (e.g., MyChart), telehealth platforms such as Teladoc or Amwell, and video-visit links sent directly by your provider.

Medication Management

When facing multiple prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, remembering what to take, when and with what can be confusing. Apps and connected devices can identify pills, track schedules, send reminder alerts, and even dispense the correct dose automatically.

Examples: Medisafe (reminder app), Hero (automatic pill dispenser that alerts a caregiver if a dose is missed), MedMinder.

Personal Health Record Tracking

Keeping track of your health and the health of the person you care for (and possibly children or a spouse) matters. These tools help organize records, track symptoms, test results and immunizations, and can suggest questions to bring to a doctor’s visit.

Examples: Apple Health or Google Fit, your provider’s patient portal app, CareZone.

Safety & Location Monitoring

Wearables, smart home sensors and location tools offer reassurance for caregivers worried about falls, wandering, or a loved one living alone. Video calling also gives long-distance caregivers a way to check in visually and spot problems early.

Examples: Smartwatches with fall detection (e.g., Apple Watch), medical alert devices with GPS (Medical Guardian, Life Alert), family-locator apps (Life360), GPS trackers designed for people with dementia (AngelSense), smart home sensors and video doorbells (Ring, Nest), and video calling apps (FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp, Google Meet).

Social & Emotional Support

Caregivers all too often feel alone and isolated, and many experience high-risk symptoms for depression. Online communities are available around the clock to listen and offer encouragement.

Examples: The Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) online community, Caregiver Action Network, private Facebook caregiver groups, Smart Patients, and Family Caregiver Alliance’s own online support groups at caregiver.org.

Meditation & Mindfulness

Sometimes a physical break from caregiving isn’t possible. A guided meditation, calming soundscape or a few minutes of mindfulness can still help reset your mind on a stressful day.

Examples: Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer.

Information & Education

Caregiver education is increasingly available through webinars, recorded video, and podcasts you can watch or listen to on your own schedule.

Examples: Live and recorded webinars and the Caregiver College video series at Family Caregiver Alliance (caregiver.org), the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org), the National Institute on Aging, and caregiving-focused podcasts.

Exercise & Nutrition

Apps and connected fitness tools make it easier to fit in a few minutes of movement or plan a healthy meal, even on a packed caregiving day. Grocery delivery apps can also save a trip when you can’t get away.

Examples: Apple Fitness+, a basic step-counting app already built into most phones, MyFitnessPal, and grocery delivery through Instacart or a local grocer’s app.

Shopping for Goods & Services

If caregiving keeps you close to home, secure websites and apps let you handle errands — banking, bill-paying, prescription refills, and shopping — any time, day or night.

Examples: Your bank or credit union’s app, Amazon, Instacart, and your pharmacy’s refill app.

Entertainment & Brain Games

Chronic caregiving stress has been linked to a greater risk of cognitive decline. Taking time for entertainment or a quick game can engage your mind and add a bit of enjoyment to your day.

Examples: Words With Friends, AARP’s brain games, streaming services (Netflix, Hulu), and audiobook apps (Libby — free through your local library — or Audible).

AI Assistants & Smart Speakers

Voice-activated smart speakers and displays can set reminders, play music, make hands-free calls, and answer simple questions — useful for both caregivers and care receivers with limited mobility. General-purpose AI assistants can also help caregivers organize notes, draft emails to family members, or summarize a stack of medical information into something easier to digest. As with any health information you find online, double-check anything medical with your care team rather than relying on it alone.

Examples: Amazon Echo (Alexa) and Google Nest Hub for reminders and hands-free help; general AI assistants such as Claude or ChatGPT for organizing caregiving notes and communications.

Next Steps

Search online to read about the tools you’re interested in — customer reviews can be invaluable — before downloading anything.
Ask friends, family or your care team what apps or devices they find useful.
Visit a store that sells electronic devices and ask a salesperson to help you test a tool, and ask what follow-up help or free training is offered.
Seek out a family member, friend or service to provide technical assistance if you need help getting set up or troubleshooting.

While there’s a learning curve for some of these tools, many caregivers find that their lives are improved and their isolation is reduced when they use technology. So we end with the same advice as always: go ahead, give it a try — you have everything to gain.