With 2020 in our rearview mirror, now is an excellent time to start thinking about 2021, whether it’s a New Year’s resolution or just a general plan, something that is not discussed often enough when it comes to caregivers and family caregivers is the importance of getting organized or reorganized.

When considering the implications of COVID 19, choosing a secure digital platform to share and store important information could reduce a significant amount of stress and confusion. Let’s explore a few critical points.

1. Take Advantage of Caregiving Tools

 There are a number of organizational tools out there – and it seems everyone uses a bit of this and a bit of that, but nothing is really centralized, and most are not collaborative. The caregiving app Vaultt was developed to help caregivers get organized while promoting stronger, more secure communication lines and encouraging family members’ involvement. One of the main ways this is possible is by creating an incredibly secure, shared database of information through an app that is simple to use for family members and caregiving professionals.

There is a scanning and uploading feature so that anyone who might need to can access paper documents easily at a moment’s notice. There is also the option to create task lists that can be assigned to different family members or other members of the caregiving team. The app also features a bulletin board style update channel so that family members and caregivers can share updates that keep everyone in the loop as things change day to day, but also keeps it off social media.

Having all communications, paperwork, updates, and information in a central location makes it a lot easier to stay organized and also prevents headaches caused by mistakes or a break down in the communication chain because someone wasn’t updated or informed.

2. Consolidate Important Information

Having all medical and care information in one place so that it can easily and immediately be accessed by anyone who needs it can be a nightmare in some situations. If you have family members who live far away or are involved in the caregiving process but maybe not regularly, trying to explain where everything is and where all the information can be found is overwhelming.

Especially when you consider all the different mediums that information can come in, you might have lab results on paper, emails from physicians on your computer, and then notes about medication or routines scattered between post-its, notebooks, or memos in a phone app.

There are two main reasons this is an important issue that should be tackled right away.

First, a lot of those methods we talked about above actually aren’t very secure at all. Specifically, when you’re considering paperwork that might have private data, home addresses, and medical history notes, that information must be stored somewhere safe.

The second reason is that in the world we live in today, especially with the necessary distancing for COVID-19, a collection of papers or printouts isn’t the most practical approach.

With the scan and upload feature of Vaultt, you can securely store every relevant piece of information in a designated place where approved members of the caregiving team can easily access it.

3. Improve Your Data Security

One thing we wish the world was leaving behind in 2020 is data breaches, but realistically that won’t be the case.

Storing medical information on your phone or taking pictures of important documents might seem safe, but not every app, including the memo app, has end to end encryption, which is simply because most apps aren’t meant to store sensitive data. With Vaultt, we are very proud that our app is secured with end to end encryption so that our users don’t need to choose between staying connected and staying secure.

4. Don’t Forget That Caregiving is a Team Effort

Whether you’re a professional caregiver or a family caregiver, in some way, you are part of a team responsible for another person. However, understandably, when you are the primary caregiver for someone, it’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed or stretched a bit too thin. The crucial thing to remember is that you’re not alone. Whether you have a network of family members, friends, a health care team, or other people involved in another person’s life or care, there is support available.

Sometimes that very same support system might cause stress because of too many moving parts, information not being streamlined, or the classic feeling of too many cooks in the kitchen but getting organized can alleviate these issues.

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Support

Caregiving is hard work, and while getting organized will help tremendously, that doesn’t mean it will be an answer to every problem or challenge that might arise.

Don’t be afraid to ask for support and seek out blogs and resources designed to alleviate stress and offer a helping hand. Remember, you are part of a team and have help and support available to you if you need it.

A positive side effect of getting organized is that your stress and workload should feel lighter. However, it also makes it a great deal easier to bring on an extra set of hands should you need to if you have your entire playbook in one place.