I know, I know,

​* the ones who taught us to drive, and now we're asking them to give up their keys
​* the ones who prepared our meals when we were growing up and now we have to make sure they're eating right
​* the ones who toilet trained us and now we're cleaning up their messes

In all of the many different paths along my CareGiver journey, all I have to say is: Plan Ahead!

Planning decreases stress levels, increases communication, and improves our Quality of Life.  Planning encompasses everything from knowing where and how to start, observing and assessing their safety and functional abilities, caring for yourself, dealing with dementia, CareGiver guilt, role reversal, and family issues.  Just for the record, medical, financial, and legal matters to when is it time for hospice, and end-of-life planning.

It's a long laundry list of planning: however, if you wait until the 'situation' confronts you...I can tell you it almost always leads to hard conversations, hurt feelings, and raw moments for everyone!
​
​So, in advance:
​
​1. spend more time with your parent(s), attend appointments, go shopping, drive them or have them drive you
​2. make sure they are safe indoors/outdoors, walking, transferring, laundry, cooking, managing medications
​3. make time for yourself, nap, listen to music, time with others, treat yourself
​4. educate yourself on the signs and symptoms of dementia
​5. role reversal needs patience, understanding, communication, empathy, and love
​6. financial paperwork needs to be organized and understood, elder care legal paperwork can keep those 'family issues' at bay and those siblings who don't help but are 'entitled' are able to see everything in writing and accounted for on behalf of your parent(s)
​7. pre-planning and end-of-life arrangements is necessary so your loved ones wishes are provided f for along with considering hospice home assessments in certain cases (this eases the tremendous burdens by providing a sense of peace and comfort)
​

We become our very own Assisted Living Facilities that's how!  I encourage you to take a tour in a couple of assisted living communities in your area to be able to understand what is provided for their 'residents' under their watch.  Becoming a 'multi-tasker' is an understatement.
​
​Assisted Living Facilities are staffed in every department:
​* Administrator
​* Financial/Banking
​* HouseKeeping/Laundry
​* Maintenance
​* Activities Director, Music, Entertainment
​* Transportation Services
​* Nursing Assistants
​* Dining Room/Kitchen
​* Social Atmosphere
​* Essentially your loved one's HealthCare Advocates (when no one is appointed)
​

Communication is in my experience one of the most important areas of CareGiving...in any relationship for that matter.  Be sincere, loving, empathetic, and understanding, and you'll be the best possible advocate you can be!
​
​Remember this simple awareness:
​"Words may help you understand something, but experience allows you to know.  Never ever trade your own experience for someone else's words about anything that is really important...like God for instance, or Love, or what is true about another."
​-Neale Donald Walsch/Conversations with God
​
​Be well my fellow CareGivers!