Providing essential care to someone important in your life comes with a weight of responsibility, not to mention a huge demand on your time and resources. It’s an undeniably tough process for all parties involved, but a very necessary one for those who are trying to retain some sense of independence for the loved ones they’re caring for.
Thus, the more prepared you can be in looking after someone, the better. That means developing a good schedule, structuring your week accordingly around your care work and investing in the right equipment to help you out. When it comes to the latter, there are a number of ‘essentials’ that virtually all carers can benefit from. Here are three you’ll likely want to take on.
A key safe
A key safe, sometimes known as a key lockbox, is a fairly simple but secure metal box that is fixed outside a home or a business to keep keys in. You can get all sorts of different key safes – some with multi-key capacity and others with various types of locking and access mechanisms as per your needs.
A lot of people use them to keep a spare key in. In the instance of care, they can provide a vital access solution for you if you can’t gain entry to the property through other means – say in the event of an emergency where the party you’re caring for can’t let you in themselves or you’ve lost your own key.
They’re a cheap but very valuable additional for that additional peace of mind.
PPE equipment
PPE equipment has always been an essential in care, but since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic it has become even more of a must have, regardless of whether you’re a care home worker or a non-professional providing live in care.
The gov.uk website offers plenty of advice of what PPE to use and when in care situations. But in a new, post-COVID world where vulnerable people are even more vulnerable than before, make sure you have the correct PPE ready to go before you start your care work.
Moving and handling equipment
In many instances of at home care, the individual concerned will have some level of mobility issues. With the point of providing at home care being to allow the cared for party to retain some level of independence in their life, the use of moving and handling equipment is essential to keep them mobile around the home.
The Health and Safety Executive offers detailed advice on what type and amount of moving and handling equipment will be required based on two things: the needs of the individual and the safety of you as their carer. Necessary equipment can include anything from a selection of hoists to bed levers and walking aids – it’s up to you to establish the right inventory to efficiently carry out the right level of care.
Especially if you’re new to the world of care, adjusting to the new normal and demands of the role can be incredibly difficult. To help counteract that, preparation is key – and that starts with having the right equipment to do the job properly. Invest early in the items you need, and you’ll be helping make the care process much easier for both your loved one and yourself.
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