Text guides

Care and support logistics

Organize practical help around the person's preferences. Keep medical decisions with qualified professionals and share only the information helpers need.

12 practical tasks. Each guide includes a sample request and a way to check the answer.

Turn an offer to help into specific practical tasksAsk which practical tasks the person wants help with and turn those requests into choices volunteers can claim. Include the timing, who confirms it and a contact for changes. Keep the list short enough for the person to review before it is shared with friends.
Prepare a transport note for a care appointmentA driver needs the time, where to arrive, where to be picked up, any access need and who to call. Write only what the provider or the person has confirmed. Leave out the reason for the visit unless the person has chosen to share it with the driver.
Write a practical handoff for a household helperA new helper needs to know what the person wants done, how and when, and what they do not want touched. Write these as the person's choices in their own terms. Name one contact for questions so the helper does not have to guess.
Coordinate meal deliveries for someone receiving helpKeep one schedule of the meals the household requested, with a delivery window and a named volunteer for each slot. Copy the household's food requirements accurately and leave unknown details as questions. Confirm how deliveries should arrive and who handles cancellations or changes.
Explain visiting preferences to friends and relativesWrite a short message with the visiting times, length of visit and contact method the person has chosen. Include any limits they want stated and how visitors should ask about a change. Confirm the recipient list and keep explanations within what the person wants shared.
Organize administrative questions for a care providerOffice staff can answer questions about scheduling, paperwork and how to reach the right person. Write each as a short entry with what you already know, the exact question and the official contact. Keep anything about diagnosis or treatment for the clinician.
Make a contact sheet with only necessary informationGive each helper the contact details tied to their own task and leave the rest off. For every helper, record the role, the best way to reach them, what they may do, when they are available and why they are on the sheet. Ask the person receiving help what they want shared before anything goes out.
Plan a companion visit around the person's interestsOffer two or three activities drawn from what the person already enjoys, and make declining easy. For each, note the materials, a short and a longer duration, and a quiet alternative such as sitting together. The plan is a set of choices the person can take or leave.
List supplies for agreed household support tasksStart from the tasks the person has agreed to, then list the ordinary supplies each one uses. For every item, record where it is kept, how much is on hand and who to ask for more. A helper should never have to guess which cleaner or bag is approved.
Ask for backup when a household helper cancelsWhen a helper cancels, name the task that is now uncovered, the day and time, and how soon you need an answer. Send the request only to people the person has approved. Describe what the task involves so a volunteer can judge whether they can do it.
Prioritize questions for a professional appointmentWrite each question in the person's own words, then ask which matter most and put those first, so they get asked even if time runs short. Add a short supporting note to each, such as when something started, and name the professional best placed to answer.
Draft an update for an approved support circleShare only what the person has agreed to share, and only with the people they approved. Lead with confirmed changes, say what help is needed and how to reply, and leave out anything private. Each personal detail needs a clear yes from the person.

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