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Episode 28: Creating a Care Plan That Works for Your Family
67 Plays2 months ago
Are you caregiving in crisis mode? You're not alone—and you don't have to keep doing it that way. In this episode of The Aging Parent Playbook, Dr. Barbara Sparacino—psychiatrist, aging parent coach, and fellow sandwich generation member—walks you through how to create a care plan that actually works for your family.
You’ll learn:
- ✅ The 4 essential parts of a truly comprehensive care plan
- ✅ How to get your family on the same page (without constant conflict)
- ✅ How to adapt your plan as your parent’s needs evolve
Whether you’re deep in the caregiving journey or just starting to notice changes in your parent’s abilities, this episode is packed with practical steps you can implement right now.
🎁 Don’t miss the FREE Care Plan Guide at www.theagingparentcoach.com to help you take action today.
It’s not about perfection—it’s about preparation.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Care Plans
00:00:00
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Hi everyone, and welcome back to the Aging Parent Playbook. I'm your host, Dr. Barbara Sparacino, psychiatrist, aging parent coach, and fellow member of the sandwich generation. Today, we're diving into a topic that can truly change their caregiving game.
Challenges Without a Plan
00:00:17
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Creating a care plan that actually works for your family. Let's be honest, most families are just trying to keep their heads above water when it comes to caregiving. They're reacting to problems in real time.
00:00:29
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There's usually no roadmap, no designated roles and no long-term strategy. Does that sound familiar? But here's the thing, crisis mode caregiving is exhausting and not sustainable.
Benefits of a Care Plan
00:00:43
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Having a care plan in place changes everything. It reduces stress, it cuts down on arguments, it helps your parent get better care and it helps you show up in a way that aligns with your values, not just your calendar.
00:00:57
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So in today's episode, we're going to cover the four essential parts of a comprehensive plan, how to get your family on the same page, and how to adjust your plan as your parents' needs evolve over time.
00:01:14
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Whether
Components of a Care Plan
00:01:15
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you're already deep in the caregiving trenches or just starting to notice your parents slowing down, this episode is packed with practical tips you can start using today.
00:01:27
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Let's get into it.
00:01:33
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So what are the four essential parts of a care plan? Let's start with the basics. A real care plan, the kind that helps you sleep at night, covers more than just medication reminders or who's picking up mom from physical therapy.
00:01:50
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Here
Managing Medical Needs
00:01:51
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are the four essential components you need to include. First, we have medical care. This one seems obvious, you know, but it's often incomplete.
00:02:04
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Ask yourself, who's managing your parents' doctor's appointments? Is someone keeping a running list of medications, side effects and interactions? Do you have access to the patient portal?
00:02:17
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Are you part of the care team? If your parent is seeing multiple specialists or if you have siblings in other states, is it easy for information to get scattered? That's why I recommend designating one medical point person.
Daily Living Support
00:02:33
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It doesn't have to be the person doing the physical caregiving, but someone should be responsible for tracking appointments, test results, and clinician communication.
00:02:45
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If possible, use a shared document or an app like CaringBridge or CareZone or even a simple shared Google Doc to keep the whole family in the loop. The second part is daily living support.
00:03:00
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So also known as activities of daily living or ADLs, things like bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, mobility. This is the part of caregiving that can sneak up on you.
00:03:13
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One week your dad's fine getting in and out of the shower and the next week he slips and falls. So this part of the plan needs to include what help is needed now, who is providing,
00:03:26
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the help. What's the backup plan if that person can't step in?
00:03:34
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You may decide to rotate responsibilities among family members or you might choose to hire in-home help. Either way,
Financial and Legal Planning
00:03:41
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be realistic about capacity, not just intention.
00:03:47
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Number three is financial and legal planning. This is a section most families avoid until they can't avoid it anymore. I've seen so many adult children caught off guard because their parents didn't have a will or didn't grant power of attorney or had assets that no one knew how to access.
00:04:07
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This part of the plan should answer, are finances organized and accessible? Has someone been granted durable power of attorney?
00:04:21
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Are medical directives, wills and trusts completed? Don't worry, if this isn't all figured out yet, that's okay.
Emotional and Social Wellbeing
00:04:29
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What matters is that it becomes a priority. You don't want to be sorting through these details in an emergency room, trust me.
00:04:36
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And the fourth one is emotional and social wellbeing. This is the most overlooked section of a care plan and often the most important. Your parent isn't just a list of tasks and medical issues.
00:04:51
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They're a human being who still wants joy, meaning and connection.
00:04:57
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So ask, are they socially engaged?
00:05:03
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Are they participating in activities that bring them purpose? Are they emotionally supported? Maybe it's weekly visits with grandkids. Maybe it's a book club or a church group or gardening.
00:05:17
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Whatever it is, don't skip this part. Mental
Family Dynamics and Communication
00:05:20
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health is just as crucial as physical health and aging well.
00:05:33
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Now let's talk about the elephant in the room, family dynamics. If you've ever tried to plan care with multiple siblings, in-laws or extended family, you know it's rarely simple.
00:05:44
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Everyone has different opinions, different levels of availability, different interpretations of what's best. That's why your care plan should include a family communication strategy.
00:06:00
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Here's how i recommend approaching it. Hold a family meeting, whether it's in person or virtual, gather the key players and clearly define roles. Who's handling finances?
00:06:12
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Who's checking in on medications? Who's coordinating care? This isn't about making everything fair. It's about making things functional.
00:06:23
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Not everyone can do the same amount but everyone can do something. Even if a sibling lives far away, maybe they can be in charge of coordinating appointments or handling insurance claims.
00:06:36
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Second, put the plan in writing. You'd be amazed how much conflict disappears when things are written down. Who's doing what, when it's happening, and what the backup plan is if something changes.
00:06:51
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A written care plan isn't just a document, it's a shared agreement. It creates accountability and reduces miscommunication. Three,
Flexibility and Adaptation
00:07:03
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stay flexible.
00:07:04
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Look, people change, needs change, schedules change, and your care plan will need to change too. The key is keeping communication open, nonjudgmental, and focused on solutions.
00:07:17
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Sometimes you'll need to renegotiate roles. Sometimes you'll need to bring in outside help. That's not failure, it's adapting. Which brings us to our final segment, adapting the plan as needs change.
00:07:33
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One of the biggest myths about care plans is that you create one and you're done. But the truth is care plans are living documents. Your parents' health may improve or decline.
00:07:48
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Their mobility may change. Their emotional needs may shift. Family built availability may vary. And that's why I recommend a care plan check-in every three to six months.
00:08:00
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Set a reminder, block 30 minutes.
00:08:04
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Ask yourself, what's working? What's not working? Are there new concerns? Does anyone need more support? This
Conclusion and Resources
00:08:13
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check-in isn't just for logistics.
00:08:15
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It's also for emotions. Sometimes resentment builds. Sometimes burnout creeps in. Talking about this early prevents a lot of heartache alo later.
00:08:27
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If you're overwhelmed, ask for help. Caregiving isn't meant to be a solo sport.
00:08:35
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Let me leave you with this. Caregiving is smoother when you have a plan. Even if you don't have it all figured out yet, even if the conversations feel awkward, it's better to start somewhere than to stay stuck in chaos.
00:08:51
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And to make it easier, I've created a program to help you.
00:09:00
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If you log onto my website, theagingparentcoach.com, you can find it under the Aging Parent Care Course.
00:09:12
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It's not about perfection, it's about preparation. And that's what the Aging Parent Playbook is all about. Thanks for joining me today. And if you found this helpful, I'd be so grateful if you leave a review or share this episode with someone you love.
00:09:28
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Take care and I'll see you in the next one.