A care worker meets with an older parent and an adult child at home.

Notes for when I am away

A few days away is easier when the person filling in has everything on one page.

One page. Fill it in on screen, or print it.

How to use it

Once a trusted helper agrees to step in, walk through the plan with them before you leave.
The sheet covers your dates, how to reach you, a backup person, what needs doing and when, where the care papers and supplies are, and the warning signs to watch for.
Keep it to care steps the helper can do safely.

Handing over care for a few days

Write these notes after a relative or friend agrees to stay. Use your parent’s routine and care notes, and show the helper where things are: the care folder, the supplies, and the meals.

If the helper gives medicine, review the current directions together and check today’s notes on what was taken. A blank does not prove a missed dose. If anyone is unsure, ask your parent, the last helper, or the pharmacist. Never give an extra dose to be safe.

Show the care steps you were taught, and get trained help for tasks the helper cannot safely do. For an emergency, call 911. If the helper cannot come, call the other person who agreed to help, then the clinic. For local help in the U.S., call 800-677-1116.

More sheets you can print

Meals and groceriesMeals are often one of the first things to slip when someone needs more help, and one of the easiest to share out.A ride there and homeA missed ride home can turn a short appointment into a long afternoon.This week’s helpA blank page for this week’s jobs, times, and the people who agreed to help.