These resources will help you make a caregiving plan, and guide you in making adjustments when needed:
Helping with medical appointments is often a big part of a caregiver's workload - so good communication with the healthcare team is crucial! Also see the tools and advice in PlaneTree Health Library's online collection on Better Communication with Health Professionals.
In addition to the resources above (that apply to most caring situations), these speak to the needs of specific groups:
Veterans:
LGBTQ+ :
Recovering from surgery or serious illness:
Parents caring for ill children:
If your loved one needs help with managing their finances, check out these resources:
More Than a One-Person Job
It's important to keep in mind that one person can't do it all.
(Example of a care map of family members and caregivers who take care for an oder adult, including their support group, from the Altas of Caregiving.)
It's also very common that conflicting opinions or efforts between family members come into conflict.
The resources linked below may help family and friends find common ground to agree on care decisions and act as a team.
People other than immediate family members often step up to care for LGBT seniors, "elder orphans", and those who (for whatever reason) can't look to relatives for care. They may have special concerns, however:
The reality is that many caregivers also have other jobs - which can bring extra stress but also additional rewards. These sources have advice on juggling responsibilities:
Caregivers need all the organizational help they can get - and online apps can be tremendously helpful to track all the details.
Here are some review articles on software apps to consider:
Don't forget to make good use of smartphones!
The built-in Health apps on the Apple iPhone and the Health apps on Android phones do more than just track steps, with possibilities of other biometric features in the future.
Getting a reminder to take medications by text message could also be very useful.
And if possible, everyone should take advantage of the ability to enter emergency information into the health information section of their smartphone, so emergency medical personnel can get access when needed (without having to unlock the phone or expose other personal information). Include medications, medical conditions, and emergency contacts - and remember to update that information regularly.
When Should Someone Stop Driving?
Most Americans consider driving a car a necessity - but many senior drivers are not safe. The longer one stays driving after about age 60, the more likely they are to cause - or be involved in - an accident. Older adults are often more likely to be injured in an accident, too.
The California DMV has safety guides for older drivers in both English & Spanish:
Being able to drive is crucially important to be able to to live independently. Driving safely, however, depends on good vision, reaction time, physical abilities, attention span, memory and cognition - which can all change as we age. Medications often make drivers unsafe, too. These additional resources can also help determine whether it's time to hang up the car keys for good:
If someone is open to planning ahead to give up driving (maybe after a scary near miss, or a new diagnosis or medication that makes it more dangerous to drive), these may be useful:
The text on this page is copyright Lise M. Dyckman and PlaneTree Health Library, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Linked contents are the responsibility of their creators or copyright holders.