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FunctionalHealth
CAREGIVER RESOURCES

You're taking care of someone you love.
We'll help you do it well.

Free checklists, trackers, and plain-language guidance for family caregivers. Built by clinicians who understand what you're going through.

Start your first week

Looking for caregiver work, or hiring help? Jump to the network

Adult daughter supporting her mother during recovery at home

Your first week home

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  • Set up medications in one place
  • Make the home safe
  • Schedule follow-up appointments

Your first week home.

The first days after bringing someone home from the hospital are the hardest. Work through this list at your own pace.

Tap each item to check it off

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Your progress is saved on this device

Daily caregiving log.

Track what happened today so you can share it with the care team. Print or email your log anytime.

Your log is saved on this device

Keep your log

Keep every day's log across devices.

A free account saves each day so the care team sees the whole week, not just today. Open it on your phone at the bedside and on the computer for appointments.

Free, no card neededEvery day savedShared with your care team
Create free account

Keep track of medications.

Add each medication below. Check them off as you give them. Print or email the list for doctor visits.

Your schedule is saved on this device

Save your progress

Want to save your medication list and daily logs?

A free account saves your data across devices and lets your care team see your progress.

Create free account

Hiring help, or working as a caregiver

Everything above is for family caregivers. This part is different: a free network that connects families who want paid help with caregivers looking for work.

CAREGIVER NETWORK

Need more hands
at home?

Our free Caregiver Network connects families with caregivers nearby. It costs nothing, caregivers set their own terms, and you choose who to talk to. Profiles are self-reported and not verified by us.

For families

Find a caregiver near you

Search by ZIP for caregivers in your area and reach them directly. No fees, no middleman.

Find caregivers
For caregiversJoin our networkAlways free. You keep everything you earn.How this network works

When to call the doctor.

Not every symptom is an emergency. This guide sorts common signs into what tends to be normal, what people often check in about, and the kinds of symptoms doctors treat as emergencies. Your care team knows the person best.

Often part of normal recovery

Common in the days after a hospital stay

  • Mild soreness or fatigue
  • Feeling tired after short activities
  • Bruising around IV sites or incisions
  • Mild mood changes or irritability
  • Trouble sleeping for a few nights

Signs many people check in about

Not an emergency, but worth a call to the care team

  • A fever that will not settle, or keeps coming back
  • Pain that is getting worse, not better, on their usual medicine
  • Swelling, redness, or drainage from a wound
  • Going a full day or more without eating or drinking
  • New confusion or memory problems
  • Days without a bowel movement

Signs doctors treat as emergencies

Symptoms like these are treated as emergencies

  • Chest pain or trouble breathing
  • Sudden weakness on one side of the body
  • Bleeding that will not stop
  • Passing out, or not waking up
  • A severe allergic reaction: swelling, hives, trouble breathing
  • A sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Upcoming appointments.

Keep all follow-up visits in one place. Check them off as you go.

No appointments yet. Add one above.

Your appointments are saved on this device

Practical tips from caregivers who've been there.

Advice that experienced caregivers wish they'd heard sooner.

Helping with bathing

Set up a shower chair. Lay out towels and clean clothes beforehand. Stay nearby in case they need help, but give them privacy when safe.

Safe transfers

When helping them stand, brace your feet and let them push up with their arms. Never pull by the hands. Count to three together before moving.

Medication management

Use a weekly pill organizer. Set phone alarms for each dose. Keep an updated list in your wallet for emergencies and doctor visits.

Nutrition support

Serve smaller, more frequent meals. Keep water within reach at all times. Protein helps healing. Accept meals from friends and neighbors.

Emotional support

Listen more than you advise. Acknowledge that this is hard for them too. Watch for signs of depression: withdrawal, loss of appetite, crying.

Asking for help

Be specific when people offer. Say 'Could you bring dinner Tuesday?' instead of 'Sure, anything.' People want to help but need direction.

How are you doing today?

Caregivers often forget about themselves. This is a gentle daily check-in, not a test. Be honest with yourself.

Tap each item to check it off

Saved on this device

Take care of yourself, too.

Caring for someone is heavy work. Burnout is common, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. Catching it early helps you and the person you care for.

Signs you may be burning out

  • Exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix
  • Getting sick more often
  • Snapping at the person you care for
  • Feeling numb or hopeless
  • Withdrawing from friends

What helps

  • Accept help with specific tasks, like rides or meals
  • Take one real break every day, even a short one
  • Say yes when someone offers to help
  • Talk to someone who listens
  • See your own doctor too
Family Caregiver AllianceFree guides and support groups at caregiver.org988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988 for overwhelming moments, any time

Emergency contacts card.

Fill in the numbers you need most. Print the card and keep it on the fridge or in your wallet.

Your information is saved on this device only

Trusted sources.

Real organizations with real people. Call any of these numbers to talk to someone who understands.

  • A
    AARP

    Family Caregiving Resources

  • A
    ACL

    Eldercare Locator

    1-800-677-1116
  • F
    FCA

    Family Caregiver Alliance

    1-800-445-8106
  • N
    NAC

    National Alliance for Caregiving

  • C
    CAN

    Caregiver Action Network

    1-855-227-3640
  • 9
    988

    Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    For caregiver mental health

    988

Recovery guides for your loved one

Post-Surgery Recovery

Wound care, mobility milestones, and what's normal after surgery.

Cardiac Recovery

Heart rate zones, sodium tracking, and rehab phases.

ICU Recovery

Post-ICU syndrome (PICS), memory and thinking, and rebuilding strength.

Stroke Recovery

Speech, mobility, and cognitive rehabilitation guidance.

Build a recovery program for your loved one

Answer two quick questions about their condition. Get a structured plan with daily guidance, exercises, and tracking. Built by physicians.

Start their program

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always follow your doctor's specific instructions and contact your care team with concerns.

Sources: AARP (aarp.org), Family Caregiver Alliance (caregiver.org), MedlinePlus (medlineplus.gov)