One of the hardest parts of long-distance caregiving is keeping all of the balls in the air. The more organized you are, the less stressed you are. Checklists and calendars are a great help, and there are many wonderful tools available to facilitate communication between you and the person you are caring for, as well as between your caregiving resources, and among those who need to know within your family.
Everyone should take the time to put their affairs in order, but this is especially true in the case of long-distance caregiving. It is critical that you have all of the information that you need to handle your loved one's affairs at your fingertips, and that you have the appropriate permissions in place to tackle issues as they arise. Establishing a family transition plan is the best way to make sure that you are prepared.
Think about what will happen in an emergency. Who will be your loved one's advocate if she falls and has to be taken to the emergency room? How quickly can you (or another family member) arrive on the scene? If your loved one lives in an area with blizzards, hurricanes, brushfires, or earthquakes, what is the emergency plan? How will you remain informed? Does your loved one know what to do and who to call?
We'd love to get to know you. Does your family have a transition plan?
