Getting Systems in Place
Often, caring for an aging or sick loved one is a slow-moving situation, and you can adapt as you go. However, sometimes it is more sudden, and you are scrambling for information. In either circumstance, there are many things to understand, organize, and relay to any family members going through this with you. One solution is to keep information on Google spreadsheets or documents. These make the important info accessible on your phone or laptop, and they can be shared with everyone on your care team so that you all can see the most up-to-date information.
Here are some examples of documents you can create:
Doctor Appointment Tracking: Includes a short synopsis of discussion or medication changes for each appointment by date, including doctor names and contact info. You can also include other providers like rehab and in-home care contacts, as well as your loved one’s medical record.
Insurance Information: Pictures and numbers for each type
Medicine Checklists: A list of all medications taken, what they look like, and time of day taken. This can help you with tracking meds and doses, pill box maintenance, and doctor appointments.
Caregiver Checklists: This can be combined with medicine times or be a separate list of things to do and report each time a caregiver is there.
Financial decision making/legal documents: This can be a will, trusts, health care advocate, power of attorney. It is best to check to see if your loved one has these things and that you know where they are.
Technology Setups: Sign-ins and passwords for banks, apps, social media, television streaming services, etc.
Q: My mother just wants to sleep in her recliner at night. She also sits in it most of the day. Is that OK?
A: A recliner quickly becomes a place of comfort and security when someone has difficulty getting in and out of a bed. But there are several problems with this, and I have seen significant decline when a recliner becomes the place someone stays 24 hours a day:
- The body cannot stretch out flat and therefore can never fully reset.
- Often the person decides she no longer needs to change into night clothes — knowing it is difficult, and thinking what’s the use. This is a slippery slope that can lead to poorer hygiene.
- Your mom is most likely in front of the television for company, where it’s never off, night or day. When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she has no idea if she has just napped or what time it is.
- The less she grasps the time of day, the less attention she can give to meals and pill taking. The side table may be piled with the remnants of her last meal, but was that 12 hours ago or only three?
There are a few solutions you might try:
- Consider her bed situation. Does it need a rail to help her pull herself up more effectively? Is the bed adjustable? A bed that allows someone to adjust in the night when pains pop up or if they want to read or watch something helps provide similar movement to a chair.
- If the person absolutely won’t agree to the bed, I suggest a second recliner, slightly different for the night. A leather or non-fabric version allows for more cleaning options. This helps the person “go to bed.” Set up the room for night with low lighting, and if a television is absolutely necessary, a dimmer one with a timer set. Encourage your loved one to change clothes and get ready for bed each night, keeping routines as much as possible.
By Anita Oldham
P.S. You may also find helpful this article: Navigating Uncharted Waters Of Caregiving.
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