AI and Connection: Why Caregivers Need Both

Let me tell you something, friends. There’s a lot of talk about artificial intelligence, some people cheering, some people nervous, and some saying, “We don’t need more AI. We need more connection.”

And you know what I say?

We need all of it.

Caregiving isn’t a one-tool job. It isn’t even a two-tool job. It’s an “I haven’t slept in three days and still need a miracle” job.

The Oven vs. The Microwave (Why Tools Matter)

I love a warm meal from the oven. But you and I both know there are days when the microwave, or the air fryer, is the only thing standing between us and a complete meltdown.

Sometimes fast and simple is exactly what you need. That doesn’t mean you don’t still appreciate a Sunday roast. It just means you know how to use the right tool at the right time.

Caregiving is the same way.

Connection is the oven.

AI is the microwave.

We need both in the kitchen.

The Caregiver AI Challenge

The new Caregiver AI Challenge announced today invites “engineers, scientists, and innovators to use AI to make caregiving smarter, simpler, and more humane.”

This isn’t about replacing caregivers. It’s about supporting them.

Why I Believe in Tech and Tenderness

At The Caregiver CEO, we help family caregivers build systems so they can care for others without losing themselves.

I remember standing at a pay phone with a roll of quarters, calling one relative after another to update them on my husband’s condition. When smartphones arrived, I felt like someone handed me sunlight. Suddenly communication was faster, clearer, easier.

So when I think about AI helping caregivers track meds, schedule appointments, understand symptoms, or send updates automatically, I am absolutely here for it.

Caregiving is a public health crisis. There are more people who need care than people available to provide it. We cannot face that without better tools.

• Conversation

• Rest

• Clarity

• Connection

AI Creates More Room for Connection

When caregivers spend less time drowning in tasks, they have more time for:

I am grateful that it is National Family Caregiver Month and that these important conversations are finally happening.

Journal Prompt

What caregiving tasks drain most of your time, and how could technology give you more room to breathe, connect, and care for yourself?