Creating a Care Team

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Overview

When a loved one has dementia, it can sometimes feel lonely and isolating. Take some time now to create your own “Care Team”, a group of people who may be able to help you when you need it. This can include a friend who comes to stay with your loved one while you get a haircut, a neighbor who picks up bread and milk for you when they’re at the store, or an eldercare attorney to create an Advance Directive.

Your Professional Care Team

When thinking about who to include on your team, it is important to look to the professional community around you. Some of those connections could include:

Geriatric Care Manager – They can help with finding resources you need.
Social Worker or another Therapist – These team members can provide emotional support, counseling, and help you find resources.
Doctors, Nurses or Other Healthcare Professionals – They can answer your healthcare questions and refer you to health care resources.
Eldercare Attorney – They can answer legal questions.
Financial Advisor or Planner – They can answer financial questions or help plan for the cost of you or your loved one’s care.
Home Healthcare Professionals or Adult Day Health Centers – These can both free up time for you to run errands, give you time to relax and allow you to go back to work.
Memory Care Centers or Assisted Living Facilities – They can take care of you or your loved one full-time when you can’t.

The CARE Partner Guide

Make A Care Team List

Take some time now to write down the names of people you can reach out to in times of need. You’ll have that list to refer to when necessary, and you’ll feel much better knowing that you have a team behind you. Discuss your caregiving role with the people on your list. If your loved one is in early stages of the disease, they can help you add people they trust to the list. Remember to write down the type of person, things they can help with and their contact information.

Your Personal Care Team

Along with the professional community, individuals and groups from your personal life are great additions to your Care Team. Some of those people include:

Friends and Family Members – They can provide emotional support, help with day-to-day things and help with finding resources you need.
Neighbors – They can also provide help with day-to-day things such as shopping and staying with your loved one as well as keeping an eye out for your loved one in case they wander.
Members of Your Community or Religious Group – They can provide emotional support and help you find resources.