More than eight million Canadians are caregivers for a family member or friend with aging needs, a disability, or a long-term health condition. That number is expected to continue growing as Canada’s population ages. Taking care of a loved one can leave family members stretched thin, and unable to juggle caregiving with their own daily life. Many feel the stress of racing to complete tasks, keeping on top of medications, and coordinating a circle of care around a loved one.
There are a number of programs and tools aiming to help tackle this challenge. One is the CareRelay mobile app, which helps caregivers coordinate help for their loved ones. Mediaplanet spoke with CareRelay founder and CEO Dan Brody about his story.
Mediaplanet: How did you come up with the idea for CareRelay?
Dan Brody: Shortly after my father passed away, my mother slipped and fell, hurting her ankle. She was an active, 66-year-old woman, and that accident really had a domino effect on her medical condition. Our family began looking after her, but I became her primary caregiver. I was carrying a huge binder with her medical information, appointments, and pick-up and drop-off schedules.
As a “techie,” I built my own small online management system for tracking tasks, appointments, and medications. That’s really where the idea for CareRelay was sparked.
What solutions does CareRelay offer?
Our mission is to relieve stress and empower Canadian caregivers with reliable and accessible information. The CareRelay app is a collaborative platform that helps care teams communicate and coordinate help for their loved ones.
How does CareRelay empower caregivers?
We like to describe it as a tool for life project management. The app’s AI helps schedule medical appointments, track medications and centralize patient records, while keeping everyone up to date on the patient’s progress. But it also acts as an end-to-end wellness platform for all life events, even beyond healt hcare. There’s a function for storing legal documents, including estate planning and wills. There’s also a financial module, where you can upload statements and capture caregiver expenses.
Our mission is to relieve stress and empower Canadian caregivers with reliable and accessible information.
What are some of the key holistic features of the app?
CareRelay integrates several third-party services and devices that make it truly holistic. For example, patients can use Google Home or Alexa to prompt about medication, exercise or doctor’s appointments. You can use Uber through the CareRelay app, to schedule pick-ups and drop-offs for your loved ones. We have a partnership with Merry Maids, so caregivers can schedule professional cleaning services, all within the app.
What are the next steps for CareRelay?
We’re continuing to integrate with more service providers through the app, to ensure we’re providing a truly holistic experience for caregivers.
