Staying Organized When a Family Member is Sick

Caring for an elderly parent of family member can be overwhelming and confusing. Especially when they unexpectedly get sick and need to be hospitalized. Below is a general scenario.

The hospital has done all they can do to help your sick family member. They are now going to discharge your parent to a rehabilitation facility and they have twenty-days there that will be paid for by Medicare. What happens if they aren't fully recovered in twenty-days and they need additional help?

This scenario is something my "partners in crime" and I hear a lot in our employment. I call them "partners in crime" because they are the best girls ever to work with and they truly care about the folks we work with.

In some instances the hospital or rehabilitation center may have a social worker available to help you and offer guidance. He or she may make referrals for you. Individuals from various agencies may come in and talk to your family member or you about the services they have to offer.

Sounds overwhelming, right? It can be. When I call individuals they tend to get the agencies confused and forget which services they offer. It's already overwhelming handling day to day duties, and now you're trying to stay organized to determine the best way to care for your family member.

Here is some advice to stay organized.

Keep a folder on hand. Chances are the person coming to speak to with you is going to leave a pamphlet or some sort of information about their program. Take notes. They are likely going to give more information than what is in the packet. Ask questions and write down those answers. Keep everything compiled together. Try to keep all information as organized as possible because you are going to want to review it.

I also advise asking for more than one business card. I say this in case you have other family members involved in the decision and they can call and ask questions or maybe set up a meeting for themselves.

One thing I do say to individuals when they tell they may have to put their family member in a nursing home, is don't make an appointment. When you make an appointment with a nursing home, there is a possibility you won't see the true picture. Walk in unannounced. Look around and observe how the staff interacts with the residents. What activities are going on? Is the nursing home clean? Are there odors?

I hope you find this helpful. When things happen unexpectedly, sometimes it's hard to think of the best way to stay organized and take in all the information given to you.