An emergency is a situation which unexpectedly results in you being separated from the person that you care for long enough for it to pose a risk to them and which requires urgent intervention by another person. There could be several reasons why this may happen, eg. you have become unwell, been involved in an incident or accident or need to deal with a personal crisis.
Have you thought about what you would do if a situation like this arose…who would step in? it’s something that most carers worry about but often put to the back of their mind or have thought about it but never actually shared their plan with anyone.
An emergency plan sets out the practical arrangements for these unexpected situations. By writing it down and involving others, creating an emergency plan can give you, and the person you care for, peace of mind and help avoid a crisis. It can also help you have a conversation with family and friends about your caring role ad help them understand what type of difficulties you face. It doesn’t need to be complicated, it is your plan and should include the information and practical arrangements that you feel are relevant.
Emergency Planning is now part of a Carers Support Plan and it is important that you discuss it with the person that is completing the Support Plan with you. Even if you already have a support plan in place, you should still think about what you would do if an emergency situation arose.
Carers of West Dunbartonshire has developed an emergency planning toolkit that includes an Emergency Plan, a Carers’ Emergency Card, and a keyring.
If you would like more information about emergency planning or would like help with completing an emergency plan, please contact the Carers’ Centre.