Getting ready for eldercare is like going on an extended trip.  You pack your suitcase with the necessary items, such as toiletries, clothes, jackets and the like.  You may also pack a bathing suit just in case you might want to take a swim.  You might pack your tennis outfit just in case you get a match along the way.  Once you are packed and you leave for your trip, all your experiences occur in the moment.  You can’t pack for that chance meeting on the beach or that dinner that exceeded your expectations.

Eldercare preparation is very similar.  You need to pack for the trip so that you are prepared for the experiences in the moment.  So, when your mother goes to the hospital at 2AM, you have her medication list, her doctor list, her health care documents all readily at hand, for example.  Eldercare events tend to almost be surprises, at inconvenient moments, or in difficult situations.  Most people find themselves so unprepared to face unexpected events like a parent’s sudden illness, injury, or financial issue.  These events also tend to cascade, compounding the problems that might all seem to occur at once.

If you can prepare ahead of time for these events and compile some of the most helpful information and documents, you will be able to decrease your stress and strain exponentially.  In the coming weeks on this blog, I will be sharing some more helpful tips and info to help you prepare for eldercare, before the inevitable incidents happen.  It’s never fun to go on a trip without packing well!