Care Coordination Tools Are Fragmented — And Caregivers Are Paying the Price

For caregivers supporting loved ones aging in place, coordination is one of the most time-consuming and stressful parts of the job. They're not just providing hands-on care; they're also the informal care manager, the advocate, the appointment scheduler, and often, the only person keeping all the moving pieces connected.

Unfortunately, the tools available to caregivers to perform this crucial role are often fragmented, outdated, or nonexistent.

The Current Reality: Disconnected and Inefficient

In many homes, care coordination still looks like this:

• A wall calendar with scribbled appointment times

• A folder of printed medication instructions

• Text threads with siblings about who’s covering what day

• Sticky notes for follow-up calls

• Forgotten login credentials to different provider portals

• No centralized way to track symptoms or share updates with professionals

This patchwork system is a recipe for missed doses, overlooked symptoms, duplicated efforts, and endless frustration.

Why Integration Matters

When a senior has multiple health conditions, their care team can include:

• A primary care physician

• One or more specialists

• A home health nurse

• A physical therapist

• A mental health provider

• A pharmacist

• Family caregivers or paid aides

Each of these players needs access to up-to-date information. Yet without a shared platform or a unified care plan, communication is often siloed—if it happens at all.

The result?

• Medication errors

• Delayed treatments

• Preventable ER visits

• Caregiver burnout from trying to hold it all together

What Good Care Coordination Tools Should Look Like

A truly supportive care coordination tool should:

• Centralize information – All appointments, medications, notes, and documents in one place

• Enable secure communication – Between caregivers, providers, and even the older adult themselves

• Offer real-time updates – So everyone is on the same page, all the time

• Be mobile-friendly and intuitive – Most caregivers don’t have time for steep learning curves

• Include task assignments and reminders – To divide responsibilities and reduce stress

• Allow symptom tracking – For trends that may signal emerging issues

These tools already exist in parts of the healthcare system—but they’re not widely accessible or designed with family caregivers in mind.

The Cost of Inaction

When coordination fails, the costs are real. A missed follow-up can lead to a complication. Confusion over medication timing can cause side effects. Lack of visibility can mean no one realizes Mom hasn't been eating until she ends up in the hospital.

Caregivers deserve better. So do the seniors they care for.

Where We Go From Here

We need:

• Increased investment in caregiver-centered tech solutions

• Healthcare providers who offer integrated care portals and help families access them

• Training and onboarding so caregivers know how to use digital tools effectively

• Policies and funding that support development and equitable access to coordination platforms

Because when caregivers are equipped with the right tools, they’re not just managing care—they’re optimizing it.