5 Things To Provide Your Parent's In-Home Caregiver

If you have decided to hire an in-home caregiver to help with taking care of your elderly parent, you might be looking forward to someone being there to provide your loved one with care in the comfort of his or her own home. Of course, in addition to choosing the right caregiver for the job, you will also need to ensure that you provide the caregiver with the tools that he or she needs to get the job done. These are some of the things that you should make sure that your parent's in-home caregiver has when providing in-home care.

1. A List of Instructions

Take the time to write out a list of instructions for your parent's in-home senior caregiver. Provide any information that your loved one's doctor has given about his or her care -- such as foods that he or she cannot eat, activities that should be restricted or wound care that should be taken care of -- and write down things like a schedule for when your parent should be given certain medication or baths.

2. All Your Parent's Medications

One job that many in-home caregivers help with is administering medication. Before the in-home caregiver arrives, you'll need to check your parent's medication to determine if any refills are needed. You may want to drop off the prescriptions at the pharmacy and then pick them back up before the in-home caregiver arrives. Then, you will know that your parent has all of the medication that he or she needs.

3. Emergency Contact Numbers

If something goes wrong, the in-home caregiver might need to call for help. Consider providing a list of emergency contact numbers for the caregiver to call when needed. For example, you may want to provide your own phone number and the phone numbers for any family members who might live close by. You should also write down the phone numbers for your loved one's doctors and anyone else who might need to be contacted.

4. Household Cleaning Supplies

Many in-home caregivers will help with light cleaning around the house, but they probably will not bring their own cleaning supplies. Make sure that the house is well-stocked with any cleaning supplies that your parent prefers to have used in his or her house.

5. Groceries

Lastly, many in-home caregivers do help with preparing meals for the person who they are taking care of. Consider stocking up on foods that your parent likes to eat. Look for items that are relatively easy to cook for best results.