A few quick tips for caregivers

In the past month I have facilitated two support groups and met with almost a dozen families coping with end stage dementia and PD. These are a few of their tips- I love them!

• If you are a single caregiver, your loved one needs a LifeAlert-type alarm in case of emergency. That's a given. But do you have an emergency bracelet that says "I am a caregiver. My spouse lives alone. Please send someone to check on them"? Do you have your ICE (n Case of Emergency) contact in your phone, and attached to your car Bluetooth/GPS if you have one?
• Do you have a plan for evacuation if you are in a fire/flood zone and you are caught away from home? Is there a designated back-up system?
• Do you have a meds sheet accessible to anyone who might be there? It doesn't take a lot to take pics of the meds and attach them to a list of meds and how you give them and when. Remember- not every helper can read the tiny print on the med bottles. A picture is worth a thousand .02 font words.
• Is the DNR posted- if you have one?
• If your loved one is using a cup with a lid and straw sometimes the straw moves too much- especially for shaky hands. Auto parts and hardware stores sell "O rings" for engines that will slide over the straw and down to the base, holding the straw in one position. No more chasing!
• Do you tell your loved one to stop for a count of ten when they first get up? That time can prevent falls. You have to use the word "Stop." We are all conditioned to follow that command.
• STOP signs on doors can and do prevent wandering.

I'll be back with more wise words from other carers (That's the British term for caregivers- and I like it much better!).