Getting on the same page as your family about the plan for care in Baton Rouge is a good idea, if possible, before care services begin. Identify your key contacts, decide who will get updates, clarify the responsibilities of the care providers, and identify a person in Baton Rouge who will be your eyes and ears, if and when, responses to care needs require an in-person visit.
As the adult child living in a different state, for example, Houston or Dallas, you probably don't need to micromanage your parent's schedule. You likely need to know who is responsible for what, what is the plan B, and when is it necessary to revisit the care plan to adjust it.
What should you have organized before the first care planning meeting?
It is likely best to document the current situation and not try to predict or speculate on what you think may happen or be needed in the future.
When the current care situation is discussed and presented in a clear manner by family members, it is easier for the care planning team to identify which activities are difficult and require the most assistance.
Prepare to talk about:
- An ideal day for your parent
- Independent activities
- Activities requiring assistance
- Relatives and friends involved in the process
- Healthcare professionals
- Support staff
- times and days of the week support is required
- Concerns of your parent
If you are calling from another state, write down what is stressing you out and what is helping the situation.
When creating a Care Plan, note what your parent is doing that is working. For example, if your parent is able to prepare their own breakfast and lunch, note that in the plan. If a neighbor picks up the trash can, include that in the Care Plan.
It is best to determine the financial constraints of the situation to understand the level of care your family can expect. Home Instead has a resource sheet that explains the cost of care for aging adults.
How do you decide what to include in a Care Plan?
Exclude individuals from being the main point of contact for family members.
Communication breaks down when there is more than one caregiver. One person wants to change the schedule. Another caregiver gives the Care Pro different instructions. A relative expects an update that has not been communicated to her.
Prior to care starting, it would be good to identify the primary family contact. This individual does not have to make the family caregiver team’s decisions. His/her role is to develop a system to make family caregiver communication more efficient.
There are different types of family caregiver communication.
The first type of communication is about decisions that need to be made. This communication should take place only when family caregivers have to provide routine care. The caregivers that provide these routine care communications should be determined.
The family should agree on the types of communications that should be made to them. For example, family members living far away should not be inundated with mundane details of a care visit. These details often result in the surrogate caregiver feeling micromanaged.
Instead, the caregiver should be told when there is a material change in the care being provided and the caregiver should communicate to the family caregiver the concern being raised. For example, the family caregiver should be notified if the care being provided does not support the achievement of the desired care outcome and a change in the Care Plan is warranted.
A Care Pro follows the Care Plan and provides support in other ways. They do not take the place of healthcare providers and do not make medical decisions. If your concern is of a clinical nature, you should contact the appropriate healthcare provider.
How do you give a local relative or friend a supporting role without giving contradictory instructions to the Care Pros?
A local relative or friend can be of great assistance if they are given a specific supporting role.
It is best to avoid making the person who lives the closest to the care recipient, the supporting person for all of the care activities.
If your first cousin in Baton Rouge says she is willing to help out from time to time, this does not mean he or she is to be the care activity scheduler, care activity question answerer, care activity supervisor, care activity financing control, care activity Pro supervisor, care activity Pro emergency contact, etc.
Consider what limitations your cousin has first, and then assign them a supporting role.
This person’s role could be to assist in contacting other supports (if a family member is not available to do this). This person can be contacted if the family member is not available.
Once you have defined a local person’s role, be consistent in giving instructions to the Care Pros. The Care Pros should not be given different supporting roles by different family members.
Efficient long distance care depends on clear communication, not the number of communication channels. The Home Instead office in Baton Rouge assists clients and their families to understand the components of a support plan and to differentiate family responsibilities.
When does a Long Distance Care Plan Require more Face to Face Assistance?
Long-distance care plans must change when support provided does not meet the needs of the care recipient. I prefer to look for trends over long periods of time. For example, if a care recipient requires assistance at a time of the day that was previously managed without support, trends indicate that support should be extended to cover the new requirement. The same is true if family members or neighbors are extending support beyond what is defined in the care plan. Trends must be identified to determine when a care plan no longer supports the needs of the care recipient. Are support needs continually increasing? Is support outside the defined care plan extending to cover needs? Are unplanned gaps in support regularly occurring? Is support that is defined in the care plan to cover a given task regularly not available? Is there a concerning change in the care recipient’s ability to support themselves in undertaking everyday tasks? Is there a change in the care recipient’s ability to perform normal activities of daily living? The answers to the above may indicate the care plan requires change, but this may not be the only reason. It could be that a support person is unavailable to provide support or a given task takes longer to perform than expected.
Baton Rouge Home Instead does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment. They do not cross the scope of practice of registered nursing and licensed practical nursing.
Home Instead is happy to assist you with your care plans to the best of their ability. However, they are unable to assist you with your medical questions.
Baton Rouge Home Instead always welcomes your calls and will do their best to assist you.
Can I make home care arrangements if I don't live in Baton Rouge?
Absolutely. Home Instead welcomes the opportunity to discuss home care with you no matter where you live. Home Instead also welcomes the participation of your loved one. Care plans can and should include the wishes of the person receiving care.
Can more than one sibling be the main contact?
Yes. It is important to decide who will be the primary contact for home care. This can help reduce the stress on the family overall. There are several ways to work out the details of communication so that the family is on the same page with the decisions made.
Can my neighbor be on the care plan?
Yes, neighbors can be on a care plan. They can be part of the personal care team for your loved one. They can help out with care, but they cannot be relied on to manage all care situations.
How can Care Pros assist if my family lives out of town?
The type of assistance provided will depend on the Care Plan. Care Pros can provide non-medical care and support such as companionship, reminders and assistance with performing activities of daily living (ADLs), and/or household tasks.
Can Home Instead assist with my parent’s medical issues?
No. Home Instead is a non-medical home care service. Care Pros cannot act in lieu of a medical professional. The Home Instead care service does not take the place of a physician or other medical professional. You should contact your parent’s physician if your parent is experiencing new medical symptoms or concerns.
How can I get updates about my parent?
The type of and/or the frequency of updates you receive is based on your needs and the needs of your family. Discuss with the Home Instead team what type of updates you do not need and/or what type of communication you need to help you make the best decisions for your family. You do not want tocross the line between providing long-distance care for your family member and/or constantly overseeing and supervising your family member.
When should changes be made to a person’s care plan?
Revise the plan when there are changes to the person’s routine and/or support. Repeated changes are more relevant than random changes. If there are gaps in support, the home health care workers should resolve any issues that occur as a result of not having sufficient support, but should not be responsible for issues related to the person’s inability to perform activities of daily living. Issues related to a person’s inability to perform activities of daily living should be addressed by a health care professional.
If you reside in a different state but need to create a care plan for a person in Baton Rouge, you should create a system first before addressing each individual issue. One of the reasons you should create a system is to identify the gaps in the care plan. The gaps will help in determining what should be included in the care plan. The Home Instead team serving Baton Rouge will help you develop a care plan if you need assistance.
About the Author
Matt Cohn has spent more than 25 years helping older adults and their families find the right support to remain safe and comfortable at home. He is an owner of Home Instead locations serving Baton Rouge and other communities and has worked closely with families, caregivers, and care professionals through many of the decisions that come with aging and in-home care.
