5 Effective Tips for Starting a Care Calendar

A family caregiver’s to-do list can feel endless. Doctor’s appointments, monitoring medications, prepping meals … it can be a lot to manage.

This is where the importance of getting help comes in. Caregiver burnout is very real, and sharing tasks with family and friends can help ease some of this fatigue.

One way to make asking for help less intimidating is by organizing a care team and creating a care calendar. Sharing a care calendar with friends and family members helps create a sense of community around the caregiving process.

Wondering how to start a care calendar? You’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn how to successfully make social time, share work and get the help you need.

What is a Caregiver Calendar?

Caregiver calendars are online tools designed to help caregivers delegate tasks.

Volunteers can easily sign up for tasks to help loosen up a caregiver’s schedule. Not only do care calendars help caregivers, they also allow a family’s loved ones to stay involved during a time of need. 

If you are running a home care business, setting up a care calendar for yourself and the families you work with is crucial for providing high quality care. Your clients will thank you for it.

How to Create an Effective Caregiver Calendar

1. Create a List of Caregiving Duties 

Before starting your care calendar, create a list of all of the possible caregiving responsibilities.

In your list of responsibilities, consider including the effort required for the task, any external resources needed, and the time it will take to complete.

The more information you are able to provide about each task will help friends and family caregivers better understand which tasks they can fit into their schedule. 

Tasks may include:

• Grocery shopping/meal prepping
• Rides to appointments 
• Paying bills
• Medication schedules
• Pet care
• Socializing 
• House and yard maintenance 

2. Organize the Calendar Based on Needs

Prioritize your list of care tasks by need vs. convenience. For example, take into consideration personal care tasks that you absolutely need a hand with, as opposed to tasks that would be nice for someone to take care of.

A caregiver calendar’s ultimate goal is to create a more efficient schedule for caregivers by taking some tasks off their plate. Keep this in mind when you are prioritizing your tasks.

Creating a daily template can significantly assist family caregivers by providing structure, predictability, and a form of organization for their patients. If a family member is involved with the caregiving schedule make sure they have access to all the templates they need.

Caregiver schedule templates help bring order to the process. They can help streamline routines and make the day to day much more predictable and orderly.

3. Be Specific for Family Members and Family Caregivers

Sometimes tasks can be broken down into smaller segments to provide clarity for those volunteering. For each task, try to be as specific as possible so others know exactly how to help. 

This could look like providing specific time frames on certain tasks, putting together a medication schedule, recipe suggestions or tips for meal prepping. Getting into the nitty gritty helps volunteers provide better, more helpful assistance.

It may also be helpful to schedule tasks a month or two in advance if you can, so that volunteers have enough time to prepare, and you don’t feel like you’re scrambling to get help. 

Smaller tasks facilitate better time management and prioritization, enabling caregivers to allocate their resources more efficiently and accurately estimate the time required in order to provide the highest quality service for their patients.

4. Share the Care Calendar Once It’s Ready

When you’re ready to share the details of your caregiver calendar, you can start small by sending it to close family members and friends. Once you feel ready, consider sending it to neighbors, coworkers and others involved in the family’s life.

You can also print and share the calendar on social media to reach others in your lives who may want to help. The more trusted helpers you can get, the better for you and your loved one.

Sharing a caregiving calendar with each person involved in the care process offers numerous benefits, fostering a collaborative and supportive network around the care recipient.

By granting access to the calendar, family members and friends can actively participate in the caregiving process, helping to distribute responsibilities and alleviate the burden on the primary caregiver.

This shared approach encourages open communication, ensuring everyone remains informed and engaged with the care recipient’s needs and progress.

Additionally, a shared caregiving calendar can facilitate the scheduling of appointments, social visits, and respite breaks for the caregiver, ultimately contributing to a more resilient, well-coordinated, and compassionate care network.

5. Try the CaringBridge Planner 

If you’d like to get started with a caregiver calendar but don’t know where to start, we humbly suggest trying the CaringBridge Planner. Visit the iOS or Google Play store to get the app as an instant download. No purchase required.

Since 1997, CaringBridge has made it simple and safe to offer or ask for support when it’s needed most. Hundreds of thousands of people use our platform every single day to share health updates and organize care efforts. 

The CaringBridge Planner can help you share such tasks as:

• Scheduling transportation to doctor appointments
• Coordinating grocery and/or meal delivery
• Arranging childcare
• Taking care of pets
• Chores and errands
• Medication reminders
• Setting up good times to stop by and say hello

No matter what caregiver calendar you choose, the most important thing is that you and your loved one get the help you need. No one can do it alone!

Start a CaringBridge Page

You can stay connected to friends and family, plan and coordinate meals, share photos, and experience love from any distance.

All of this is ready for you when you start your personal CaringBridge page, which is no-cost, ad-free, private and secure. Don’t spend another minute alone!