When I was taking care of my grandmother I developed a communications notebook as a tool to help her day-to-day caretakers and myself manage her quality of life. In the past two newsletters I covered the overall purpose of the communications notebook and the Weekly Activity Schedule included in Tab 1. This month I will address the second tab, which includes the Daily Meal Schedule.
There are several different purposes for creating a Daily Meal Schedule. First of all, as the primary person responsible for the elder you are probably familiar with her favorite foods and preferences. Secondly, you are aware of any dietary restrictions for the elder in your care. Creating the Daily Meal Schedule allows you to ensure that your elder is eating a healthy diet full of foods they enjoy. Since I was also in charge of coordinating the groceries it allowed me to budget, plan ahead and make sure that these foods were in the house and ready to eat. Having this item already planned simplified her daily routine as there was one less decision to make. It also made it easier for her day-to-day caregivers to pull meals together quickly.
In addition to the daily menu, you should include an Actual Meal Log in this tab. This where the day-to-day caregivers note any modifications to the daily menu. For instance, if my grandmother wanted grilled cheese instead of a ham sandwich that would get noted in the Actual Meal Log. This is also where the caregiver would note if her medications were taken at meals. Knowing what my grandmother actually ate allowed me to stay apprised of changes in her appetite and tastes. It also gave me peace of mind knowing that medications that needed to be taken with meals were administered appropriately.
Coordinating care for our elders can be very challenging. If you or someone you know needs help please contact Lindsay Leonard at Santa Barbara Estate Services.
