Today the Chicago area is expecting another large snowfall.  Snow can throw a monkey wrench into everyone’s plans.  School children and teachers get snow days.  Office employees, depending on the job, may take a personal day, but with caregivers, the need for care exists no matter what the weather is.  This includes home health caregivers, and nursing home and hospital staff.

At Home Instead Senior Care in Chicago, we have learned over the years how to cope with situations like this.  Being a bit proactive goes a long way in making sure an elderly individual in need of care is not left alone.  Typically, when we see a weather forecast which includes a large snowfall, our office staff members work the phone several hours ahead of time to make sure that our caregivers know to leave for their shifts early, and to allow extra time to get there. 

When it comes to an elderly individual who has 24 hour round the clock or live-in caregivers, we also call the workers who are currently at the client to let them know that their replacement may be there late, and they should be prepared to spend extra time at their senior’s home.  Sometimes, in situations where we know the scheduled shift is critical, we will even arrange for the caregiver to arrive the night before at the clients home, to make sure the caregiver can make it to their shift.

The point is, when snowfall is imminent, everyone should keep caregiving situations in mind.  A bit of proactive thought, and planning goes a long way in making sure those in need do not go uncared for.

Stay safe & warm, and thanks for reading!