Care Plan 101: Developing An Excellent Client Driven Plan
A well-crafted care plan is a key component of your in-home caregiver experience.
Developing a thoughtful care plan, also known as a plan of care or POC is a very important step in directing the care you wish to receive. It helps to define your needs and expectations and allows a patient to communicate to their caregiver what support they require. This allows a patient’s in-home caregiver to proactively anticipate and respond to patient needs.
A care plan can change on a daily basis to meet the changing needs of a senior receiving in-home care. It is important to include family members in the development of your plan of care.
Your plan of care should include both essential tasks as well as possible suggestions. The in-home caregivers referred by Care We Trust can do many things to help a senior maintain their independence.
Click Here for a simple client directed plan of care.
In-home care is meant to help seniors maintain independence and age in place.
Often when someone requires assistance with key ADLs or activities of daily living they will need to consider hiring an in-home caregiver. ADLs are essential activities that most individuals need to be able to complete to function independently.
ADL's your in-home caregiver can assist with are:
Bathing: Bathing could include a traditional shower but can also include other personal hygiene such as sponge baths, bed baths, and other ways to clean oneself.
Dressing: Dressing could require full assistance putting on and removing clothes but could also include simply putting on socks.
Toileting: Toileting can include properly using a commode, getting up and down from the commode, and personal care after toileting.
Transfers: Transferring includes getting up and down from lying & sitting in beds, chairs, etc…
Ambulation: Ambulation includes walking from point a to b but can also include the use of a supportive device such as a walker, wheelchair, or other adaptive devices.
Continence: Continence includes the ability to maintain control of bowel and bladder functions. This can also include self-care when there is a loss of bowel or bladder function.
Feeding: Feeding refers to actually feeding oneself, not meal preparation.
Homemaking or IADL's (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living): Common tasks seniors receiving in-home care should consider adding to their care plan.
Homemaking/IADLs include many things a private caregiver can assist with. Often these tasks seem simple, but once someone cannot complete them independently it becomes obvious how important they are. Homemaking tasks are also key components of someone remaining independent.
Meal Preparation: Preparing and storing healthy and nutritious meals.
Light Housekeeping:Maintaining a clean environment. Light housekeeping includes vacuuming, dishes, tidying the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen.
Cosmetic Assistance: Cosmetic assistance can include many hygiene activities such as oral care, hair care, nail care (does not include cutting nails), makeup, shaving, lotions, etc..
Make and Change Bedding: Making a bed and changing linens with fresh bedding.
Medication Reminders: Reminding when to take routine medications but also other meds as directed by a physician and family.
Stabilization When Walking: Assisting as needed to make sure a client has the support and monitoring needed to be safe when walking.
Companionship: Companionship is often best defined by a family and varies. Companionship can include activities that engage and motivate a senior including, cards, reading, gardening, etc…
Laundry: Washing laundry, drying laundry, and folding laundry. Ironing and putting away laundry.
Monitoring For Safety: Monitoring for falls. Identifying and helping to manage household concerns and potential safety issues.
Accompany To Appointments: Accompany to Dr’s visits, help with communication, and recording details of the visit.
Assist With Shopping And Errands: Support in buying, carrying, and putting away groceries, and assisting as needed when shopping.
Pet Care: General pet support including scooping litter, removing pet waste, letting dogs out, walking dogs, and feeding pets.
Unsure where to start? We have a nurse for that.
Many seniors and their families are unsure what to include in their care plan. Fortunately our nurse, Beau Romero has the experience and training to help families develop a personalized care plan that delivers stability, support, and quality of life. This is accomplished by working together with the individual who knows the patient best, you.
No matter what your need, Care We Trust is here to help.
We can’t consider every scenario. That is why all care is directed by the patient and their family. Please feel free to use this template to develop your own care plan. We recommend that families develop a binder that is kept in the home. A family-developed client binder can include this plan of care as well as other important notes and details.
Don’t worry, CAre We Trust is here to help you every step of the way. Do you have questions? We have answers! just call 305-615-6350
This article is for informational purposes only, even if and regardless of whether it features the advice of physicians and medical practitioners. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. The views expressed in this article are the views of the expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Care We Trust..
