Welcome back to Care, Tech, & Tips! In this episode, Barry and Bobby dive into the practicalities of setting up loved ones in assisted living or senior care. From organizing virtual birthday parties via FaceTime to setting up reliable tech for assisted living, Barry and Bobby share experiences and advice for making life a little easier for caregivers and their loved ones.

• Virtual Gatherings: Bobby shares a creative way to host a birthday party for his father-in-law, now in assisted living, using FaceTime.
• Choosing Assisted Living Facilities: Barry and Bobby compare their family experiences—what to consider and how to navigate the bureaucratic maze.
• Power Backup for Elderly Care: Tech options like portable battery packs, UPS systems, and emergency power setups for residents.
• Connectivity Solutions: From Wi-Fi upgrades to mobile hotspots, the hosts cover how to ensure loved ones stay connected.
• Self-Care Tips for Caregivers: Barry shares his experience with therapy and techniques for managing caregiver stress.

• Apple’s Notes app with voice transcription for keeping track of important conversations.
• Using personal hotspots and mobile Wi-Fi solutions in facilities with weak internet connectivity.
• Power solutions like UPS backups and battery packs for essential devices in assisted living.

Tune in for a mix of tech tips, personal stories, and practical advice designed to make caregiving a bit more manageable!

Hey there, and welcome to another episode of Care Tech & Tips!

This week, Bobby and I dive into the world of Halloween traditions, tech, and a few caregiving tales that’ll hit close to home. We start off with some holiday fun (yes, I’m in my trusty Kung Fu Panda costume again!) and chat about everything from candy counts to Halloween’s “scary” caregiving moments. T

hen, we get into one of the biggest problems caregivers face today—managing finances and protecting loved ones from tech risks, like leaving checks in mailboxes or handling online payments safely. We also cover how tech can make life easier: I walk you through ways to simplify bill payments, cut down on paper clutter, and keep track of those account balances without constant worry.

One of the highlights this week? We dig into a topic that’s personal for me: using AirPods as hearing aids and how tech like this can be a game-changer for your loved ones. From doing in-home hearing tests to setting up custom sound adjustments, we talk about why these devices are more than just earbuds.

Finally, we chat about getting your loved ones set up with easy access to entertainment (yep, Wheel of Fortune included) and the importance of paring down clutter around the home. If you’re looking for practical tips with a laugh or two along the way, you’re in the right place.

Give us a listen, and don’t forget to subscribe!

Summary

Barry and Bobby are back after two wild weeks of hurricanes and caregiving chaos! In this episode, they share their firsthand stories from the stormy trenches just an hour away from Western North Carolina, where things got real—though thankfully, their area wasn’t hit quite as hard.

Spoiler: Barry’s dad just wanted his coffee, but the generator had other plans.

Join the guys as they tackle the big questions like:

What do you do when the power’s out, your freezer’s melting, and your phone battery’s on life support?

How can a simple iPhone shortcut save you from a generator operator meltdown? (Yes, Barry saved the day from 1,000 miles away!)

Why is “self-care first” the #1 rule of caregiving?

Bobby’s voting tips for making sure even Grandma gets to the polls during a disaster.

Oh, and don’t miss Barry’s vacation guilt saga—can you really relax when your loved ones are without power?

If you’ve ever struggled to reset a home camera or worried about charging hearing aids in a blackout, this episode’s for you! Plus, there’s plenty of humor as always, because who says caregiving and tech can’t be fun?

Takeaways

Natural disasters complicate caregiving responsibilities.

Self-care is crucial for effective caregiving.

Planning ahead can mitigate disaster impacts.

Post-disaster tech maintenance is essential.

Assisted living facilities have unique emergency protocols.

Technology can enhance caregiving and communication.

Documenting family memories is important for future generations.

AI has potential to revolutionize caregiving.

Civic duties, like voting, should be planned for loved ones.

Future tech innovations can improve caregiving experiences.

In this episode of Care Tech and Tips, Barry Johnson and Bobby Clark dive into the wild world of caregiving tech. From battling the endless spam calls to unraveling the mysteries of banking for our loved ones, we've got it all. We also geek out about the fresh iOS 18 features, like screen sharing (because explaining tech over the phone is so last year). Plus, Barry and Bobby break down the Eisenhower Matrix—fancy talk for “how not to lose your mind” when caregiving—and introduce Assistive Access, the tech that makes smartphones senior-friendly.

Takeaways

• Spam calls be gone! We talk about how to block those pesky callers using built-in phone features.
• iOS 18 is here to save us all with screen sharing for when "turn it off and on again" doesn’t cut it.
• The Eisenhower Matrix: Helping you figure out what’s urgent and what can wait (like that laundry you’ve ignored).
• Knowing your loved one's banking situation can save a lot of headaches.
• Automatic bill drafts = less stress. Seriously, let the robots handle it!
• Assistive Access makes smartphones easy enough for even your most tech-resistant relatives.
• Embrace technology—it’s your caregiving sidekick.
• Thinking about a phone upgrade? We’ll tell you when it’s worth it.
• Keeping communication open is the key to smooth financial management for your loved ones.
• Apps like Cash App and Venmo: Making caregiving payments feel less like a chore and more like, well, a tap on your phone.

Links

• Eisenhower Matrix: https://www.eisenhower.me/
• Team Viewer: https://www.teamviewer.com/
• Gazelle (Buy/Sell Gentle Used Phones): https://buy.gazelle.com/
• Apple Refurbished Devices: https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished
• Apple/IOS Assistive Access: https://support.apple.com/guide/assistive-access-iphone/welcome/ios
• Send Unknown Callers Directly to Voicemail, Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/iphone/iphe4b3f7823/ios
• Send Unknown Callers Directly to Voicemail, Android: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/how-send-spam-calls-directly-voicemail-your-phone

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Care Tech and Tips
• 03:21 Managing Spam Calls and Phone Features
• 06:05 Eisenhower Matrix for Caregiving
• 11:56 Banking and Financial Management for Loved Ones
• 19:31 iOS 18 Features for Caregiving
• 29:14 Assistive Access and Simplifying Technology

In this episode of Caregiving Tech & Tips, Barry and Bobby dive into some essential, often-overlooked legal and tech considerations for caregivers. The conversation kicks off with a discussion on the importance of wills, digital assets, and ensuring access to key documents. They emphasize the importance of having detailed plans and conversations about guardianship, medical directives, and ensuring loved ones are cared for in the event of the unexpected.

But the tech talk doesn't stop there! Barry shares a wild tech story involving an elderly woman's spinal stimulator implant. What happens when old technology goes haywire and someone accidentally cranks up the voltage? Tune in to find out about this cautionary tale of remote controls, forgotten medical implants, and unintended pain that rivals even the trickiest IT issues!

Resources Mentioned:

• Your Checklist of documents to have a handle on:
  
  • Wills: how they work, who is in charge, mistakes to avoid and who-gets-what (beneficiaries)
  • Trusts: how a trust works, pros and cons, beneficiaries and “Do I need one? Maybe
  • Living Wills (or Advanced Care Directives ) the medical care you and don’t want if you’re unable to speak for yourself
  • Death Care, Funerals and Memorials where your body goes and what happens after you die
  • Guardianship & Custody documents who will care for your children, dependent adults or pets
  • Money & Insurance policies, financial accounts and who owns (or owes) which assets
  • Power of Attorney who will help handle your financial affairs if you cannot
  • Digital Accounts and Assets how will someone locate and access ALL your online accounts

Contact us: Email your questions and suggestions to caretechandtips@gmail.com.

Hey everybody, this is Barry from Care Tech and Tips. I'm excited to let you know that our second episode is coming out on September 23rd, 2024. We're sticking with a bi -weekly schedule so you can look forward to fresh episodes every other week.

Whether you have comments, questions, or suggestions for future episodes, you can now reach us at our new email address, caretechandtips@gmail.com. Can't wait to hear from you. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you again on September 23rd.

In this conversation, Bobby and Barry discuss the importance of having conversations with loved ones about life and death. They share personal experiences of asking their parents questions and recording their stories. They emphasize the significance of creating memories and recording them in a way that makes sense, whether through journaling, videos, or audio recordings. The conversation also touches on the topic of caregiving for aging parents, including the need for discussions about finances, wills, medical needs, and final wishes. They provide tips on using technology, such as cameras and screen sharing, to keep an eye on loved ones and stay connected. The conversation covers various topics related to remote support and caregiving for aging parents. It emphasizes the importance of using technology to provide assistance and support from a distance. The speakers discuss tools like Chrome Remote Desktop and paid remote access software. They also highlight the significance of preparing for emergencies and disaster recovery, including creating a list of accounts, passwords, and important documents. The conversation touches on the challenges of getting elderly parents to eat properly and engage with healthcare providers, as well as the importance of having conversations about health and planning for the future.

Sites Mentioned:

https://getyourshittogether.org

http://trustandwill.com

https://care.com

https://comfortkeepers.com

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