Care process
Care coordination
Care coordination is the work of organizing a person's care across doctors, caregivers, services and family so the pieces fit together. It includes sharing information, scheduling and following up. A care manager, nurse or family member may lead it. Good coordination keeps everyone working from the same plan and information.
Why it matters for your family
Coordination reduces missed medicines, repeated tests and conflicting advice. The National Institute on Aging says geriatric care managers coordinate medical services and plan short- and long-term care, which can help when relatives live far apart. At home, a lead person should hold the contact list, appointment dates, medicine list and care plan. A common mistake is to assume the doctor, the home care provider and the family all know what the others do. They often do not. Use one shared notebook or app. Hold a short check-in after each change. HomeCare.com's support team can help families with the non-medical caregiving side of the plan.
Source: nia.nih.gov
Read more: What is Home Care? How to Benefit from These Services?
Related terms
- Care teamA care team is the group of people who work together to support a person.
- Care planA care plan is a written plan that lists a person's needs, goals, tasks, schedule and who does what.
- Care logA care log is a running record of care that has been given, such as meals, medicine reminders, outings, falls and mood.
- Family communicationFamily communication is how relatives share updates, decisions and concerns about a loved one's care.
- Discharge planningDischarge planning is the process a hospital, nursing home or other facility uses to prepare a patient to leave.
- Care coordinatorA care coordinator is a person who organizes a person's care among doctors, agencies, and family.
