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Holmes for the Holiday /
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Holmes for the Holiday
(Page 1 of 2)
For those long distance caregivers
who are going home to visit your caregiving loved
ones, may I be so bold as to offer a few
suggestions.
Although it would be a bit inappropriate to walk
into your loved one’s home with an old trench coat,
large magnifying glass in hand and sporting a
Sherlock Holmes Deerstalker hat, nevertheless, my
dear Watson, you are on a case—the case I call “The
Holiday Visit of the Caregiver Detective.” (Cue
organ crescendo.)
When there, you need to be inquisitive without
becoming an inquisitor, but you might want to take
some time to look around the home for safety issues
including the following:
-
Stairs
Is there damaged or loose carpet on the
stairway?
Is the stairway well lit?
Are there any loose banisters?
Is there any way to rearrange the home setting
to reduce or even cancel the need for your loved
one to walk upstairs?
-
Bathrooms
Most emergency room visits from senior citizens
occur due to falls in the bathroom.
Are there throw rugs on the floor without proper
backing?
Are there grab rails where needed? (A towel rack
will do no good in a fall.)
Is there proper seating in the shower?
Peek into the medicine cabinets
and refrigerator for old medicines or foods.
Hold
Caregiver Board of Director meetings with your
fellow family members who will also be visiting.
Create a
holiday care plan for your caregiving loved one
so he or she can get out of the house to take some
time for themselves while you are there.
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