Professionals Who Care’s Post

How would you feel if you had to make the call not to include a family member in travel plans or family gatherings because of their symptoms of dementia? This decision is super common for caregivers over the holidays. It can be heartbreaking and also stir up feelings of self-doubt and a deep sense of guilt, even when it’s truly impossible or clearly not in the person’s best interest to travel or participate in a gathering. I am here to remind caregivers that it is okay to take time for themselves and enjoy this holiday season. To ease this stress, I shared preparatory tips for when someone else is stepping in as a caregiver while they’re away. Here’s what I wrote to them on my social media: 1️⃣ Make sure they know your person’s goal of care – Even if the caregiver isn’t authorized to make medical decisions, they can still be a better advocate when they understand the overall goal: whether it’s prolonging life, focusing on quality of life, or prioritizing comfort. 2️⃣ Give them access to the documents – Ensure the caregiver knows where to find the medication list, as well as important medical order forms like DNR or POLST documents. 3️⃣ Have a contact plan – If you’re aiming to be off the grid, make sure they know how to reach you in a true emergency and preferably another decision-maker or advocate as a back up. If you feel this would be helpful for some of your clients, please feel free to share!