Senior Planet is excited to support and provide resources for older adult caregivers and recipients of care to help navigate and understand the digital world.

Caregiving can be both a rewarding and challenging experience, and it’s one that many of us will encounter at some point in our lifetimes. In fact, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP’s Caregiving in the U.S. report, roughly 20% of adults 18 and older in the US will serve as a caregiver — and the majority will provide care for older adults.  

While there are many resources out there for caregivers (AARP and United Healthcare have some great ones!), few focus specifically on the technologies that can help make caregiving easier. To that end, Senior Planet is relaunching its caregiving page (seniorplanet.org/caregiving) with a wealth of digital tools and resources that can help caregivers and their recipients of care. 

What resources are featured? 

Live classes 

Right at the top you’ll find upcoming live classes on tech that can ease the challenges of caregiving. Look for classes on topics like smartphones, meal kit services, online shopping, and tech basics for caregiving all taught by experienced Senior Planet trainers. 

Recorded Videos 

Caregivers are busy! And sometimes a live class just doesn’t work. So Senior Planet has put together a playlist of digital essentials for caregivers that can be viewed on your own time. These videos are 25-40 minutes long and are on topics like Facebook groups and online safety. 

Google Calendar Tech Demo 

Managing your own schedule as well as someone you care for can be daunting, but online calendars can make things much easier. Explore this 10-minute demo on Google’s free calendar app to learn how it can help keep you organized. 

Tech Tip Videos 

Even shorter still are tech tip videos that can help you learn things like Sharing Your Location in Messages on iPhone and How to Set up a New AirTag. These 1–5-minute videos are easy-to-follow-guides to help you make the most out of technology you might already have!  

Senior Planet Community 

Last but certainly not least is Senior Planet Community’s Caregivers Assemble group. Senior Planet Community is our free (and ad-free) platform where you can connect with other older adults about different topics. In the Caregivers Assemble group you can share tips, ask questions, and receive support from others. 

 Wait! There’s More!!

Anything else? Senior Planet is putting together a special event on caregiving! We’ll announce the date and time in the online events newsletter (sign up for newsletters here). We’re also constantly creating and updating materials so be sure to check seniorplanet.org/caregiving for new programs and resources regularly. 

YOUR TURN 

Are you a caregiver or a recipient of care?  What tech tools do you use…or want to use? Let us know in the comments!

Deirdre Lee serves as Director of Virtual Program Experiences for Senior Planet from AARP (formerly managing the organization’s licensing program). Based in Denver, she oversees Senior Planet’s online programs as well as the free hotline for tech or Senior Planet questions (available at 888-713-3495).