Long-distance caregiving: keeping track of your parents

Caring for your parents from a distance often requires a lot of organizing and coordinating. You want to know how things are going at home, while you are not always nearby. That can create tension, especially if you want to keep an overview.

What does long-distance caregiving mean?

You can be a caregiver even if you do not live close by. You then remain involved from a distance. You call or video call regularly. You stay in touch with people nearby.

That can also create tension. You may feel that you are doing too little. Good agreements help then. Record who does what. Do that also with neighbors, family, or volunteers nearby. Video calling helps you stay in touch.

How do you keep track of visits and contact?

In Zoetermeer there are volunteers who take some of the burden off you. Think of a buddy who visits or does something together. There is also help from neighbors. And there is a phone chain, in which someone calls daily.

Welfare organization Palet Welzijn and the local access point coordinate this. This keeps your loved one in contact with others. That gives you time for yourself now and then. Ask the local access point which volunteer help is available in your neighborhood.

How do you arrange extra help and respite care?

Respite care does not have to be big. In Zoetermeer there is light respite care in the neighborhood, volunteers who are present at home, day care, and short-term stay. At inZet and through independent client support, they think along for free about what fits.

There are also short activities in community centers and drop-in locations. Fietsmaatjes is part of that too. You and your loved one can sometimes join together. For people with dementia there is the Unforgettable Cooking Club. For help with choosing or applying, you can contact a caregiver coordinator in Zoetermeer.

Practical help at home can also help. Think of cleaning help, grocery help, a handyman service, help in the garden, a meal service, or a volunteer for a small task. For an application or comparison of options, you can ask for help from the Wmo desk of your municipality or independent client support.

What do you do in case of a breakdown or emergency?

Make an emergency plan for moments when you are ill or unexpectedly unable to help. Ask the pediatric nurse to clearly write down which professional care is needed, what you do voluntarily, and who the backup person is. You do not have to take over a nursing task if you do not want to or cannot do so safely.

In complex or intensive home care, care can continue day and night. That can affect sleep, work, finances, and attention for other children. Independent client support can help with questions about the Youth Act, health insurance, or the Long-Term Care Act (Wlz). Through a Network of Integrated Pediatric Care in your region and Mantelzorg Zoetermeer, you can seek support for the whole family.