Elders with multiple medical conditions, disabilities and frailty often need round-the-clock care to ensure safety. Care may be provided in a care facility, or in the elder’s home. Some elders will have family members to provide some or all of their care, while hired home caregivers can also provide support in the home.
A good assessment is a first step for someone who may need 24 hour care. A geriatric assessment provides an overall picture of the elder’s condition and needs and will identify how much care (and what type) is needed and what options are available. Some elders needing 24/7 care can utilize daytime support and a monitoring system at night, while others may need personal attention round-the-clock. Home care companies can provide a range of care to fit your needs and assist your family, with a few hours of care/week through 24/7 care.
A personalized care plan is vital for an elder needing 24 hour care. This is a road map for the person’s needs and how to provide for them. Even if a family is providing informal care, creating a plan can help family members to better manage. It is also very useful to ensure consistency for backup or respite caregivers. If you are hiring home caregivers to assist a loved one, find out about their care planning process (and how it is communicated to various caregivers who may be assisting).
Emergency plans are also essential to an elder needing 24/7 care. How will backup care be provided? What happens if the elder has an emergency or goes to the hospital? Which family members and other contacts are involved in helping? This also includes things like planning for natural and other disasters and making provisional plans.
Organizing and coordinating care is essential to successful 24-hour care. At EasyLiving, we use an electronic system to create and communicate care plans, track care, provide consistent information and communicate to families. The only way to ensure consistency when managing round-the-clock care and the complex needs of a frail elder is with an organized system.
To learn more about ways EasyLiving can help with 24/7 care and a wide range of care needs or to schedule a complimentary home care assessment, call us at 727-448-0900 or complete our quick request form online.