Planning care for an ageing parent

Care for an older parent rarely starts with a plan. It usually starts with an incident, and whoever is nearest becomes the coordinator. Some of it is easier to arrange before that point.

Know what is already in place

• Which doctors they currently see, and for what
• What they take regularly, and who prescribed it
• Which hospital holds their earlier records

Decide who coordinates

When several family members are involved, care gets arranged twice or not at all. Agreeing who books and who is called first prevents both.

Consider what can happen at home

Home visits, home nursing and sample collection at home all remove journeys that are tiring for someone who is unwell. For routine follow-ups this is often the difference between care that happens and care that gets postponed.

Keep everyone informed

Bookings and documents held in one place mean the family member who is not present can still see what was arranged, without a phone call to find out.