By Kirk Brechbiel

A 2014 report indicated that the health and fitness mobile app market is worth $4 billion, and is expected to increase to $27 billion by 2017. It should come as no surprise then that apps for caregivers are a fast growing market. 

Here are a few for you to personally consider:

Balance: For Alzheimer’s Caregivers Designed specifically for Alzheimer's caregivers, Balance is a great app for gathering information about the disease, as well as caregiver advice. It offers medication management and has a place to store doctor's notes.

CareZone (free, IOS & Android) CareZone is a great care-based app. You can keep all your loved one's pertinent information on the secured app and invite family and friends to view and participate in care. It includes a shareable task-list and journal, plus medication tracking.

Caring Ties (free, web-only) Caring Ties provides reminders, for example, to test blood sugar plus note taking on a loved one’s well-being, list of medications, and ability to log medical information such as blood pressure.

Elder 411 ($.99, iphone) Unlike many of the apps mentioned above, Elder 411 is an informational and self-help app rather than an organizational tool. It’s based on the writings of experienced geriatric care manager and eldercare scholar, Marion Somers, Ph.D. It includes over 500 pieces of advice and information for caregivers.

Lotsa Helping Hands (free, iphone & web) Built around a calendar, this app is designed to coordinate the efforts of multiple caregivers to assure your loved one’s needs are addressed.

RX Personal Caregiver ($9.99, iphone)  RX Personal Caregiver may have the best medication related features of all the caregiver apps, but that is all it is designed to do. It includes detailed medication management support, including tracking doses, dosage, refills, and so on.

For more information on aging issues or to find in-home care for a loved one contact Ella Home Care at 717-963-7280 or visit www.ellahc.com.