What could you do less of?
A caregiver can safely do a lot less of these things once the person they care for has the right supports in place (and most caregivers are shocked at how much lighter their load becomes):
- Less constant supervision – With remote monitoring (cameras, door sensors, fall detectors, Apple Watch fall detection, or systems like CarePredict/Lively), you don’t have to be in the same room 24/7.
- Less toileting/incontinence management – Scheduled toilet reminders (Alexa routines, MedMinder pill dispensers with prompts, or smart incontinence sensors like Essity Tena) cut accidents by 50–80 % for many.
- Less medication chasing – Automatic dispensers that lock and beep/text you if missed (Hero, Philips Lifeline Med Dispenser, or even basic Spencer) remove the daily “did you take your pills?” battle.
- Less meal prep & feeding – Meal delivery (Mom’s Meals, Silver Cuisine), pre-made purees, or a small countertop cooker (Instant Pot + timer) can replace cooking three times a day.
- Less bathing fights – No-rinse body washes, shower chairs with handheld sprayers, or switching to 2–3 sponge baths a week instead of daily showers.
- Less wandering worry at night – Bed exit alarms, motion-sensor night lights that turn on automatically, or GPS shoes/trackers (Jiobit, AngelSense) mean you can actually sleep.
- Less driving to appointments – Telehealth + medical transport services (often covered by Medicaid or VA) can eliminate half the trips.
- Less laundry – Disposable underwear/pull-ups with high absorbency + waterproof mattress pads = washing sheets once a week instead of daily.
- Less physical lifting/transferring – Ceiling lifts, Hoyer lifts, or even a good gait belt + stand-aid device can turn two-person transfers into one-person (or zero-person with the right equipment).
- Less emotional burnout – Paid in-home caregivers for just 4–8 hours a week (or adult day care 2–3 days) gives you real breaks so you’re not doing 168 hours yourself.
- It took me 2 years and it was a slow learning curve until I could handle it! But self-care is one thing you can’t do less of! How many times did my back pop? How many times did my ankle hurt from all the pivots? Be careful it takes $$ to get everything in place. Without it, it’s harder. I was running on fumes and prayer!
What specific part feels heaviest for you right now? Toileting, meds, nights, meals, or just everything? I can zero in on the highest-leverage fixes for your exact situation.
