Why three shifts

The first shift shows you arrival and the first tasks. The second shows whether the gaps from the first one closed. The third shows whether the plan holds when the novelty is gone. By the end of the third shift you should know whether the schedule fits, whether the tasks fit the hours, and whether your parent accepts the new person.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Before the first shift

Confirm in writing the arrival time, the entry method, the first task list, and the phone number to call during the shift. Confirm who will meet the caregiver at the door, even if that is a phone call.

Steps

  1. Before the first shift, confirm the arrival time, entry method, first task list, and the call-back number in writing.
  2. During shift one, have someone present or make a call at a set time. Write down what was done and what was not.
  3. At the end of shift one, read the caregiver's note together. Ask what was unclear. Change the task list in writing, not in memory.
  4. During shift two, check whether the first gaps closed, whether the pace suits your parent, and whether the caregiver asked the questions the note left open.
  5. At the end of shift three, decide keep, change, or pause. Sign the note with the caregiver's name and the time.

Medicine stays with the family

A non-medical caregiver may give medication reminders and pick up prescriptions as an errand. Medicine supply, dosing decisions, and the pharmacy relationship stay with the family, the doctor, and the pharmacist. Check that every reminder matches the list the family holds.

Write it down

Arrival check result: ______________________

Gaps found in shift one: ______________________

Gaps closed by shift two, yes or no: ______________________

Decision at the end of shift three: ______________________

Signs to walk away

  • The caregiver does not leave a written note.
  • You cannot reach the caregiver or the agency during a shift.
  • The caregiver arrives without the task list you agreed on and does not ask for it.

The five-step path for hiring, including the first days, is on the Start Here page.