Caregiving feels lighter when the work is clear and shared. A simple plan puts tasks, timing, and backups where everyone can see them. Start small and build a rhythm that lasts past this month. What would you hand off first if you could?
Write down every task you handled last week. Meds, appointments, rides, meals, bathing, laundry, bills, and check-ins. Assign owners and backups. Post the plan on the fridge and in a shared doc so siblings can step in without guesswork. The National Family Caregivers Month hub offers prompts and materials you can adapt. What task do you most want to hand off this month? Caregiver Action Network
Block respite time on the calendar. Choose two half days this month for someone else to cover care or bring in an aide. Use that time for your own medical visits, errands, or rest. Share the care plan with anyone stepping in so routines stay steady. Ask your local Assisted Living Locators advisor for vetted respite and adult day options near you. Assisted Living Locators+1
Reduce decision fatigue with simple systems. Prepack a week of meds in a locked organizer and set phone alarms for refills. Keep a go bag by the door with a medication list, insurance cards, and a one page health summary so ER visits are smoother. Join one support group and attend once this month. Our article on support groups outlines why peers lower isolation and share vendors that work. Assisted Living LocatorsTrack one measure that matters to you. Maybe it is your hours of sleep, the number of help asks you make, or days with a short walk. Share the number in your weekly family check in so others see the load and can adjust. When tasks outgrow the home, call us to compare assisted living or memory care with realistic budgets and timelines. Assisted Living Locators
