As a family caregiver, you must realize the importance of taking breaks. One of the ways to do this is by having other family members and close friends help out. When a group of you are helping provide care to an older parent, you need to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Create a List of Tasks

Start by drawing up a list of the tasks your parents need help with each day or once a week. They may need daily reminders to take medications. They may need someone to prepare snacks and cook meals each day. They may need help with the laundry once a week.

Some tasks are less common. Twice a year, they need a ride to and from the dentist. Once a year, they need to see their primary care physician and their eye doctor. Account for these uncommon yet necessary tasks, too.

Talk to Your Family Members

Once you have an idea of the help they need on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, talk to the family members who want to help. You don’t want them struggling to balance work schedules with care schedules.

In addition to the hours/days people are available, find out what tasks they’re comfortable helping with. Your brother may not want to take your mom clothes shopping. You might not want to help your dad with shaving. Make sure you’re not giving someone tasks that will make them uneasy.

Find out what days are best for them and jot them down. Once you have that information, compare schedules to see when people are available. You can use that availability to come up with a monthly schedule of who is with your parents each day. Share that list with the group. If everyone has a clear role, it’s easier to make sure everything is completed on time.

You can use free services like Google Calendar to help keep track. Make sure all family members and friends are included in permissions to view and add comments. If you add others to the list of family caregivers, make sure they’re also added to the calendar.

Eliminate Gaps in Care by Hiring Caregivers

Even with the whole family chipping in, gaps are bound to happen. If you can’t find anyone to help your parents out while you attend a meeting or run errands, professional caregivers help. You can have caregivers from a home care agency come to your parents’ home and fill in while you’re away. They have the help they need, and you have peace of mind knowing they’re not alone.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Pleasant Hill, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855

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andy@hcprosonline.com

CEO at HomeCare Professionals

Andy Howardis a Bay Area Native who holds a BA in Political Science (University of Colorado at Boulder, ’97). After college Andy worked in the surging tech industry.His Grandmother however, would suffer a significant decline in health and ultimately needed in-home care. The experience of a loved one depending on outside help to age in place proved to be pivotal for Andy as he left the tech industry in 2002 for an opportunity in the home care world with a large provider. After having success in home care, but being frustrated by corporate constraints Andy founded HomeCare Professionals in 2005.He methodically built the company one client at a time by focusing on hiring quality caregivers to ensure positive outcomes. Currently Andy serves as the CEO of HomeCare Professionals and is also highly active in the non-profit organization California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) which advocates for a higher standard of in-home care for those who wish to remain living at home in California.

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