Medical Tech Support: Managing Your Family’s Health Care
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Medical Tech Support
Taking care of the health of a family includes taking care of not only their physical health, but also emotional and mental health needs, and can be time consuming! Managing the health of a child with a disability or special health care needs, however, can be extra challenging. Navigating online patient portals, keeping up with school immunization requirements, managing special dietary restrictions, and keeping track of doctor and therapy appointments can be overwhelming. Can you say “full time job?”
Well, many parents and caregivers already have full time work outside of the home, so whether you need a comprehensive system or just a simple tool for setting reminders to stay sane, BridgingApps has some tech ideas for you to try. These tools include some that are web-based so you can manage and access the information from a computer at home, as well as have an app to provide access on the go. This mobile access can be a lifesaver when at a doctor’s office to help communicate up-to-date information on recent symptom changes, medication reactions, and other vital stats.
At the end of the day, you know your child best, and though many programs and hospitals offer case management, parents and caregivers are a child’s number one case manager! Let technology help support you as you advocate for your family’s health.
Food Diary See How You Eat Log
Health Revolution Ltd
The See How You Eat app has transformed documenting food intake beyond itemized food entries into an even more efficient and user friendly interface with the use of photos to create a visual food diary. The app is simple and easy-to-use to help you and your family eat healthily and regularly — at the same time tracking meals.
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
Insight Timer–Meditate & Sleep
By Insight Network Inc
Insight Timer is a meditation app that includes meditation courses, a library of guided meditations, a special sleep section, and a customizable meditation timer. The guided meditation library contains more than 13,000 recordings and is proclaimed by Insight Timer to be “the largest free meditation library on Earth.”
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
Technology to help teenagers and young adults begin to manage their own healthcare:
We all know that it is important to involve our children in their own healthcare as they grow, to the extent possible based on their emotional and cognitive level, of course. But how do you tackle that huge responsibility? Perhaps start by having them know the names medications that they take and what they are for. Here are a couple of apps that have medication management capabilities and are user-friendly enough that you can begin to involve your child in learning to understand their medication and nutrition regimen to keep them healthy.
Backpack Health
By Backpack Health
Backpack Health is an app designed to allow users to store, organize, manage and share health information. Use it for storing basic information such as a medication list or a copy of your insurance card or go more in-depth by creating profiles for yourself, loved ones and storing important medical records, audio/video files and test results.
Price: FREE
Medisafe Medication Management
By Medisafe Inc.
Medisafe is a user-friendly app to help users take their medication in a timely fashion. Depending upon the need, you can customize it to set the time needed to take or dispense medication, set prescription refill reminders and track weekly reports of when medications were taken.
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
If you are interested in searching for more apps on health, wellness, nutrition and stress relief, please go to BridgingApps.org. BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, is a community of parents, therapists, doctors and teachers who share information about using mobile devices with people who have special needs.
Amy Fuchs is the Program Coordinator at BridgingApps and a former special education teacher. Amy Barry is the Content Manager and Editor at BridgingApps and mother of five children.
Cristen Reat is co-founder of BridgingApps and a mother who found success when using a mobile device with her children who have special needs. Amy Barry is the Content Manager and Editor at BridgingApps and mother of five children.
Amy Fuchs is the Program Coordinator at BridgingApps and a former special education teacher.
https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/article/tech-tips-to-support-your-familys-physical-mental-wellness/
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This post originally appeared on our March/April 2022 Magazine
