Keeping a “To Do” List When Caring for an Alzheimer’s Patient
How do you keep track of what you need to do each day, week, and month when caring for your family member with Alzheimer’s? You have their needs and affairs to think about as well as your own. You may be running two households…theirs and yours. They may be living with you. Or they may be in a nursing home, yet still need you to oversee their care.
How do you keep from feeling frazzled and torn in many directions with their care, your affairs, and a family that might include children?
There’s no one answer that meets everyone’s needs. However, I found that by writing a “to do” list helped organize my day and my life. I got more done if I had this to refer to.
At first I wrote everything down nightly or first thing in the morning, rewriting what I didn’t accomplish that day and adding new tasks and appointments. However, I eventually found a weekly calendar or notebook worked best for me. It enabled me to look ahead, cross off what I’d accomplished, or make a notation beside items I’d started on. Somehow this made me feel more productive than the daily list with so many left over at the end of the day.
I also tried to prioritize what I abolutely needed to do that week and put the other items near the end of the list or in a second column on the page. On the opposite page of the notebook, I jotted down throughout the week journal type entries I could refer to later if I needed.
*Some use a business planner that has been designed for this.
*Develop your own notebook that works for you.
*Use a white board on the wall with your list on it…at least a daily list that might reinforce your notebook.
*Use a reminder program on your computer
I’ve tried various plans and found a simple notebook with a list for the week works best for me. Each Sunday I review what I’ve accomplished for the week and what I need to carry over to the next week. I’ve continued this type of “to do” list evern though Mother is no longer alive.
What have you found that works best for you?
I’d enjoy having you share your system with us.
Tags: Alzheimers, Alzheimers+Disease, Alzheimers+journal, daily+planner, dementiaRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Care, General, Inspiration-Encouragment
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