Fishing offers senior clients a way to get outdoors before summer ends and engage in some light physical activity to keep moving as they age. Meanwhile, senior caregivers may find that fishing brings significant stress relief and being outdoors provides a calming environment. The FishBrain app shares local fishing spots and tips with caregivers.

When users first open the FishBrain app, they need to create a basic profile including the type of fishing that particularly interests them and the types of fish they'd like to catch. If you're new to fishing, there's also the option to pick Unknown or select all of the types listed to see what's local to you.

Once a profile has been created, caregivers can look on the map to find local fishing spots nearby. When users click on a fishing spot, they find a list of recent catches that have been logged by other users in the app. The detailed information on recent catches includes the size and type of fish.

Fishing offers senior clients a way to get outdoors before summer ends and engage in some light physical activity to keep moving as they age. Meanwhile, caregivers may find that fishing brings significant stress relief and being outdoors provides a calming environment. The FishBrain app shares local fishing spots and tips with caregivers.

When users first open the FishBrain app, they need to create a basic profile including the type of fishing that particularly interests them and the types of fish they'd like to catch. If you're new to fishing, there's also the option to pick Unknown or select all of the types listed to see what's local to you.

Once a profile has been created, caregivers can look on the map to find local fishing spots nearby. When users click on a fishing spot, they find a list of recent catches that have been logged by other users in the app. The detailed information on recent catches includes the size and type of fish.

Once a profile has been created, caregivers can look on the map to find local fishing spots nearby. When users click on a fishing spot, they find a list of recent catches that have been logged by other users in the app. The detailed information on recent catches includes the size and type of fish.

As users log their own catches, they can look back at their previous trips and photos of fish that they've already caught. Users can also look at fish that other users have caught recently on the feed area of the app. Caregivers should remember to bring plenty of water and sunscreen should they decide to go fishing with a senior client. Also note any potential heat advisories in the area.

Unfortunately, while the app shares detailed fish types and bait to be used at various spots, it lacks actual information about the parks themselves. Caregivers will need to look up hours, parking information and any local park regulations themselves.

The FishBrain app is available for Apple and Android platforms.

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 



-Paige Krzysko

For senior caregivers, planning a nutritious meal can not only be difficult in terms of deciding on a recipe and figuring out the correct portions, but also in shopping for ingredients. We've all had the moment when a recipe calls for two tablespoons of something like buttermilk and the remainder of the half gallon we bought then goes unused. The Blue Apron app includes an optional service that sends users predetermined recipes and the exact measurement of ingredients needed to make that recipe each week. 

When users first open the Blue Apron app, they are presented with the option to create a new user account or browse as a guest. Guests have all of the same options to view recipes, but if they would like to use the meal delivery service then they need to create an account. Even if users have no interest in using the delivery service, they can still see full recipes including ingredients lists and instructions to shop for the ingredients themselves. 

Caregivers can search the recipe catalog by type of food or ingredient, or they can browse the menu put together by the chefs at Blue Apron for that particular week. Once caregivers find a recipe they're interested in making, they can click on the title to read more about it. Directly under the recipe title users can see the number of serving and calorie total for each serving, the amount of time it will take to make the recipe and if it is vegetarian. 

Under the directions for each recipe, the chefs also offer tips and tricks specific to cooking that particular recipe, such as "How To: Hold a Chef's Knife." The directions also include step by step photographs in the app for caregivers to follow along with at home. The recipes are created specifically to feed two or four people, as the subscription service includes three recipes per week.

Users can save favorite recipes and take photographs of their own food once it's made to save alongside the recipe. They can even add fun filters and effects, such as animated steam or a chef's hat graphic, to their photo before sharing it on social media sites. The app is easy to navigate and users who decide to sign up for the subscription service can also manage their upcoming meal choices and delivery preferences within the app. 

The Blue Apron app is available for Apple platforms. 

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko

Depression affects almost 15 million American adults annually, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Depression and mental health issues can emerge at any age. Caregivers and senior clients alike who experience depressing stretches or suicidal thoughts will benefit from ReliefLink, an app specifically designed to help prevent suicide and improve mental health. 

When user first visit the ReliefLink app, the menu offers options to track how they're feeling that day. Users select an option on a mood scale from Very Good to Very Low. They also can select an option on a scale from No Suicidal Thoughts to Strong Urge to Act on Plan Immediately. This tracking serves as a resource between therapy sessions or to share with a mental health professional when visiting for the first time. 

The Reminders area of the app allows users to set a reminder for an appointment, to take a medication, or for another event. Users can make a note and attach it to the reminder for specific instructions regarding an appointment or medication instructions and select the time for notification as well as if the reminder is one time or should be repeated. 

The Safety Planning area allows users to note their own warning signs, such as feeling trapped, sleep problems or threatening to hurt or kill oneself. Next, users select self coping strategies such as physical activity, listening to relaxing music or relaxation exercises. For every warning sign, caregivers or their senior clients should develop a self coping strategy. Other areas in safety planning ask users to list places for distraction, friends I can ask for help, professionals I can contact, and maintaining a safe environment. For caregivers using the app with their senior clients who may be feeling depressed, it may help to reassure them that you're a friend they can ask for help. 

The Resources and Emergency areas of the app provide caregivers information on therapists and support groups in the area as well as options for course of action during an emergency. The app overall provides users the ability to track their daily feelings and notice trends or disruption of patterns in thinking to understand and overcome their depression better.

The ReliefLink app is available for Apple platforms. 

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko

For senior caregivers and families of senior clients, the peace of mind that comes with knowing a senior living independently isn't having any problems isn't easy to come by. 24/7 reassurance that nothing unusual or alarming is happening doesn't come naturally. The new Lively technology places sensors on items in the home connected to a watch that seniors wear to allow caregivers and loved ones check in on their daily routine electronically. 

Lively technology centers around a watch for seniors to wear at all times. Whenever a senior using Lively opens a refrigerator door, tilts their pill box or takes a step, the sensors on their watch or on the items pick up and record the movement. The watch transmits the data it receives back to an app and a website that loved ones or senior caregivers can log into and review.

The tracking helps establish a sense of a senior's daily pattern so that if it abruptly changes, someone knows to check in if a few meals are missed or there's a significant decrease in the number of steps taken in a day. Family members or caregivers can also get alerts from the app or via text for notifications on change in behavior.

The app also provides reminder notifications to seniors to take their medication, and displays an icon of a pill and the word "missed" if a senior forgets a dosage. Caregivers or loved ones can log in and see a quick overview of location, steps taken, status of activities, etc. for a snapshot of how the senior's day is going.  

Another feature of the watch and the connected app allows seniors to push a button for emergency response if they fall or otherwise need immediate attention. A live operator responds to the call via telephone and also reaches out to up to three emergency contacts for the senior as well as dispatching emergency services, if needed. 

Another fun feature of the app gives loved ones the opportunity to log in and share a photo with a caption for the senior to see. The senior doesn't need to be incredibly tech savvy to find it though; photos uploaded into the app are sent via regular mail to the senior once a month. It provides a quick and easy way to share life updates and moments with senior loved ones. 

The Lively watch and app are provided on a monthly subscription basis. The base price starts at $49.45 for equipment and then includes various billing options for $35.95 or less per month. 

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko

Winter is coming and for many has already arrived without an early invitation. Senior Caregivers must have their cookbooks prepared whether or not they're ready to welcome the cold, and this hearty Beef Stew gives as much warmth and comfort as the family fireplace.

Contributed by Caregiver Sherpa Shanice Kelly

Ingredients:

2 pounds stew beef

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cups water

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 or 2 bay leaves

1 medium onion, sliced

3 bags of Mixed Vegetables

2 Medium sized Potatoes and dice them up in small squares

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 Packages of Saltine Crackers

1 Lime

Directions:

Brown meat in hot vegetable oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, and potatoes. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add the 3 bags of mixed vegetables. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly. You can also choose to serve with saltine crackers and slices of lime for a side of jazz.

Keeping the brain fit as seniors age plays a large part in prevention of the onset of dementia. As senior caregivers work with their clients, finding little ways to keep their minds active can help avoid memory loss. The Fit Brains app gives seniors a series of games intended to improve memory, speed and overall functionality of the brain.

New users to the app are first asked to identify functions of the brain they would like to work on improving the most, such as problem solving or thinking speed. Seniors can choose from any of the listed categories as all of the games within the app will accomplish the goal of exercising the brain on a regular basis.

Once the user has completed their profile set up, the app takes them to the first games to work on the targeted areas identified by the initial questions. The games feature simple concepts, such as matching two of the same symbols from a group of different shapes and colors or sorting fruits as quickly as possible into their matching categories (I.e. bananas on the left, cherries on the right).

Once time runs out on a game, the app brings up a score summary. As users play the same game over time, they can see all of their scores and compare to see how their brain activity in a certain area like speed has improved as they've completed the exercise more times. The app also features some information on brain fitness and how specifically the games in the app challenge the brain in the right way to keep all areas of the brain engaged.

The Fit Brains app is available for free for Apple and Android platforms. 

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko

Building a healthy lifestyle for senior caregivers and their clients comes from eating well, exercising and adjusting daily habits. The Argus app builds an overall daily health snapshot to help users see how their lifestyle serves their overall health. Over time, users can compare data from different days to see trends in their behavior and decide if they can alter it to live a more healthy lifestyle. 

Upon downloading the Argus app, users needs to walk about 30 steps to activate the app initially. The movement tunes the app into how users walk so that it can accurately record the number of steps taken throughout the day, like a pedometer. Once the app is activated, the user sets their target goal for how many steps they would like to take in a day. 

On the main timeline, users can log everything from physical activity to food and water consumption and heart rate (using a companion app). The app also includes a basal calorie calculator. Caregivers can plug in height, weight, birthday and gender and the app will calculate the number of calories burned throughout the day based on metabolic rate. If users also log physical activity, the app will add it to the day's total as active calories. 

The physical activity log includes a GPS option, meaning that if users go for an outdoor jog, the app can effectively track the distance and time run and convert it to calories burned. While the app doesn't explicitly track calories consumed, it does keep track of liquid intake visually on the timeline and it also offers users the chance to take photos of their meals to visually look back at their eating habits. 

The Argus app is available for free for Apple platforms.

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko

When it comes to eating healthy, knowing what exactly constitutes a healthy diet and which food products truly provide nutritional benefits can be tricky. Sometimes it seems like no matter where you look, a new food item is being declared healthy or unhealthy. Senior caregivers can use the Nutrition Quiz app to learn hidden truths and identify the myths of eating a nutritionally sound diet. 

The app features various tips categories, where users can learn new facts about nutrition and how various foods affect the body. The tips categories include Men & Women, which focuses on health differences between genders; Sugar & Spices, which shares lesser known facts about components added to your food; and Functional Food, which shows how various foods can be used for other health benefits. Other categories can be unlocked in the paid version of the app.

Once users finish brushing up on their facts, they can enter the quiz mode of the app. The quiz will present a statement and users must choose whether it's a myth or a truth. Once an answer is selected, the app will display a brief explanation of why the user's answer was wrong or correct. Caregivers can play the quiz mode with their senior clients as a collaborative effort to learn more about nutrition and how various food affect mental and physical health. A sample fact learned from the app is that sugar masquerades under several different names on nutrition labels, such as sucrose. Just because the word sugar isn't explicitly listed doesn't mean that there's no sugar in the food- it may just have a different name. 

The Nutrition Quiz app is available for free for Apple platforms.

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko

The American Heart Association deems February American Heart Month to help raise awareness of overall heart health, prevention of heart disease and warning signs of a heart attack or a stroke. Senior caregivers can use the Heart Health Mobile app created by Marshfield Clinic to assess personal risk for heart disease, learn about prevention and find health screening locations.

New users have two options upon first opening the app; they can either choose to use the standard version of the app for quick access to information or use the game version of the app which gathers points to unlock a mini game based on heart health. To assess personal risk, the app asks for age, weight, heigh, cholesterol and blood pressure. Including blood pressure readings and cholesterol levels increases the accuracy of the risk assessment immensely. Once a user enters their information, a scale on the right side displays their heart risk for their age. 

The education resources within the app are divided into four areas: blood pressure control, cholesterol control, tobacco cessation and weight management. All four areas contribute to heart health, and selecting the relevant category provides a brief but informational paragraph or two to help users understand how it affects their health. For example, the cholesterol category explains the difference between LDL or "bad" cholesterol and HDL or "good" cholesterol. 

The game version of the app unlocks the simple game after having gathered points from using other parts of the app, such as the risk assessment. The game itself is simple but confusing at first because there is a lack of instructions on how to play. The setup of the game has three different kids of figures walking across the screen: blue ones who match a "Exercise" category above, red ones who match a "Quit Smoking" category and green ones who match a "Eat Healthy" category. After a few minutes, I figured out that to get points, the user needs to drag a figure from below into their matching category above to save their life. Once I figured out how to play, the game was fairly simple but reiterated three basic ways to prevent heart disease.

The app is available for free for Apple platforms.

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko

Senior caregivers and their clients will both benefit from cognitive exercises to improve memory, speed attention and flexibility of the brain. The Lumosity app provides simple games targeted to increase these areas of brain functions.

When new users download the app, they are asked to specify what specific areas they would like to improve upon for their brain functions. Options lose fewer objects, concentrate better, avoid distractions, react quickly, make better decisions under stress, communicate clearly, etc. All of the options indicate certain targeted games for the user to play to work on those skills. For example, to improve memory functions the app presents a game that shows blocks on a grid. Once the blocks disappear, the user must select which boxes of the grid had blocks in them to replicate the original pattern.

To react more quickly, the next game shows various shapes and the user must click "yes" or "no" to indicate if the shape is the same as the shape previously shown. The more often users play the game, the better their score should be for quick reactions to the new shapes being shown on screen. Senior caregivers and their senior clients both benefit from improved brain functions. For senior clients, these games provide targeted cognitive exercise to help keep the mind sharp and practiced and prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. For senior caregivers, playing these games can help improve daily life by strengthening memory, making better decisions under pressure and communicating better in everyday interactions. 

Initially the app provides three games for free, but if the paid version offers access to more than 45 games. If the app is working well for you and/or your senior clients, the cost is $14.99 per month or $79.99 for a year of access.  

This app is available for free for Apple platforms. 

Senior caregivers, let us know your feedback on this app and keep us posted if you discover additional apps that assist with caregiving duties and help relieve caregiver stress. You may also refer-a-friend to a senior caregiving job and win prizes weekly and monthly on Caregiverlist. 

-Paige Krzysko