Keeping Loved Ones Informed

Every month I team up with U.S. Cellular and share a little about my Samsung Galaxy S7 Smart Phone.  This is one of those posts.  If you have a kid or grand kid with a smart phone you might want to check out this parent child agreement on cell phone use.  I think it would be very useful when opening a discussion on phone safety with your children. You can find that here.

Wireless technology is simplifying our lives by making it easier than ever to stay connected no matter where you are.  Built-in features and applications downloaded to smartphones or tablets go far beyond calling and texting. They are helping people live healthier and provide caregivers another tool to assist loved ones.  I love that this is happening.

I’ve been using my smart phone a lot lately.  Messaging has become something I do all the time.  Whether I am sending a message to my childcare moms to let them know that their little one has a temperature or getting pictures of our grandson Carver from Kalissa, I’m always appreciative of this new outlet of communication that has come our way.  Don’t you love his winkie eye?

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Not only can mobile devices be used by childcare providers like me, they can be used with seniors for personal health management and also provide caregivers with peace of mind when they’re apart from those they care for.

The ability to monitor your health or the health of a loved one from your smartphone while you’re gone provides a sense of comfort and helps us stay more connected while we’re away.  According to the Ketchum mHealth Monitor study, 58 percent of Americans with a smartphone who have shared information with a medical professional have done so via the Internet on their smartphone, mobile app or wearable device.  One in four people have emailed or texted a photo of a medical issue to a doctor.  I know I’ve used my phone to send a message to my doctors nurse before.

Smartphones are very useful for keeping track of everything from doctor’s appointments to medical reminders.  They can help track weight, diet or exercise routines as well as blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep patterns and other health indicators.  And, of course, monitoring the health of a loved one from your smartphone while you’re gone provides a sense of comfort and helps us stay more connected while we’re away.

Applications on mobile devices can be used to organize and access information, manage their family’s health needs and communicate with healthcare professionals. Caregivers can use mobile applications when they are physically with an aging loved one to organize information, and the elderly can use these applications for medical management when they’re on their own. Smartphones and tablets also offer the replacement of face-to-face contact through Skype or FaceTime.

Here are a few apps that might help you with health management.

Medisafe Pill Reminder, Medication and Prescription Organizer: Keep your self and loved ones safe and never forget to take your meds again with Medisafe, the app tested by pharmacists and ranked their number one choice to help you remember when to take your pills.

CareZone: Document symptoms for easy reference during medical appointments, keep track of appointments, get reminders for prescription refills and organize and share important numbers and emails.

First Aid by American Red Cross: Get instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies.

Skype: Free messaging, voice and video calls with anyone – including doctors and other medical personnel.

At one point in my life I thought I would ditch my smart phone and go back to a regular phone…not anymore.  There are too many things it does for me.  Of all the things it does, staying connected with my childcare parents and my own kids is the best.  Anymore, I wouldn’t be without it.