An app to start a personal village in minutes

Please share this story

Talk about a champagne problem:

Amanda had folks squabbling over time slots to care for her mother.

How did this “problem” happen?

With help from the ianacare app.

iana = I am not alone.

ianacare app = a way to get care support in 3 easy steps:

1. Invite a care team—village members—and keep them updated.

Send invitations to form a private group in which you can call for help and post updates. Though I haven’t tested ianacare well in the wild I like what I see. And in her video testimonial, Amanda says that it’s removed back-and-forth texting and sending reminders.

2. Request & receive support.

Send help requests, assign specific tasks and keep track of a care calendar, all without shyness. The way that I see it, ianacare is like a dating app: an accepted invite = interest. This lowers “barriers of entry” for both the giver and receiver.

And in Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) receiving is a form of giving, which might make sense if you’ve ever felt sad when someone insists on paying for something that you bought as a gift.

3. Access personalized resources.

Note: this is a feature only for caregivers whose employers offer ianacare as a benefit. For example, Anthem insurance is listed as one of their partners.

“Get help and be present with your family,” Amanda says.

I know what she means: At one point, I was taking care of two parents over 89 and always on hyperdrive or trying to catch a power nap. I didn’t feel as if I had the bandwidth to be a caregiver as well as daughter.

P.S. My PowerPak is another care coordination app that I’ve discovered to run personal villages that has a simple interface and is super intuitive.


Please share this story

Published by

Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Harmon

Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Harmon is a scientist turned storyteller, caregiver and founder of Village Company 360, which seeks to inspire wonderful places to grow up and grow old by fostering care communities and care economies for & by neighbors.