Survey: Tech helps relieve care burden on sandwich boomers

BETHESDA, Md. — It’s technology, and lots of it, that will be relieving the burden of caregiving for today’s sandwich generation — those baby boomers faced with caring for their senior parents while at the same time managing a teenager at home.


A new survey released last month by the National Alliance for Caregiving and UnitedHealthcare found that more than two-thirds of family caregivers are interested in technology to help them with caregiving.


Slightly more than 3-in-4 caregivers reported that a website or computer software that could help them keep track of their care recipient’s personal health records — including his or her history, symptoms, medications and test results — would be very or somewhat helpful to them; 70% of caregivers indicated that a shared electronic log for their loved one’s doctor appointments and other caregiving needs would be helpful; and electronic medication reminders and/or dispensers were on the mind of 70% of caregivers surveyed.