Alice and Tyrone depend on their Caregivers just to get out of bed or use the bathroom. A failure to show up can place them in an uncomfortable, vulnerable, or even dangerous situation. Still, Caregivers need time off or get sick. Is there a Caregiver backup plan?
Having a Caregiver backup plan reduces stress and anxiety for both the senior and their primary Caregiver. Caregiving can be a demanding and stressful job. Knowing there is a plan in place can provide peace of mind.
At Sunlight Senior Care, we believe that for clients with a consistent schedule, it is in the client’s best interests to have a consistent Caregiver. Relationships form and care services are well understood. Because Alice has multiple care shifts seven days a week, she has several Caregivers who are familiar with her needs and routines. If, for example, her regular Tuesday morning Caregiver can’t provide care that day, that Caregiver may contact another Caregiver to care for Alice that morning.
Tyrone’s wife is his primary Caregiver, with Sunlight providing additional care to give her needed breaks. Again, while it’s best to have a regular Caregiver for Tyrone, it’s also essential for other Caregivers to be familiar with Tyrone and his needs. Therefore, backup Caregivers will have an occasional shift with Tyrone. Should Ty’s primary Caregiver become ill, she can call the backup Caregivers to step in.
That’s the first tier of Sunlight’s three-tier backup system – wherein our Caregivers call their fellow Caregivers to provide care. The second tier involves the Caregiver’s Client Care Coordinator. We group Sunlight Caregivers into teams. Each team has a Client Care Coordinator and a specific group of clients. Since our Client Care Coordinators regularly visit and get to know their clients like Alice, they may occasionally serve as a Caregiver for her clients.
When neither a Caregiver nor the Client Care Coordinator is available, a member of our office/leadership team may provide care that day. That’s the third tier in our backup system, as we strive to provide the care clients need and expect.
Life happens. Sunlight’s founders understood this, and designed Sunlight Senior Care for this reality. It’s comforting to know the unforeseen has been planned for!
