33. How To Create a Care Plan: Five Essential Tips / Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias

Are you prepared for others to take care of your loved one? Do you have a care plan in place? Having a comprehensive care plan is one of the most important tools a caregiver can create — not just for emergencies, but for everyday peace of mind.

We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, we’ve learned the importance of creating a care plan for our loved one. We spoke with Amanda Lukoff, co-founder and CEO of Eleplan, about what a care plan is and how to create one that works for your unique situation.

Amanda's journey to creating Eleplan was deeply personal. Her brother Liam, who has autism, is her "North Star" and the inspiration behind her career path, including going to law school for special education law. Through observing her parents' caregiving journey with Liam, Amanda recognized the need to capture all the knowledge that lived in her parents' heads so that others could provide care that truly honored who Liam is as a person.

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Website: https://www.thecaregiversjourney.com
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Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Additional Resources Mentioned
Episode 32: Navigating The Caregiver Hiring Process https://thecaregiversjourney.com/32-n...
Eleplan Website: https://www.eleplan.com/
Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregi...

Full Show Notes
https://thecaregiversjourney.com/33-h...

Takeaways
Tip 1: Start with the Basics
The first step in creating a care plan is to document the essential information that would allow someone to provide short-term care (even for just 30 minutes) while you step out.
This includes:
Emergency contacts
Medications and dosages
High-level meal preferences
Allergies
Relevant medical conditions

Tip 2: Outline Preferences and Daily Routines
Your care plan should include:
Likes and dislikes
Daily schedule and routines
Bedtime and morning rituals
Behavioral patterns
Emotional triggers (both positive and negative)

Tip 3: Document What to Do in an Emergency
What constitutes an emergency for your loved one
When to call 911 vs. other resources
Who to contact and in what order
Special instructions for EMTs or ER staff
Location of important medical documents

Tip 4: Collect Key Contacts and Documents

Insurance cards
Healthcare directives
Power of Attorney documents
Guardianship forms
Medical history and medication lists

Tip 5: Keep Everything Accessible and Current
A care plan is only effective if it's up-to-date and easily accessible. Amanda frames this with an important question:
"Do I have a system that is as dynamic as the needs of my loved one and the ever-changing piles of documents and information?"
Whether you're using a physical binder, shared digital documents, or a specialized platform like Eleplan, the key is having a system that makes updates easy and ensures the information is available whenever and wherever it's needed.

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