A good Care Plan for ageing parents or an elderly relative in the family goes a long way in improving their overall quality of life, reduces the need for hospitalisation and enable them to live independently for as long as possible.
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A good Care Plan for an elderly person ensures that all family members and health care providers have a good understanding of his/her health care needs and living arrangements as well as be prepared for emergencies.
Create a contingency plan
Speak with your relative, his or her doctor and also with family members and create a list of possible risks which might occur. Anything from your relative getting lost, to taking the wrong medication, falling and having difficulties getting up or a sudden deterioration in an existing condition should be considered.
Work out a step-by-step response plan for each of these situations and make sure they are documented in the care plan. Make sure that all caregivers and family members are familiar with what they should do and where they can find the response plans in the event of an emergency.
Assess how are you are to meet the Care Plan
Once you have created a care plan, you will have a much better idea of how prepared you are to care for your relative. Depending on the number and severity of your relative’s health conditions, you may or may not need additional help.
Consider multiple care connections
In most cases, your relative’s needs will probably be met by a combination of different care programmes and connections. You and your family will likely be able to meet most relationship, nutritional and simple medical needs.
For patients with mobility issues or special conditions, you may need to engage home care help in the form of companionship, hygiene assistance, light housekeeping, errands and shopping and respite for family caregivers.
If your relative needs to have medication which can only be administered by a trained professional, or is likely to face conditions which require special vigilance and care, a professional home nurse may be able to fulfill some of these obligations at home instead of at the hospital.
Try to see if other family members can also become involved. Take turns to bring your relative out and to spend time with him or her. When more people share the responsibility, it makes it easier for each caregiver and it also makes life more interesting for your patient by allowing them to remain connected with more people.
Senior day care centres which offer a programme focusing on physiotherapy, community and other forms of therapy can also be helpful in slowing down some deteriorative conditions.
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