Caregiving Hacks & Tips

A Rolling List of Ideas

Hello, Dear Reader! Welcome to our new Carer Mentor community members!

I’m Victoria. You can read why I’m publishing Carer Mentor here: Who Started Carer Mentor and Why?

Let’s consolidate our hacks and tips to help each other!

Coming soon ‘Giving and Receiving Care—an Anthology of Articles’ from our Carer Mentor Community friends. I hope we can share insights and synergise our efforts to support each other.

This article provides a reference list of Tips, Hacks and Ideas that help us daily.

Drop any hacks and tips in the comments.

Please ‘❤️’ LIKE the article so others can benefit from our experiences.

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Table of Contents

Priming for Hospital

At Home Monitoring

At Home

• Organising

• Eating and Drinking

• Gadgets, gifts and innovations

• Showering

• Sleeping

• Safety

Outside, Away from Home

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Priming for Hospital

1. Hospital ‘Go Bag’ for Emergencies

   • Short-sleeved pyjamas (so the canula/injections into veins is not impeded)

   • One change of clothes, including a cardigan, as one arm may need to be out for injections/a cannula. E.g., a vest or a tee shirt (no buttons or zips). E.g. Trousers, tapered ankles/jogger pants, socks, fleece.

   • Warm dressing gown that can be used as a blanket over the thin hospital blankets. Patient rooms get cold at night. A long, warm dressing gown can also act as an overcoat.

   • Bed socks with rubber grips on the soles. It is better than taking shoes/slippers on and off

     • Poor circulation can make feet cold at night. The grips can offer extra reassurance in bathrooms

     • Pyjama bottoms can be tucked into socks if they're a bit long.

   • Small towel & Washbag: small liquid soap, flannel, small travel-size toothpaste, toothbrush, headphones, earplugs (noisy on a ward), pen, post-its, phone charger.

   • Face wipes and toilet wet wipes. Roll of toilet paper. Why do hospitals only have thin sheets of single-dispensed paper? Not great for toileting.

   • A half-empty tissue box to act as a holder e.g. spectacles on the bed table. OR Spectacles case and large tissues

   • Small bag of current medications NOT full pack, as we rarely get them back.

2. Caregiver's Go Bag for ambulance trips.

   1. Essential patient reference documents:

      1. List medications (dose and frequency of administration), including allergies to medication or latex (dressings/plasters). Five copies

      2. Medical history summary- highest priority conditions, last investigations, incl. CT, PET, MRI, endoscopy, colonoscopy, biopsy, and blood tests (haemoglobin, blood clotting factors, cancer markers). Five copies

      3. Name of primary care physician/GP and surgery practice

   2. Small notebook and pen, to write down the names of EVERY person, doctor, nurse, health care assistant, each paramedic. Names and titles in a book and using them in conversation is essential.

   3. YOUR PHONE! The simplest most important thing and I missed stating it. Thanks to

      Dawn-Renée Rice
      for highlighting the phone, and important info as the giver/receiver of care!

      making sure your phone is set up that emergency contacts and medical information is accessible in case of incapacitation, like in an accident or something.

      Especially with blood type in case of needing a blood transfusion. I have O negative RH negative blood type and can only receive that type. O positive or any other can be harmful, for example.

   4. Powerpack to recharge your phone: One of the best buys. Check your phone's compatibility.

   5. I don’t take headphones or ear pieces for my phone because I need to overhear everything people are saying, AND listen out for symptoms changing.

   6. Protein bar and individually wrapped biscuits. To avoid hypoglycaemia, I carry these in any bag we take to appointments.

   7. A bottle of water with a plastic straw, because no one can drink from a bottle lying down, and a paper straw dissolves fast.

   8. Tissues, wet wipes, small towel/flannel.

   9. Depending on your family member's needs: incontinence pad x 2, underwear, wet wipes.

   10. Plastic trash bags for dirty clothes/waste

   11. Cotton washable scarf that can double as a shawl/blanket/pillow

   12. Face mask and hand sanitiser.

   13. Cash for a taxi. Twice I needed to ride in the ambulance and needed a taxi to get home around midnight. Have a local taxi company number ready.

At Home Monitoring

1. No Touch Forehead thermometer. Purchased September 2024.

   1. If your loved one is immunocompromised and has a temperature over 38’C use a cold wet flannel on their forehead to bring down their temperature.

      I’ve been advised to call for an ambulance at this temperature. It’s worth priming yourself with medical advice for ‘Alarm symptoms’ and ‘what to do when…’ scenarios.

2. Oximeter: Pulse and Oxygen saturation Similar to the one we purchased in 2020

   1. Pulse Oximeter(Amazon) and How to use a Pulse Oximeter at home video. Normal Oxygen Saturation 95-100%

   2. NHS (published in 2022) How to use a Pulse Oximeter and a handy tracking sheet.

5. Blood Pressure Monitor Similar to the one we purchased in 2017

   1. How to use a Blood Pressure Monitor (British Heart Foundation Webpage and video)

At Home

Organising

1. A Caregiver Organiser in How to Reduce Stress During Caregiving. Journaling to Track and Organize by

   Janine De Tillio Cammarata
   (Thanks, Janine!).

   1. Janine’s shared some prompts for journaling and generously shared an excel template of how she has tracked information. ‘This excel file is generic so you can input medications/doctors/hospital visits for yourself or anyone you’re caring for. Again, it’s what works for me’

2. There is no right or wrong way to track, monitor medications, appointments etc. It IS IMPORTANT to track things. Here’s a list of information points we track:

   1. Day, date, purpose of visit/consultation, doctor/medic’s name, questions going into the consult, potential outcomes/actions/tests, medications (brand name, the in brackets drug name), dosage (milligrams), formulation (patch, tablet, capsule, sublingual, liquid)

   2. Date of next appointment and follow-up checks

   3. Who will receive copies of letters / communications (so far there has only been a few letters that have been 100% correct).

   4. Summary of key information points, and any changes to current medications and tests with a view to sharing this with the other doctors.

Eating and Drinking

1. A thermos cup

   1. a large grip handle, for those with arthritic gnarled hands, or who have difficulty gripping smooth cups/glasses

   2. slide-close, not a twist or difficult clip or knob. A Slide closure is easier for arthritic fingers

   3. a large stable base, to reduce spills

   4. not too tall - like a mug, to avoid knocking it over

2. A Push-Button top thermos (Similar to the one we purchased in 2016). I make 6-8 cups of tea with sugar and milk, fill up the flask and use this overnight instead of making single cups of tea. It stays hot for around 8-10 hours. I usually pour tea into the thermos cup.

   1. Beware if you have milk in the tea/coffee ensure you wash out the thermos everyday to avoid soured milk, or bacteria build up. Best option no milk

   2. Also really good for hot juices and squash e.g. Ribena or Robinsons orange.

3. Small travel kettle is a blessing if you need to quickly make a cup of tea for yourself or a loved one in their bedroom, in the middle of the night. When things are a little unstable, night times can be the most difficult. Sometimes, getting out of bed and having a warm drink can be worthwhile, to have a deeper sleep afterwards.

4. A Cool-bag is a low cost way of keeping water or other drinks cold in a bedroom. Or a little milk in a water bottle for the overnight cup of tea or ovaltine.

   1. On Amazon you can find small portable fridges that can keep things cold or warm. These can be used at home or on car journeys with the different cable power cables.

5. A transparent water bottle to measure fluid intake

6. Fortified drinks for when loved ones can’t eat much. They have a dense consistency but can work in a little porridge/cereal. e.g. Fortisips, Ensure, Nutricia’s Nutilis. They’re available on Amazon or ask your pharmacy.

7. Dense liquid honey is a great alternative to throat lozenges/cough sweets. A teaspoon is enough to coat the throat. Even after a drink of water, it still coats the throat and helps with a dry cough.

   1. If the person you're caring for dozes off to sleep with their mouth open, their throat dries quickly.

   2. Honey is sometimes better than lozenges/sweets to avoid a risk of choking when they fall asleep

Gadgets and Innovations

1. A grabber stick with a magnet and rotating end.

   1. This avoids the need to bend down to pick things up, i.e decreases the risk of a fall

   2. Helpful for pickup up keys that have landed in a tight spot.

2. A sock putter-oner. If you've ever pulled a back muscle, you know how difficult it can be to wear socks. This makes things much easier

3. Button hook: Small buttons on shirts and blouses can be tricky to fasten. This makes it easier

4. Amazon has a section called 'Mobility and Daily Living Aids'- it's classified under healthcare in the UK shop. If you look at the left column you'll see various subcategories of aids.

5. We used Ability Superstore(UK mobility aids)

   1. Ultimate Buying Guide for 2024 - Top 10 Mobility Aids (July 2 2024)

   2. Ultimate Buying Guide for 2024 - Top 10 Bathing Aids (June 13, 2024)

   3. Did you know that if you or the person you're caring for has a chronic long term condition or illness, your purchase is exempt from VAT in the UK? VAT Exemption

6. Keeping cool in Summer MENO COOL Scarf Cooling Gel Neck WRAP I bought two of these, and they work! From Amazon:

   • The Meno Cool Scarf is a Simple & Natural but Effective Cooling Aid for Hot Flushes, Power Surges or Tropical Moments!

   • Completely Natural: The Process of Evaporation Means No Refrigeration Or Freezing is Required.

   • Amazing Cooling Effect: When worn, the retained water in the crystal gel evaporates and draws away body heat from the carotid arteries.

   • Simple to Use: Just soak the scarf in water until the crystals have swelled completely, towel dry and use.Re-activate at any time by a short re-soak.

   • Dry Cooling Comfort: The special crystals in the back of the scarf when soaked in water expand and stay cold for up to two days without feeling wet.

7. Here’s an article of 10 Gifts for Chronically Ill People! A quick gift guide by

   Luna Rose Ferguson
   . Worthwhile browsing for ideas! Thanks Luna Rose.

Showering

1. Shower chairs and mobile aids

2. A neat idea is to put a bar of soap in a wash bag that acts like a loofah for exfoliation. An alternative to soap-on-a-string. This helps avoid accidents in the shower, from bending down to pick up the soap and falling over.

3. Some bottles of shower gel and shampoo are on hooks that can hang from rails, so that you don’t have to handle bottles.

4. Batiste Dry Shampoo, No Rinse Spray to Refresh Hair in Between Washes

5. Shampoo and conditioner Caps, No Water, no rinsing. 3 pk - Premium Rinse Free Shampoo Cap - Microwaveable with Conditioner & Vitamins, Nourish & Protect, No Water, No Parabens, Latex Free, Alcohol Free with 1 Pack of Limdo Gloves.

   These are easy ways to wash hair if someone has mobility issues, or dislikes lots of water. This is not the brand I used but it has better reviews!

   

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Sleeping

1. A V-shaped pillow is a good idea for anyone who is coughing or tends to cough. This could be due to some accumulation of fluid in the lungs, a chest infection, or oedema (fluid) due to impaired heart function.

   1. Normal pillows will slide apart if you put them in a V shape, or they may be too soft

   2. I used to bend the ends of the inverted V so it would sit more easily and added normal pillows to embrace Dad. He'd slide down a bit as he fell asleep, but this way, he could drift off to sleepinstead of coughing and fluid building up.

Here's a video. I didn't buy this but you can see how the end sections support and embrace the user. "The V Shaped Pillow is ideal to give you extra support when sitting up in bed or while sitting in a chair. With three individually filled sections, with extra support in the centre section, the V shaped Pillow provides support where you need it.  It can also be used on your lap for working, feeding your baby or reading."

10 Best Sleeping Upright Pillow In The UK published 12 July 2024I think the batwing pillow looks the most interesting as it has all round support. However, I've not purchased any of these. Take a look at the different types

At Home safety

1. Resource/Tools: 'Home-aids' What's worked for us. Food for thought, not a promotion.

2. An old fashioned whistle on a string. It’s good on plane life jackets to call for attention AND at home! This worked with Dad, and I’ve given one to family friends where the wife was fainting and couldn’t get her husband’s attention downstairs.

3. Be safe lifting your loved one from seated position and around the house

Outside, Away from Home

1. Wheelchair bags and pouches can be fixed at the back of the wheelchair. (e.g. Amazon). I prefer to use a small bag/backpack that I carry

2. Beware that you’ll need a waterproof poncho/blanket to cover the user and around the chair in the rain. Otherwise, the seat and their bottom will get wet. (A coat may not be big enough.)

3. Wheelchair 'Driving' and use Two videos that I found useful from the NHS (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)

If we were at a kerb with no ramp, I would go down backwards with the wheelchair to ensure there was no tipping forward in our Transit Wheelchair. I would go forward up the kerb.             

         

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