For family carers

Manage the challenges of care at home.

Practical tips in six languages for everyday home care.

Illustration of a family carer with an elderly person

Guidance

Home care requires structure and careful planning

Discover key concepts and tried-and-tested solutions for the everyday challenges of home care.

Create structure

Home care often grows from individual acts of assistance into a complex web of tasks, information and responsibilities. If responsibilities or changes remain unclear, important steps may be overlooked. This article shows you how to establish a reliable basic structure, make arrangements for cover and adapt your organisation to changes.

Organising medication

Multiple medicines, different times of day for taking them and new prescriptions can quickly become confusing in everyday life. It is particularly risky if there are discrepancies in medication schedules or if it is no longer possible to trace when a dose was taken. Find out how an up-to-date medication plan, clear responsibilities and documented changes can make taking medication safer.

Documentation

A single observation often seems insignificant – but over time, it can indicate an important change. Without clear records, developments may go unnoticed or be difficult to describe during a doctor’s appointment. This article explains what should be documented and how notes can form a helpful basis for decision-making.

Emergencies & safety

Emergency preparedness does not mean constantly expecting a crisis. It ensures that, in the event of an emergency, the right point of contact and up-to-date information are quickly available. Find out when to call 112 or 116117, what should be included in an emergency kit and how to reduce risks at home.

Hospital & transitions

Upon admission and discharge, responsibilities change, and often so do medication regimens, abilities or support needs. If these changes are not fully communicated to the patient’s home care team, gaps in care may arise. This article guides you through the process, from the hospital stay and discharge management right through to the practical assessment of care during the first few days at home.

Dementia & forgetfulness

Forgetfulness, impaired orientation or changes in behaviour can have various causes. It is important to distinguish between gradual developments and sudden episodes of confusion, and to identify specific everyday risks at an early stage. This article shows how structure, an adapted environment and respectful communication can provide a sense of security.

Support for family carers

Caregiving can gradually take its toll emotionally, physically and in terms of organisation. If care depends largely on one person, their exhaustion also becomes a risk to day-to-day care. Find out how to recognise signs of strain, share responsibilities effectively and make use of suitable support.

Assistive devices

There are assistive devices or tailored solutions available for many of the difficulties encountered in day-to-day care – even if family members do not yet know what they are called. The starting point is the specific task that has become unsafe or particularly burdensome. This article helps you to discover options, try out suitable solutions and clarify funding and safe use.

Checklists & templates

Knowledge proves particularly helpful in day-to-day care when tasks, appointments and changes are visible to everyone involved. Five templates provide support with task allocation, daily structure, scheduling, monitoring progress and emergency preparedness. For each template, you’ll find out when it’s most useful and which risks it can help reduce.

Local care advice

Find a care support centre near you

Many questions about home care are best answered by the relevant local advice service. Enter your town or postcode to view suitable care centres from our database.