Planning is the key to ensuring that you and your loved one get the industry’s best caregiving services.

One of the advantages of the seniors and elderly patients today, aside from the technological advancements in medicine, is the lessons we have acquired over many years of caregiving practices. Today, families are wise enough to look ahead into the future and make preparations for their loved ones entering old age. More and more people are now conscious and convinced of the importance of health insurance and care plans. The book One Caregiver’s Journey by Eleanor Gaccetta features many challenges and lessons of family caregiving that have inspired us to look closely at the importance of creating a care plan for you and your loved ones.

The perfect time to design a care plan is when we are in good health, not when we are currently or about to face a health crisis. Being in good shape allows you to design a sound plan, look for the right provider, and gather the necessary resources. Creating a care plan is a lot like choosing a retirement plan- the sooner you decide on it, the better your chances of getting a better deal.

Identifying the possible issues and challenges you might encounter is essential in creating a caregiving plan.

Planning allows you to identify the key issues you will be facing and make contingency plans within your plan, thereby reducing stress and uncertainty. But first things first, you need to identify what type of illness or care services you or your loved one might need in the future. From there, you will be able to choose what type of care plan, set expectations, prepare logistics, and the setting. Pointing out the possible issues and challenges also helps you and your loved ones prepare physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. To have a clear picture of your plan, you need an executive check-up and get a care need assessment or diagnosis. Research on the illness you are likely to encounter in the future. Caregiving experts refer to this at North Dakota State University as “sizing up the situation .” It’s the first strategy in any care plan as it allows you to have baseline information that will guide your decisions.

Designing a plan that will cater to the patient’s specific needs is vital in any care plan.

Once you are done with sizing up, it’s time for the detail and logistics. There are four significant considerations with designing a care plan- financial, legal, health-care, and home considerations. It is essential to know your resources- assets and liabilities. You also need to prepare accounts, Social Security, stocks, insurance policies, retirement or pension benefits, debts, mortgages, loans, and other transactions related to finances. Most of these documents are also part of legal considerations, including income tax returns, primary individual documents, property settlements, and other documents that will help determine if you or your loved one is eligible for public programs or aid. Health care consideration refers to the frailty and health of your family, their preferences in terms of health care services, and so on. Housing considerations refer to the adaptability of a family member’s home. More care plans involve home care. You would want a home that is conducive for caregiving- safe, sanitized, patient-friendly, and equipped with all the necessary technology and amenities for a home care program.

Last but not least is forming your support team and logistics. The support team covers many areas with specific functions. They include personal care, household care, health care, emotional care, supervision, finance, transportation, and communication. In completing your Caregiving Plan with these areas in mind, you should also be able to identify or enlist your support members (siblings, other family members, friends, neighbors, and their expected role or contribution. Lastly, you should be able to answer the three essential questions in your plan:

• What can you do in providing for care needs?
• What assistance will I need with the caregiving situation?
• Who will comprise my caregiving team (informal supports)?
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One important thing to remember when constructing a care plan is that situations change, and one must be able to make decisions according to the current situation and development. The plan is there to guide and help you prepare all, if not the necessary things needed, to ensure you and your loved one are well taken care of.