Planning ahead: Predicting and managing future care needs for older adults

You can provide invaluable support to an elderly parent, partner, relative or friend,  by helping them to consider how their health and circumstances might change as the months and years go by. For example, they might experience a fall or face an emergency trip to the hospital or even find it more difficult to manage their affairs or live independently. By planning ahead, you can help them ensure that they can prevent avoidable suffering and ensure that their wishes and preferences are respected. 

Disclaimer: The checklist is not a substitute for advice – always seek professional help. Remember, professionals will not share information about a patient unless they have been permitted to do so.

How This Information Can Help You

  1. Frequently Asked Questions

    Common queries about planning ahead, including how to prepare for an emergency, use the Message in a Bottle kit and what to pack in an emergency grab bag.

    Read our FAQs

  2. Planning for Changes in Mental Capacity

    Prepare for future changes by setting up Legal Powers of Attorney and discussing care preferences early. Learn how to manage medications and understand DNAR orders to ensure your loved one’s wishes are respected during emergencies.

    Read our guides
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Planning Ahead Guides

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Preparing an Emergency Grab Bag: What to Take for a Hospital Stay

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Using a key safe: Accessing urgent help for elderly falls at home

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The Lions Club message in a bottle – the lifesaver in your fridge

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Explaining DNAR/DNR orders

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Lasting Powers of Attorney

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What happens if there is no power of attorney in place ?

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How Lasting Power of Attorney Can Help You Look After Your Loved One’s Financial and Property Affairs

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The Herbert Protocol: Reducing the risks people living with dementia go walking

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Planning for Changes in Mental Capacity

Help your elderly parents and relatives manage their affairs by setting up Legal Powers of Attorney and discussing their care wishes in advance of any problems. Manage medications, establish DNAR orders, and tailor emergency plans for their health needs. This ensures their preferences are respected, offering peace of mind.

Ebook: Helping You Look After Your Loved Ones

Our emergency eBook provides essential tips for managing common vulnerable situations older adults face, helping safeguard their physical, financial, and emotional well-being.

Download Here

Frequently Asked Questions about Planning Ahead

Discover our commonly asked questions about predicting and managing future care needs for older adults.

An emergency grab bag for an older adult should include essential items needed in case of a sudden hospital visit. These items include:

  • Personal Details: Name, address, date of birth.
  • Healthcare Contacts: GP and care team contacts.
  • Emergency Contacts: Names and numbers of those responsible for their care
  • Health Information: Medical conditions, current medications, allergies, sensitivities, and important test results (e.g., lung, heart, blood disorders).

Key Items to Pack

  • Medical Supplies: Medications, creams, inhalers.
  • Hearing and Vision Aids: Spectacles, hearing aids, and batteries.
  • Personal Care Items: Toothbrush, toothpaste, comb/brush, soap, towel, containment products.
  • Clothing: Comfortable clothes, non-slip footwear/slippers, clean underwear.
  • Miscellaneous: A small amount of money, mobile phone, and charger.

For a more detailed packing list, download the emergency preparedness eBook.

The Message in a Bottle initiative provides first responders with immediate access to vital medical information during an emergency. Participants fill out a standard form with their personal and medical details and store it in a designated bottle in the fridge. A sticker is placed on the fridge and inside the front door to alert emergency services that you are using the initiative. 

This initiative is important because it ensures that in the event of an emergency when a patient might be unable to communicate, first responders have the information necessary to provide appropriate care quickly. This can be crucial in preventing adverse reactions to medications or ensuring that chronic conditions are known before treatment.

To prepare your loved one mentally and emotionally for an emergency, maintain open communication about the necessity of emergency preparedness, involve them in creating the emergency plan so they feel in control, and conduct regular, stress-free drills to familiarise them with emergency preparedness. For a community of support and like-minded people caring for their loved ones, join our online platform, The Carents Lounge.

Yes, each emergency grab bag should be tailored to the individual and their specific health needs. This includes packing your loved one’s medications, necessary medical supplies, and detailed care instructions, including information on allergies, medical conditions, sensitivities, and important test results. You can also tailor the grab bag to your loved one by packing their favourite pyjamas, slippers, book, or music player, ensuring they feel comfortable in stressful situations. 

A key safe provides a secure method to store house keys outside the home, accessible by a code known to emergency responders and trusted people, such as neighbours, friends, and family. It ensures emergency responders can quickly enter the home in situations, such as a fall, where your loved one cannot open the door. This tool adds a layer of security and peace of mind, knowing that help can access the home quickly in an emergency and reduce the risks of a long lie.