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A senior care plan is the key to successful caregiving, but it can also be used to help a family manage the burden of daily tasks and chores. However, when factoring the impact on the whole family, there can be a lot to balance.
We understand these difficulties, so have put together this strategic guide to help you manage. At Visiting Angels Tarpon Springs & Pasco County, customized senior care plans are at the heart of all success stories and we welcome you to contact us today should you need an in-home caregiver, from respite care to long-term care.
Getting the Whole Family To Agree
Perhaps your biggest task in creating a senior care plan that helps the whole family is getting everyone on board. Some family members may be used to the existing routine, even if it’s not beneficial for everyone else.
Tempers can run high, so it’s important to take a strategic approach that focuses on communication and priorities. By having everyone see the personal and holistic benefits, you are more likely to get everyone on board with a new senior care plan.
We advise you against making sudden statements or decisions. If tensions are high before or during the discussion, then take some time to let things cool down. Of course, you know your family best; but people can come around to an idea better once they’re calmer.
Be sure to include everyone. If this is for the good of the family, now is not the time to cause pain by excluding one another.
Identify the Current Weaknesses
Your first task is to identify the existing weaknesses in your loved one’s daily care. We really stress the ‘daily’ part, as it’s specific activities of daily life that often cause bigger issues. You control every detail of your loved one's care plans to make sure a focus on the activities of daily life.
Either talk about an average day with your loved one, or observe it over a week, and take note of struggle areas. Common difficulties include:
- Meal preparation
- Getting dressed
- Grooming and hygiene
- Household chores and clearing
- Reaching items in the house
- Dangers with certain items and appliances
- Risks of trips and falls
- Medication reminders
- Errands
- Loneliness
- Socializing
- Technology
- Fears
- Tiredness or weakness during certain hours of the day (such as early mornings and evenings)
Once you’ve worked this out, you can begin to find solutions (read on to see how we get into that).
Read Related: Home Safety Evaluations Guide for Seniors
Identify the Causes of the Weaknesses
The next thing to do when creating a senior care plan is to look out for the causes of these weaknesses. For example, it could be:
- Your loved one is uncomfortable bathing around a family member but still needs help.
- Or, what is causing the difficulties with hygiene?
- Or is meal preparation becoming a problem because the family member responsible for that has limited time, energy or skills?
- Or is the home posing trip and fall risks due to constant clutter and mountains of chores?
Get out a notebook and go through the underlying reasons. Don’t beat yourself up if the answer is simply “not enough time or hands to manage” - In-Home Care services can help.
Read Related: Is It Fair to Feel Guilty When Hiring an In-Home Caregiver?
Identify Solutions or Consider Senior Home Care
No one likes to be told what to do, so this next step in creating a senior care plan can be a group task where everyone gets to volunteer solutions.
For example, maybe one person in the family can help prepare more meals. Or another needs to offer their vehicle for errands and social meet-ups.
However, we know that it’s easier said than done. Everyone’s schedule is possibly already full or energy levels are low.
Senior home care services are a great, easy solution to all caregiving problems. It can be as extensive or limited as you want - from 24/7 live-in care, to just dropping by once a day or even once a week for meal preparation, cleaning, social support and errands. You are in charge.
If you need any level of assistance or have any questions, feel free to contact Visiting Angels Tarpon Springs & Pasco County today.
Who Needs a Pause in The Family?
Family caregiving is tough. Even when it comes from a place of devotion and love, there is a risk of burnout. Burnout among family caregivers is very common and 40% to 70% of family caregivers report clinical symptoms of depression as a result.
We advise you to take stock of who is at risk of burnout or can no longer focus on their own life, career, family, relationship and goals.
For example, if your sister is working 9-5 but has to help cook meals a few days a week or be there as an emergency contact she may never be able to rest.
Or perhaps you all just need a helping hand or even a vacation? There should be no shame in looking out for yourself if things have gotten too much.
Once you identify who needs a break, you can identify which gaps might need filling in creating a senior care plan - with either another volunteer or a professional senior home caregiver.
Identify the Goals and Motivations
Another way to tackle getting the whole family on board is to create mission statements. This is not about deciding who is responsible for what, or what the individual outcomes are. Instead, state what you and your family all individually want for your loved one in need.
For example, “I want Dad to be more relaxed”, “I want Dad to be less lonely”, “I want Dad to be safer without having to go to a care home”.
These mission statements can not only reveal a lot about what everyone really wants, but they can also help you all pull in the same direction.
When disagreements arise, you can come back to the mission goals and motivations to realign with the end goal.
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