Supporting an older relative
The organisational side of care: the conversation and consent, doctor and documents, money and scams, home safety, dividing duties and an emergency plan.

[ ] Talk, and ask what worries them
    Start with questions rather than offers: what has become hard, what they want, what they refuse. Everything else builds on that.
[ ] Find out who their doctor is and how to reach them
    Contacts, the clinic, the nearest pharmacy. Ask whether they want help booking appointments and going to them.
[ ] Make a list of the medication they are prescribed
    Names, doses and times — from the doctor and the packaging, not from memory. Any change goes through the doctor.
[ ] Find out where the documents are kept
    ID, insurance, medical records, contracts, property papers. Agree on one folder and on who knows where it is.
[ ] Understand the money and the compulsory payments
    How payments arrive, what is taken automatically, which bills are compulsory. The goal is that nothing lapses through a missed payment.
[ ] Talk about phone and doorstep scams
    Agree a simple rule: before any transfer or letting anyone in, they call you. Without reproach or quizzing.
[ ] Clear cables, rugs and obstacles from walkways
    Falls are the main household danger. A clear path helps more than any reminder to be careful.
[ ] Add light in the hallway, by the bed and in the bathroom
    A bedside light and a motion sensor in the hallway cost very little and address the most common fall: a night trip to the bathroom.
[ ] Make the bathroom safer
    Grab rails, a non-slip mat, a stable seat in the shower if needed. Discuss it in advance rather than after the first fall.
[ ] Move everyday things to hand height
    Crockery, food, medication and cleaning products — so nobody climbs on a stool or bends to the floor for them.
[ ] Set up simple contact and check the phone
    Large contacts, volume, a charger by the bed, a simple way to call. Agree how often you will speak.
[ ] Get to know the neighbours and swap numbers
    Someone living nearby is often faster than any service. Arrange it in advance and kindly.
[ ] Sort out keys and access
    Who has a spare set and how to get in urgently. Discuss it openly rather than announcing it.
[ ] Divide responsibilities between relatives in writing
    Visits, shopping, pharmacy, bills, documents, doctors. A verbal \u201cwe all help\u201d becomes one person doing everything.
[ ] Agree an emergency plan
    Who to call first, where the list of conditions and medication is, where to go. Keep the plan on paper somewhere visible.
[ ] Find out what support is available locally
    Social services, food and medicine delivery, home visits, transport. Provision differs by area — check what exists where they live.
[ ] Keep their routine and independence
    Leave as many decisions and tasks with them as possible. Good help leaves someone doing more for themselves, not less.
[ ] Look after yourself and do not carry it alone
    Carer fatigue is a real problem, not a weakness. Agree on rotas, breaks and the fact that asking for help is allowed.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/elderly-care-setup