How To Use Technology To Make Life As A Sandwich Mom Easier

Using a family scheduling app or smart assistant allows all family members to view and update a centralized calendar. Instead of juggling multiple schedules, you can see everything in one place, reducing confusion and forgotten commitments.

Notifications ensure everyone is reminded of their tasks. A shared calendar can block off time for a parent’s doctor appointment while syncing with reminders for a child’s soccer game.

Google Calendar and Cozi Family Organizer are free to use and can help create and share schedules with family members. These tools allow everyone to stay updated on appointments, school events, and caregiving duties.

Voice-activated assistants like Alexa or Google Home, allow you to set up voice reminders or announcements for the whole family, making organizing hands-free and efficient. For instance, “Alexa, remind me to check mom’s blood pressure at 7 p.m.” frees you from relying on memory during a busy day.

Money management apps can help track caregiving expenses alongside family budgets, offering a clearer financial picture. These tools reduce the mental labor of remembering bills and predicting future expenses. You can categorize expenses, such as child care, groceries, or medical bills, and set budget limits for each, preventing overspending.

Tools like EveryDollar, Honeydue, or YNAB (You Need A Budget) help track expenses, set financial goals, and stay on top of bills.

Split payment apps, like Venmo or Splitwise, reduce friction and simplify expenses when sharing caregiving costs with siblings or others. The app tracks who owes what, so you don’t have to remind them or do the tedious calculations. For instance, if your sister paid for your mom’s groceries this month, she can log the expenses, and the app calculates each person’s share.

Online grocery services like Instacart or FreshDirect, allow you to order groceries from multiple stores with just a few clicks, saving time and eliminating in-store shopping. Scheduled deliveries ensure they arrive when convenient. For example, you can check off grocery lists for your family and parents simultaneously and avoid multiple trips.

Meal planning apps like Mealime, Little Lunches, and Paprika, suggest recipes, create shopping lists, and accommodate dietary restrictions, allergies, and picky eaters. For example, you can input your family’s preferences and get a week’s worth of recipes, so everyone is well-fed without thinking about what’s for dinner every night.

Subscription meal kit services like HelloFresh or Blue Apron can reduce the mental load of meal planning. They save time by delivering pre-portioned ingredients, removing grocery shopping and prep time. Services like Silver Cuisine and Mom’s Meals ensure elderly parents get healthy, pre-cooked meals suitable for their dietary and medical needs.

Not all medical appointments need to be in person. Virtual doctor’s visits and consultations eliminate travel time and waiting rooms, making health care accessible from home. Some platforms include Teladoc Health and Amwell.

Medication management apps help ensure everyone in your care takes their medicine on time and can prevent missing doses. Apps like Medisafe, can help your parent keep track of their meds. The apps alert them about potential drug interactions, remind them to take their pills, and sync with a pharmacy for prescription refills.

Your daughter forgot her violin for band practice but your dad needs a ride to his physio appointment. You can’t be at two places at once. Safe transport apps like Uber for teens or Lyft, can help get parents to appointments or children to extracurricular activities.

Some ride share services provide additional support, such as wheelchair accessibility, shorter walking distances, or driver assistance for elderly passengers. Elderly parents with mobility limitations can rely on these services instead of waiting for family members to drive them.

Vision support devices like smart magnifiers, such as Magnifying Glass With Light, help your parent read small print on medications and menus in dark restaurants. Apps like Be My Eyes, connect visually impaired parents with sighted volunteers who provide assistance through video calls. Be My Eyes can help with tasks like reading labels or navigating unfamiliar areas.

Home monitoring tools like camera doorbells or smart home sensors, give you peace of mind by monitoring your family’s safety. They give real-time updates on safety, such as fall detection or visitors at the door.