3 easy steps to prepare for home care with a care plan
What is a care plan?
A care plan is what a home care provider will create to detail what tasks a home caregiver will complete to support your loved one to stay safely and comfortably at home. In the world of home care the support tasks are often referred to as Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). A care plan will outline what activities of daily living the caregiver will provide as well as other supports like companionship and transportation that might be needed.
Here we’ll help guide you through the steps of preparing your own personal care plan in preparation for home care services.
Step 1: Assess your goals
Start by considering your current and anticipated future goals for your loved one. What outcomes do you hope to see from beginning home care services? What about your long term goals? Write down your goals. Here are a few possible goals to get you started:
- For your loved one to get more activity outdoors
- Have your loved one be supported with hygiene
- Make sure your loved one takes their medications on time
- For my loved one to have fun!
- To remain at home for as long as possible
Once you identify the goals you have for your loved one, share it with them and make sure that they agree and are on the same page. This will support them being an active participant in their care plan and you may find that there are things missing to add to the list.
Step 2: Write out tasks
Now that you have your goals outlined you can begin to write out what tasks are needed to fulfill these goals. These will help inform the care plan that is ultimately developed with the home care agency you choose. Let your goals inform the tasks you outline and remember that home care supports your loved one, physically, emotionally and mentally. These are some examples of tasks that home care workers can provide:
Now that you’ve written the tasks out, you are ready! This could be a good time to check in with your loved one and see if there is anything missing that they would like to add.
Step 3: Research Care providers
Now you’re ready! The next step is to research home care companies and share your care plan. This will help establish a strong foundation for collaboration and ensure that the care provided is exactly what your loved one needs and importantly wants. Also remember that your care plan can change with time, once you get started with a home care provider the care plan should be revisited and updated every 6 months to a year.
Good luck on your search for home care services! If you are looking for a home care company whose care givers are also the owners of the home care company check us out! We are a home care cooperative in Central Wisconsin, connect with us today and we can explore how to best support you and your loved one!
