Preparing for caring
Taking on the role of a caregiver is a journey of continuous learning and adjustment. It’s a bit like a new job – you’ll probably start out feeling like you have no idea what you’re meant to do next, but pretty soon you’ll have created yourself a routine and have things under control. No two situations will be the same when it comes to caregiving, but there are some basic things you can do to get things organised and underway.
1. Prepare a care plan together
Create a care plan that specifically addresses the preferences, needs and goals of the person you’re caring for. This can be really helpful as you begin your caregiving journey together. If they’re still able to participate, this can be an important way of giving them a role and some power over what happens next.
A care plan helps to establish what specific areas of life they need your help with – it could be anything from food shopping and cooking, through to bathing and getting dressed.
A good care plan can also help you to work out a “time budget” of how many hours of care a day or a week they are going to need from you (and any others involved in supporting them) and to identify whether you’ll need additional help. As circumstances inevitably change, the plan will need to be adjusted. Review it regularly to decide what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change.
Check out our planning template at the end of this document.
2. Create an information hub and emergency plan
It’s useful to have a ‘hub’ of key medical information and other important documents. You could create this as a document or file that can then be shared easily with other family members if required. Consider including the following:
A list of current medications
Contact information for any doctors, health workers, dentists, chiropodists, pharmacies, hairdressers or any other person they see to meet their overall health and well-being needs
Copies of their ID and disability or senior travel cards
Copies of key documents (or details of where they can be found) such as insurance information, any power of attorney, living will or other advance directives etc.
It’s also a good idea to set up back-up care in case of emergency or if you are suddenly unavailable. Discuss the care plan ahead of time with whoever would be stepping in to help and ensure they can access the information hub as well.
Why not try the Elderflowers Hub - a ready made virtual filing system, complete with checklists and templates to make this really easy for you to do.
3. Set up help with the basics
The first step is usually helping with daily tasks. Cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, helping with medical appointments, and managing medications are some of the first things you will need to be ready to take on.
Ongoing responsibilities will ultimately depend on the person’s health and needs, which can shift a lot over time. Your role may move to become much more hands-on, supporting them with getting up in the morning, bathing, dressing, moving around, preparing food and even helping them with eating and drinking, getting ready for bed at night, as well as keeping an eye on night-time needs.
As a start, you can use our basics checklist at the end of this document. You can also review the home space to make sure it is ‘elder friendly’.
4. Manage their medical needs
Getting up to speed with their health is important. It’s a good idea to talk through current health needs with their doctor and any other health professionals (e.g. dentist, podiatrist), and to keep in touch regularly. You’ll probably need to help them keep track of appointments, manage any medications and stay up-to-date with any monitoring or treatments for chronic conditions.
It’s worth noting that older people often take several different prescription medications and this can have significant implications. For example, some drugs have side effects that look like symptoms of dementia, so it’s worth reviewing things with the doctor to check how they’re getting on. Keep an updated medication list, be aware of possible drug interactions, and make sure they’re taking the correct prescribed doses at the right time by creating a reminder system. These things can help you to keep things on track and lower any risk of overmedicating. (For more information check out this article on managing medication).
5. Spend time with them
One of the most essential, but often overlooked, parts of caregiving is companionship. Being busy with kids or work can mean rushing in to cook and clean and then leaving again – we may not realise that we have left out the most important part: simply spending time with them.
Feelings of loneliness can lead to serious health consequences, including anxiety and depression. When you care for an older person, see if you can create opportunities to connect and make them feel cared for emotionally too. It will strengthen your bond in ways you both find rewarding.
It might be worth looking at getting outside help with some of the basics in order to give you space and time to just be with them. It could be as simple as going for a walk round the block if they’re able to, or having a cup of tea and watching their favourite programme with them, or doing a crossword or simple puzzle together.
6. Keep them mobile
Falls are a major risk to the health of older adults. Staying active has important protective benefits, so keeping them mobile should be part of the care plan. The other side of staying mobile is being able to get out and about. If public transport or driving are no longer safe options, then check out transport alternatives to get them to appointments and to places and activities they enjoy. This may be just the sort of simple thing that friends might offer to help with. There are also senior specific taxi services and there may be subsidies to help access them.
7. Look after yourself as you care for them
Depending on the level of support they need, your role can be quite varied and it might look very different over time. Be aware that long-term caregiving can be really demanding on your own physical and emotional health. Make sure that you reassess their level of need and your own health and skills on an ongoing basis. This is a good way to check if you or they are at a stage where more support is needed, or if more specialised care might be an answer.
Email hello@elderflowers.com and we will send you our handy Care basics checklist.
