If the unexpected happens

Posted By Maryann Porosky On JULY 11,2017

A fender-bender, a fall while walking, or even a medical event of your own could result in your being suddenly sidelined. Perhaps for a few hours. Perhaps a few days. If you only provide light support for the person you care for, this might not be a big deal. But if you are a daily support person, or a 24/7 family caregiver with someone who can't care for themselves, this is huge.

Notifying first responders
If you were really out—unconscious for example—how would anyone know that you have someone depending on you? Check out our newsletter article, If the Unexpected Happens…. It has great tips for alerting first responders to the needs of a dependent loved one.

Do you have a Plan B?
At Caring Choices, we observe that many families can mobilize a relative, even from far away. But it may take a day or so for that person to arrive. If the person you care for is dependent on you for daily attention and you are stuck in the hospital, who can stand in for you on short notice?

Available right away?
The best person to step in could be a neighbor or close friend. More important, it should be a person committed to you or your loved one enough to drop everything and respond. If you are seriously hurt, you won't be able to arrange this on the fly. That's why you ideally need a team of people who can help. That way there's a greater chance that at least one will be available should the need arise. You really do need to plan ahead.

Pick a coordinator
Consider starting with a coordinator. One call to this person, and he or she can call the people on the emergency care team and set up a schedule. After all, it may require a series of people coming over for a few hours each. The coordinator doesn't need to live close by. Or even know the others. A long-distance relative can be appropriate for the coordinator role as long as you've given them the contact numbers of the emergency team members who live near your loved one.

Choosing people to step in
Whether for a few hours or a few days, it's a wise idea to have 3-4 people on your emergency team who can be called to step in. Ideally they

know your relative fairly well;
would be recognized by your loved one (not necessarily a given in the case of dementia);
live close by;
have a key to the house or know where one is hidden;
have a work or family situation that could be flexible enough for leaving in an emergency.

Having several people on your team provides for the possibility that one may be sick, another on vacation, or simply that a few may not be available. Needless to say, you should ask about their willingness to serve as a possible stand-in for you. And if they say yes, you'll want to give them an orientation about the kinds of things that might come up in a 2- to 3-hour period.

Need a coordinator?
We can serve that vital role for you. As the north New Jersey experts in aging well, we understand your needs and can step in to coordinate your team if the unexpected doeshappen. We can even help you create a team. Give us a call at 973-627-4087.