When you care for someone, life cannot simply be put on hold when the person you are looking after relies on you for vital help and support.

We advise all carers to create an emergency plan – for you and all those you look after. Having a plan in place can help ease your worries if you are not able to care for those you look after at any point in the future.

Making your emergency plan

In order to create an emergency plan that meets your needs, we recommend you bring together these key details:

  • details of the name, address and contact details of the person you look after
  • who you and the person you look after would like to be contacted in an emergency – this might include friends, family or professionals
  • details of any medication the person you look after is taking and where it is stored
  • details of any ongoing treatment they need
  • noting details of any allergies
  • details of their GP and pharmacy
  • any ongoing treatment they need
  • any care and support services they receive
  • any continence products needed and who supplies them
  • any mobility challenges and mobility aids such as a wheelchair or hoist
  • anything behavioural others need to be aware of.

If you sign up for a Crossroads Carers Card, you can create an emergency plan within your account. Access to your plan can be shared within your Carer Circle and also via your ID card by scanning the QR code using any smartphone camera and answering a security question.

Find out more and sign up for a Crossroads Carers Card here.

Tell everyone your plan

Here are some useful and important tips for planning:

  • Talk about the plan with the person you care for.
  • Talk with your named emergency contacts.
  • Share it with trusted family members, friends and healthcare professionals.
  • Give people a copy of the plan – or tell them where they can find it.
  • Make sure the information is regularly updated.

What would happen in a sudden emergency?

What you would do if you could not continue caring due to an accident or ill health? It’s worth taking some time out to give this some thought and give you peace of mind.

You can also:

  • Keep an In Case of Emergency (ICE) record on your phone stating that you are a carer and the name and address of the person you care for.
  • A Crossroads Carers Card holds x2 ‘In Case of Emergency (ICE)’ contact details which are an essential piece of information that can be used if you are taken ill or injured. Anyone that’s shown or discovers the card has two contacts they can call to inform them what’s happened.