New App for Caregivers

Guest post by David V. Pomeranz

For caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients, life can sometimes feel like a juggling act.

That’s why The National Alzheimer Center, a division of The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, has launched a new app to help caregivers better manage day-to-day complexities and restore balance.

The new Balance App is designed to assist caregivers by facilitating ongoing communication among multiple caregivers, tracking and sharing changes in real-time with the patient’s doctor(s), learning about the latest developments in the disease and getting vital information about what to expect as Alzheimer’s progresses.

Highlights of the app 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.
• Schedule: Effectively manage your Alzheimer’s patient’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.

A person with Alzheimer’s typically has multiple medications, multiple caregivers, and multiple doctors all juggling many responsibilities at once. The goal of this app is to help alleviate some of the stresses placed on caregivers which, in turn, will allow them to better manage the challenges at hand.

David Pomeranz is the Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Program Development for The Hebrew Home at Riverdale. The National Alzheimer Center, a division of the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, was formed in 1986 to better understand, treat and advance care options for Alzheimer’s and dementia. The Hebrew Home at Riverdale, a non-profit geriatric service organization, cares for over 10,000 seniors throughout the New York metropolitan area. Follow NAC and the Hebrew Home at Riverdale on Facebook. [TCV Update 1/26/2021: Facebook URL no longer available. Here is the organization’s link: https://www.riverspringliving.org/hebrew-home/]