Caregiving is a demanding task, and sharing the roles amongst family members is a huge advantage. The problem a family faces by dividing the duties of caring for a loved one is mainly communicating – all contributing members need to stay tapped in to what is going on with their elderly loved one.
Caregivers devise systems to let each other know what they’ve been up to, what happened at the doctor, what the status of medication is, what household chores need to be done, and many more. The benefit of having such a system is that all family members are in touch with how things are going, and any caregivers that come in (and when new hires join) can quickly learn and have access to everything they need to know about the health and happiness of your loved one.
Here are a few ideas of how your family can collaborate:
- Keep a notebook/binder in the kitchen, which details up-to-date medical information, financial information, emergency procedures, and a list of numbers.
- Have scheduled Skype calls, which allow a number of individuals on the call, to update each other.
- Use a web-based system, such as a Google Doc to update each other. The main advantage of a web system is that family members and loved ones who are not geographically near can still be up to date.
So which system is the best? Simple answer: The one that your family will use. If technology is a barrier, then stick to paper notes. If geography is a barrier, then find the best internet resource to keep you all connected.