HELP! I'm a long distance caregiver...part 2

Posted: May 5, 2016, 3:12PM

My last post gave some hints for long distance caregivers. As previously noted, caregiving is difficult when your loved one is close but adding distance to the mix, brings a whole new dimension to the task!

These strategies are a continuation of the last post:

1. Consider paying in home assistance for your loved one. Services can include supervision, personal care assistance and light housekeeping. This service adds not only another level of assistance but another pair of eyes on your loved one.

2. Stay involved. Keep in touch with your care team, and your loved one. You may want to set up a specific day and time to contact your care receiver and see how things are going. Ask about services, financial needs, legal concerns, and health issues. Delegate tasks but give up contact and management of your loved one's care.

3. Learn, learn, learn! Research your loved one's health problems - the disease(s), medications, side effects, treatments, what having the illness means (limitations, course of the problem, etc). Stay informed so you can help care providers and physicians with your loved one's needs.

4. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Before a crisis occurs, make sure you have paperwork gathered or know where it is. What would travel entail if you needed to respond to an emergency? If driving, have the route planned. If you need to travel by air, bus or train - let them know if the situation is an emergency. You may get a discount. If you have to rent a car, look for the best rates and don't pay for insurance if you carry full coverage or if your credit card company offers coverage.

Be prepared! The more you know and the better prepared you are, the less difficult the long distance caregiving!