Family Care Plan
What Is a Care Plan?
A care plan is a form or document that summarizes a person’s health conditions and current treatments for their care.
The plan should include information about the following.
- Health conditions
- Medications
- Healthcare providers
- Emergency contacts
- Caregiver resources
The CDC website has a great example of this type of care plan.
Developing and maintaining a care plan will help you balance both your life and the person receiving your care!
For additional assistance, you can get help from your doctor with the care plan. Try to update care plans yearly or when there’s a change in the health or medications of the caregiving client.
Much like the emergency checklist we had covered previously, a care plan will be a valuable resource in staying organized.
How to Develop the Plan?
- Start a conversation about care planning with the person who receives your care. If your care recipient isn’t able to provide input, anyone who has significant interaction with the care recipient (a family member or home nurse aide) can help complete the form.
- Talk to the doctor of the person you care for or another health care provider. A physician can review the plan for you started and help to complete it, especially if there is a conversation about advanced care planning.
- Ask about what care options are relevant to the person you care for. Medicare covers appointments that are scheduled to manage chronic conditions and for discussing advanced care plans.
- Discuss any needs you have as a caregiver. 84% of caregivers report they could use more information and help on caregiving topics especially related to safety at home, dealing with stress, and managing their care recipient’s challenging behaviors.
What Are the Benefits?
- Reduce emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and improve overall medical management for people with a chronic health condition (like Alzheimer’s)
- Give a better quality of life for all care recipients
- Provide supportive resources for you, the caregiver, to continue leading a healthy life of your own.
Get care from someone you trust
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loved one while they are compensated
by Medicaid?