What if I get ill? The caregiver's emergency plan

I am the only person who looks after my husband. I live in terror of something happening to me. How do I prepare?

This fear is one of the most rational a caregiver can have — and the answer is not to push it away, it's to write a plan. Two hours of preparation buy years of peace of mind.

The emergency file

Prepare a folder (physical and digital, shared with someone trustworthy) with:

• Updated medication list (names, doses, times) and allergies;
• Contacts: doctor, family members, neighbours, carer, pharmacy;
• Written daily routine (times, what calms, what agitates, how they like things — the "Getting to Know Me" document is perfect for this);
• Documents: identification, health cards, insurance, power of attorney if one exists;
• House keys: a copy with a trusted person.

Backup people

• Arrange with two people (not one) what to do if you are suddenly unavailable: who will stay with him for the first 24 hours, who has the keys, who knows where the file is.
• Inform them BEFORE a crisis and show them the routine once.

Formal support

Find out now — before you need it — about emergency services in your area: home care, temporary respite/carer's break, and the local Alzheimer's association. Knowing who to call is invaluable in a crisis. And look after your own health with regular check-ups: Plan B is essential, but Plan A is you staying on your feet.

Sources: Alzheimer's Association; Family Caregiver Alliance (USA).