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In an emergency, what happens if you can’t be a Carer for an hour, day or a week?

I was in this situation a while back, (pre-COVID-19) one of my twins Sean had a bad accident and was rushed from school to a local medical centre, I received a call from the principal of the school to meet him there.  David, my son with additional needs, was at home with me with a mild chest infection. No neighbours were home, and my family live 40 kilometres away.

Thankfully David was dressed, and we both rushed to the medical centre. Sean needed to go to A&E, but where was I to bring David?

I panicked a bit and couldn’t think straight. It was a working day, everyone I knew I felt was working, and even though I have good friends, I felt lost and didn’t know where to turn or who to ask for help. To make a long story short, my sister met me in the hospital car park and took David to her house, but I could have made it easier on myself.

While driving home without David in the car, I overtook a tractor on a bad bend, I wasn’t thinking straight, and I had a pain in my chest since the phone call. That night all I could think of was who will look after my children if anything happens to me, my head was whizzing.

I now have an Emergency Plan written up. Please, I would ask you to do the same in particular in these COVID-19 times.

Ask a member of your family, a neighbour or friend, if an accident or unforeseen event happens you will contact them. Let them know what care is required, any medication, how to keep them safe, entertained, etc. It would be so much easier for you if you had all this written down.  You could have a plan for immediate action and a slightly longer-term plan.

THEN HAVE PLAN B, ask someone else as well, if an emergency happens can you contact them.

In the heat of the moment, you will need a mind clear, not asking yourself, what do I do? Who can I contact?

In my experience, people want to help but don’t just spring it on them. Go through the scenario and give them guidance, so they feel a lot more confident if they ever have to take over and know what they are doing.

I found Family Cares Ireland Emergency Care Plan template brilliant and you can gain access to it by clicking the link below:

https://www.familycarers.ie/media/1986/family-carers-ireland-emergency-plan.pdf